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Urge to cough 24/7
Hi all,
I am a 24 year old healthy male.
Last Tuesday, I suddenly developed a nagging, constant cough and need to clear my throat. By Thursday, it had turned into a cold with basic symptoms (runny nose, etc.) and my cough randomly disappeared. However, as soon as my runny nose began to subside, the cough reappeared on Friday - and it has been in full force ever since!
The difference I feel this time around is that the urge to cough is constantly there - 24/7. When I have had a regular cough in the past, I cough once every 30 minutes or so and it doesn't really bother me - going away within a few days. This time, however, there is a constant discomfort in my throat that causes me to produce a dry cough... sometimes several times a minute. The sensation of needing to cough/clear my throat is there 24/7, and has interfered with sleep, too.
What worries me (besides the constant discomfort and inability to get any relaxation) is that traditional cough suppressants aren't working. I've tried Vicks Vapo Rub, menthol, cough drops, eucalyptus, honey/tea, ginger, and OTC cough medication... nothing is working. This is when I came across the LSN diagnosis and wonder if this is what I have contracted last week.
I do not have any history or issue with acid reflux/heartburn.
Could this be Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathic Cough? It seems like this is rather rare and I worry that my GP will not be able to diagnose it even if I tell him about it. (Only one or few doctors are familiar with this, all on the East Coast.) Is one week too short to determine if LSN is the cause of the cough? I'm hoping this is just the after effects of the cold and is just normal, but it seems like the fact that absolutely nothing is helping - as well as the fact that the urge to cough is there 24/7 - is problematic.
Thank you so much for your help.
I really appreciate it!
I am a 24 year old healthy male.
Last Tuesday, I suddenly developed a nagging, constant cough and need to clear my throat. By Thursday, it had turned into a cold with basic symptoms (runny nose, etc.) and my cough randomly disappeared. However, as soon as my runny nose began to subside, the cough reappeared on Friday - and it has been in full force ever since!
The difference I feel this time around is that the urge to cough is constantly there - 24/7. When I have had a regular cough in the past, I cough once every 30 minutes or so and it doesn't really bother me - going away within a few days. This time, however, there is a constant discomfort in my throat that causes me to produce a dry cough... sometimes several times a minute. The sensation of needing to cough/clear my throat is there 24/7, and has interfered with sleep, too.
What worries me (besides the constant discomfort and inability to get any relaxation) is that traditional cough suppressants aren't working. I've tried Vicks Vapo Rub, menthol, cough drops, eucalyptus, honey/tea, ginger, and OTC cough medication... nothing is working. This is when I came across the LSN diagnosis and wonder if this is what I have contracted last week.
I do not have any history or issue with acid reflux/heartburn.
Could this be Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathic Cough? It seems like this is rather rare and I worry that my GP will not be able to diagnose it even if I tell him about it. (Only one or few doctors are familiar with this, all on the East Coast.) Is one week too short to determine if LSN is the cause of the cough? I'm hoping this is just the after effects of the cold and is just normal, but it seems like the fact that absolutely nothing is helping - as well as the fact that the urge to cough is there 24/7 - is problematic.
Thank you so much for your help.
I really appreciate it!
I went to my doctor today, and he gave me an anti-biotic and some cough syrup with Codeine. Hopefully that will help me get some sleep. Since it has only been a week for me, and I DID have a cold last week, I don't think it is acid reflux and is either a regular nagging dry cough, OR the sensory neuropathic cough (hopefully not!).
Did you have a cold last week? I read your other post about the pill swallowing experience, but was there some kind of other trigger? I had my cough RIGHT before the cold, but now that the cold is gone, the cough is still there.
Kera, don't worry! I am telling myself that I can't live like this, either, but it's temporary. But try looking up that sensory neuropathic cough - it is often diagnosed when people who were told they had the LPR but didn't respond to any treatment. I think doctors treat it with some of the neuro medications like Elavil, but I'm not too sure about this.
Since we've only had this for just a week, hopefully it's some kind of a bug and not related to acid reflex nor this neuropathic cough.
For me, it isn't much of a tightness in the throat - it's just this nagging sensation in the throat that makes me want to cough. (It feels like a regular cough - it is just CONSTANT and never goes away.)
Do you do anything to get to sleep with the nagging need to cough?
Did you have a cold last week? I read your other post about the pill swallowing experience, but was there some kind of other trigger? I had my cough RIGHT before the cold, but now that the cold is gone, the cough is still there.
Kera, don't worry! I am telling myself that I can't live like this, either, but it's temporary. But try looking up that sensory neuropathic cough - it is often diagnosed when people who were told they had the LPR but didn't respond to any treatment. I think doctors treat it with some of the neuro medications like Elavil, but I'm not too sure about this.
Since we've only had this for just a week, hopefully it's some kind of a bug and not related to acid reflex nor this neuropathic cough.
For me, it isn't much of a tightness in the throat - it's just this nagging sensation in the throat that makes me want to cough. (It feels like a regular cough - it is just CONSTANT and never goes away.)
Do you do anything to get to sleep with the nagging need to cough?
Hmmm I'm gonna look that up. I have never had acid reflux issues either. But I'm wondering because tonight my throat itself feels very "tight". This is honesty awful and I have got to figure out what this is fast because I can't live like this!
Thank you so much, Kera! I appreciate it. It's somewhat comforting knowing that there is someone else who has this!
Yes, I looked up LPR a little bit! That's so strange since it's basically reflux related without a single sign of heartburn or reflux. I'm curious, though, since I've never had any reflux issues in the past. Plus, I did have that cold; so I wonder if that's what I have.
If it isn't LPR, I wonder if I have sensory neuropathic cough, otherwise known as laryngeal sensory neuropathic cough? It develops after a cold and essentially the nerves in your larynx becomes hypersensitized afterwards, so the cough remains. I'm not sure if that is a constant urge to cough like the one I have, though. In both LPR and the other cough, regular cough suppressants don't work; so that might be why all the other remedies haven't worked.
How are you sleeping??
Yes, I looked up LPR a little bit! That's so strange since it's basically reflux related without a single sign of heartburn or reflux. I'm curious, though, since I've never had any reflux issues in the past. Plus, I did have that cold; so I wonder if that's what I have.
If it isn't LPR, I wonder if I have sensory neuropathic cough, otherwise known as laryngeal sensory neuropathic cough? It develops after a cold and essentially the nerves in your larynx becomes hypersensitized afterwards, so the cough remains. I'm not sure if that is a constant urge to cough like the one I have, though. In both LPR and the other cough, regular cough suppressants don't work; so that might be why all the other remedies haven't worked.
How are you sleeping??
When u have a chance look up LPR. I can't be sure it's what I have cause I haven't been seen yet but when the dr mentioned it and I looked it up I for it perfectly.
Yes! It all started a week ago and it's so bad. I have a doctors appt next Monday but since I couldn't get in until then the doctor called me and told me to start taking Nexium, which is now over te counter. I started it two days ago and he said it may take 5 days before I feel a difference if it is what he thinks it is.
He told me it's the exact symptoms of LPR, which is basically "silent reflux". He said you don't get any heartburn symptoms, but the classic symptoms are the constant urge to cough to clear the throat, the cough is dry, and a feeling that something is "stuck on the throat". This is EXACTLY me.
So I started the Nexium and I am praying that relief starts to come. It's so annoying and really really u comfortable. I am coughing so often that I can honestly say I'm coughing CONSTANTLY!
He told me it's the exact symptoms of LPR, which is basically "silent reflux". He said you don't get any heartburn symptoms, but the classic symptoms are the constant urge to cough to clear the throat, the cough is dry, and a feeling that something is "stuck on the throat". This is EXACTLY me.
So I started the Nexium and I am praying that relief starts to come. It's so annoying and really really u comfortable. I am coughing so often that I can honestly say I'm coughing CONSTANTLY!
People always tell me to not talk as much so that my throat can rest, but even if I don't talk, the urge to cough/weird feeling is still there - so I never have a moment's peace! I can't live like this. :(
Hi Kera!
OMG, really!? Wow, I feel a little better knowing I'm not the only person in the world who has this! So the coughing is constant for you too then, right? There is this constant feeling of irritation in my throat that is always there, and even when I cough, it doesn't go away...
It's been one week exactly for me, too. The sad part is that no cough medicine, tea, or anything that is supposed to help is helping. I can't even get sleep because the feeling doesn't go away when I lie down. The only way I can get some sleep is by having alcohol, which I don't like to do- but it's the only way I can get any rest. :(
OMG, really!? Wow, I feel a little better knowing I'm not the only person in the world who has this! So the coughing is constant for you too then, right? There is this constant feeling of irritation in my throat that is always there, and even when I cough, it doesn't go away...
It's been one week exactly for me, too. The sad part is that no cough medicine, tea, or anything that is supposed to help is helping. I can't even get sleep because the feeling doesn't go away when I lie down. The only way I can get some sleep is by having alcohol, which I don't like to do- but it's the only way I can get any rest. :(
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