excruciating pain after heavy coughing

[Penthane]

I am a 45 yr old male. I have asthma from birth, and I use Aerius 1xd, Singulair 2xd, Symbicort 400/12 3xd, and Ventolin when needed.
The last two years, whenever I have to cough really hard (the gasping for air kind), I frequently get to a point where I start "dry vomitting". I get a vomit reflex, but nothing comes out of my stomache., I only, explosively, force a lot of air out of my lungs. Directly after that I get an excruciating pain all over my upper body; chest, back, neck, sides and back of my head, arms, and hands. Like there is a few hundred Volts running through me. I've passed out a couple of times because of it. It takes about two hours before the pain's completely gone. What's happening, is it dangerous, can it be prevented?

[Penthane]

I do have osteoporosis (-2.8 now, thanks to Fosamax), diagnosed 5 yrs ago by both CT and biopsy (but the needle went straight through the ilium ev'ry time. Had it done by surgery later on). Though I've been checked at two hospitals, the cause remains unknown. Had an MRI of the spinal done two or three yrs ago by a neurologist, cause of nervepains in my right leg. The doctor said he hadn't seen such a healthy spine in years. Can these pains also occur without any spinal degeneration?

I was seeing a lung specialist regularly, but he had a heart attack a year ago, and I didn't like his successor, so I haven't seen a doctor in a year. I'll take your advice and find another one.

Thank you very much for helping me this way.

[National Jewish Health]

Vomiting, following harsh coughing, is common, as is “passing out”; although it is miserable, and often a sign of poorly controlled asthma.  The pain is suggestive of that caused by nerve compression, which usually occurs in the presence of degenerative arthritis of the spine and/or compression of more or more intervertebral discs, in response to a great rise in pressure in the spine that accompanies a hard cough.  I suggest that you request a physical examination and x-rays of your spine, for evidence of arthritis or diseased discs.

Good luck.