Cough after eating

After eating certain foods I cough....it starts out as a dry cough and then starts to rattle, but never cough anything up. Sometimes lasts for a few minutes and at other times it lasts 15 or 20 minutes. I am 47 years old not overweight and do not smoke. At my last doctor visit, mild asthma was the diagnosis. Any suggestions?

[sann0515]

I was hospitalized for a week with pneumonia in both lungs 2 years ago. Ever since then I cough up phelm and have coughing throat clearing fits after eating a meal. When I told my respitory doctor about it and she didn't have a clue why that would happen. I do not smoke, I don't have allgeries, I don't have any symptons of acid reflux. This started as soon as I was released from the hospital.

[countrygma]

I have a dry cough after some things I eat or drink also. I have noticed it is always things with chemicals in them, like msg, sulfites, nitrites, etc.. So I carefully avoid those kinds of foods figuring they aren't good for me anyway. I can tell immediately if food has toxic chemicals in it.

for example.. most wine has sufites.. most Chinese food and much other food.. has msg.. etc..

I am not nearly as bad now that I have cleaned up my eating, and I have lost weight also...i nice side affect of eating healthy food. :-)

[kcslp]

As a speech therapist working mainly with people with dysphagia, or swallowing disorders, I suggest speaking with your GP or an ENT and getting a swallow study. you may have abnormalities in your swallow causing material to not fully clear and trickle down into your windpipe later. Some esophagieal problems can cause "backup" of material, causing you to choke on it later, as well. If not dealt with, dysphagia can result in aspiration pneumonia or a number of other health problems. I've met people with this problem who have suffered for many years without treatment because they simple thought "that's the way I am." There are many ways to combat this problem, including diet changes, positioning, exercises, & e-stim. I hope you are able to find relief.