Aa
Constant cough that has lasted for years
i am desperate for an answer. I have had a cough for years so long now that i cant even remember how life was with out it. Its like something is constantly making my throat itch which makes me cough. i think it began in primary school and now i am 24. i went to the doctor and did many test and no one could figure it out so i gave up and decided to live with it. but im sick of it and just want it to go.
My problem was the same symptom, and it turned out to be achalasia, the opposite of GERD. It took 17 years, 8 doctors and one dynamite gastroenterologist to diagnose me correctly. One Heller myotemy with a Dor fundoplication later, and my problem was solved. It does come back for a while after I get a cold that turns into bronchitis (meaning that I cough a lot and irritate the esophageal sphincter, which I guess swells, and causes the achalasia symptoms to return. It takes a while of gentle foods to heal it, but eventually the symptoms of itching are gone (until the next cold,and bout with bronchial irritation).
By the way, my achalasia symptoms did not include more than a mild amount of dysphasia, years before diagnosis, so I am kind of an odd achalasia duck.
By the way, my achalasia symptoms did not include more than a mild amount of dysphasia, years before diagnosis, so I am kind of an odd achalasia duck.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello and hope you are doing well.
The other causes for long term cough besides asthma are GERD and post nasal drip from allergies. GERD is gastro esophageal reflux disease where the stomach acids come back into the esophagus and spill into the wind pipe causing cough. Treatment with antacids will help neutralize the acids. Post nasal drips can occur with sinusitis and throat infections. Giving up cigarettes will abolish smoker's cough in 90% of people. Talk to your GP about the other causes for cough in the meantime you could try warm salt water gargles and breathing exercises.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
The other causes for long term cough besides asthma are GERD and post nasal drip from allergies. GERD is gastro esophageal reflux disease where the stomach acids come back into the esophagus and spill into the wind pipe causing cough. Treatment with antacids will help neutralize the acids. Post nasal drips can occur with sinusitis and throat infections. Giving up cigarettes will abolish smoker's cough in 90% of people. Talk to your GP about the other causes for cough in the meantime you could try warm salt water gargles and breathing exercises.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
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