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What Do Persistent Coughing And Rib-cage Pain Indicate Post Travelling?
Question: My husband has been complaining about a pain on the left hand side of his ribcage. We recently had a holiday in Europe where it was very hot and had the aircon. going most nights. We all came back coughing, mine has cleared but he is still coughing and now complaining about this pain, he rubs his lower ribcage when I ask where the pain is. I asked him to breath in and out deeply and he said it hurt a little.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Coughing persistently can cause inflammation of the connective tissue of the rib cage (costochondritis) and can even cause rib fractures if the coughing is hard.
If it hurts to take a deep breath, I mean in addition to the spot on the rib cage that hurts, then he should go in to be seen to make sure there isn't any pulmonary or pleuritic (lining around the lungs) problem.
Also, if he has a fever or is coughing up anything purulent - he should be examined as there may be an infection beyond a viral cold, such as with bacteria, which may require being treated with an antibiotic.
If this is costochondritis, treatment is rest and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (take after eating so it doesn't hurt the stomach lining) up to 3 times a day.
His doctor might want to consider a cough suppressant with codeine in it. In the US this is by prescription only, but I am thinking that in the UK it might be sold without needing a prescription. Shutting down the cough (providing there isn't an underlying infection or pathology) will help the rib cage inflammation heal.
If he is coughing because of drainage down his throat, using a decongestant (oral) such as pseudo ephedrine for a few days (during the day as it is stimulating) and/or a nasal steroid spray, may help at the source of the problem.
I hope this information helps.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Coughing persistently can cause inflammation of the connective tissue of the rib cage (costochondritis) and can even cause rib fractures if the coughing is hard.
If it hurts to take a deep breath, I mean in addition to the spot on the rib cage that hurts, then he should go in to be seen to make sure there isn't any pulmonary or pleuritic (lining around the lungs) problem.
Also, if he has a fever or is coughing up anything purulent - he should be examined as there may be an infection beyond a viral cold, such as with bacteria, which may require being treated with an antibiotic.
If this is costochondritis, treatment is rest and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (take after eating so it doesn't hurt the stomach lining) up to 3 times a day.
His doctor might want to consider a cough suppressant with codeine in it. In the US this is by prescription only, but I am thinking that in the UK it might be sold without needing a prescription. Shutting down the cough (providing there isn't an underlying infection or pathology) will help the rib cage inflammation heal.
If he is coughing because of drainage down his throat, using a decongestant (oral) such as pseudo ephedrine for a few days (during the day as it is stimulating) and/or a nasal steroid spray, may help at the source of the problem.
I hope this information helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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