Hard Cough

When I was about 15 (I’m 22 now), I used to get a chronic cough every winter which lasted about 6-8 weeks. It was a dry cough that usually followed a slight illness or happened out of the blue. The third year I went to the doctor who said I had bronchitis because of mild asthma that I have. He said I was allergic to dust and gave me anti allergic medication which really seemed to help.

The coughs eventually got less and less severe and I have had no recurrent cough of significance. I do get it however, but it goes away with the anti allergy pills.

I’ve always had attacks of severe chest pains, perhaps every 6-8 months which last a few minutes and milder ones that last a few days. I’ve either been told it’s heartburn or cramps. However, now I think it maybe related. The pain is always in the left side of my chest, sometimes lower and sometimes I confuse it with back pain.

Now, yesterday, I just had a recurrent chronic cough syndrome. During this time, I had one severe attack of chest pain. The pain is gone, but I can feel a slight irritation. The cough gets so bad sometimes, I can’t speak.

The cough is mainly a dry cough with very little but clear mucus. I have never had shortness of breath or wheezing, in fact I have a good stamina. However, the minor pains that have happened might have following a day of exertion.

I will visit the doctor, but what do you think it is? Is it asthma? bronchitis? or something else.

Yours is Allergic Bronchitis. Symptoms of bronchitis are similar irrespective of cause.

Many varieties of lung problems can cause chest pain, including disorders of the airways such as asthma or bronchitis, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), and inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleurisy, or pleurisy).

Chest pain caused by lung problems can be localized or diffuse, constant or increasing with breathing, and mild or severe. Pleurisy, in particular, is characterized by chest pain that appears each time a person inhales, and nearly disappears with exhalation. A severe coughing spell or two can sprain the chest muscles, and leave them aching for several days.

As long as your you have scanty sputum (that has changed color), only symptomatic treatment would suffice – anti allergic, pain tab and syrup to counter cough(all OTC)

My 6 year old brother has been coughing for 22 days now. It’s NOT accompanied by mucus or phlegm. It’s a dry cough that won’t leave. Sometimes there is only a 2 second interval between coughs. We’ve taken him to the doctor twice. Both say there’s nothing wrong with his lungs (thank God) and have simply prescribed antibiotics and cough syrups. They haven’t been working at all. We’ve also tried tons of natural remedies. Nothing seems to work. Please help. We’re desperate and anxious.

Could be allergies or dry air. Or it simply could have developed into a subconscious habit. IMO I would forget about the cough syrups and antibiotics. Instead use lozengers (not cough drops but the soothing ones like Ricola, Nice, or Cepacol), warm teas, and honey.

So… my mothers friend has had a chronic cough for about 5months… yes! 5 at least… and this doesn’t seem to be getting any better phlegm and there seems to be a little eye bulging… (they’re a smoker and heavy drinker)does anyone have any ideas as to eat this could possible be… if yu guys kno any links wit answers please attach… They refuse to see a doctor… hmm

Ms. Star,
The most likely cause is COPD -Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It’s very common among smokers. It’s also known as "smoker’s cough". In fact it’s five times more likely to occur in smokers than lung cancer. But you cannot diagnose someone over the Internet. If your mother’s friend wants to know what’s wrong he or she will go to the doctor.

Although I feel better today, My throat is scratchy and I sometimes have a dry cough that doesn’t hurt. Are there any home remedies that I can gargle with to prevent this thing from getting any worse? Now this morning I got a charlie horse are these symptoms related?

Take half spoonful of turmeric powder and dilute in luke warm water. Just gargle three times in a day. It palliates well your dry cough.

I am 61 years old, got asthma 30 years ago, asthma is under control but have had this asthma cough, any home remedies for cough

Please, please, please do not go down the road of quack remedies.

There are 2 issues here, is your cough just a tail end part of your asthma, in which case it is potentially reversible and it would need to be managed by increasing your asthma meds or is it,as is probably more likely, a COPD symptom, ie due to the secondary damage that the asthma has done to your chest after 30 years? If this is the case it is fixed disease and is probably untreatable.

In a way asthma management is easier than it was when I first started, in the sense that most of the medications that were peripheral to management then have all but disappeared. This has basically left short and long acting beta 2 agonists, inhaled steroids and antileukotrienes.

It is unlikely that the antileukotrienes will help, though I suppose if you have never tried montelukast (Singulair,) since it has few side effects there is nothing to lose by going for a 4 week trial. If this, and a 4 week trial of maximal dose inhaled steroids had no effect, the odds are your cough is irreversible.

I tried a cough medicine but it just makes my throat sore any ideas on a treatment ??
10 points best answer xx

i checked this website for you. however it wasnt too exact on what you can take because it says "Coughing is a symptom, not a disease. It is the underlying cause of the cough that needs to be treated." but basically it did tell me this:

"A non-productive, dry, tickly or irritating cough, in which no phlegm is coughed up can, be treated with a cough suppressant to reduce the cough reflex. Cough suppressants include pholcodine, dextromethorphan and codeine. Other cough suppressants include simple linctus, glycerin and lemon and honey, which coat and soothe the back of the throat."

hope this helps and hope u feel better soon

Please explain the connection between the two.
There is some sort of connection in some way. I just need to know what it is.

There is none. Both are individual symptoms but neither causes the other. Both maybe caused by a single illness or a single patient could have both symptoms from unrelated causes. You could get both symptoms from one source such as heavy smoking, poisoning or cancer, but those two symptoms by themselves are not adaquate for a diagnosis.

Maybe let us know where the question comes from. Is it a study question or direct symptoms from someone you know? Are you looking for a specific answer or just an answer you can justify?

I have a dry, very annoying cough and I’d like to do something about it, as it keeps me from sleeping. I tried to call the doc to see what she recommends but I couldn’t get a hold of her on Friday. Anyway, I am a breastfeeding mother so I need something that is safe to take while breastfeeding. I also welcome any home remedies if they work.
Thanks

Robitussin.

Seriously, it’s fine!

So, I was sick last week with flu, had fever and runny nose..now one week later i feel ok, the fever’s gone but my nose is still runny and i have a persistent cough. Any ideas on home made remedies to ease the cough?

Also, you can try some diphenhydramine (Benadryl) from your pharmacy.