Suggest Treatment For Severe Cough In An Elderly Person

Posted on Fri, 27 Jan 2017

Question: I am a 71 year old male who has had a severe cough for 9 days with no sign of improvement. Cough is productive of phlegm which is vaguely yellow. I'm afraid to take cough medicine because have a severely enlarged prostate and great difficulty urinating. Wondering if there is anything I can safely take that might reduce severity/duration of coughing episodes that can be as long as two hours.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Which cough medicines do you have with you?

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I will like to know the cough drugs you were considering. Though suppressing cough might be a good idea, I strongly do not encourage this as it results in accumulation of secretions which favor germs multiplication and infection. Dextromethorphan is a good cough suppressant. Though you might be concerned about urination difficulties, this only happens when you must have taken more than recommended. I will suggest that you take this, if you must take a drug to suppress this cough, something I really don't support.

I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar