Crazy something going on in my through making me cough, for years.

[funboy42]

For years I have had something going on around my voice box in my throat. It will tickle, not really tickle but cause something that forces me to cough, no phlem associated with it, but does this "tickle" alot keeping me up all night coughing, at times it will go on for hours, then quit for a few hours, then back at it. Does this during the day as well, same way, so its not just laying down, it doesnt matter, just "tickles" and I got off in a fit for hours. After awhile I will then have phlem coughing up after coughing for a few hours. That does seem to help with it if there is a coating of phlem coating what ever it is in there, it seems to give what ever it is some comfort and doesnt make it "tickle" as bad.

I hate to use the word tickle because its not a tickle, and its hard to come up with the right word for what it does to make me start to cough. But I am getting tired of it happening, been happening for at least 4 years, and getting worse. Not having any breathing problems with it. No wheezing, no obstructions, breathing fine, just annoys the heck out of me, and my wife, for the coughing keeps her up as well, at times she leaves the room. Anyway, whats in there that could be causing this?

[basham]

I am at my wits end, with this  post nasal drip i have.  It is that bad not only is it constant night and day but gets that bad i am vomiting at least two- three times a day and can use 4 rolls of kitchen paper every day because if i don't cough it up and spit it out , it just builds up until i vomit. When  it is at its best it is like thick sticky wall paper paste. And when it is at its worse a constant cough night and day , thick yellow, or green phlegm, Wheezing and  great difficulty in breathing  I must admit i have a lot of health problem's, Chronic Asthma, Coronary arterial disease, and what they call COPD , They have also diagnosed chronic sinusitis and deviated septum from a CT scan, but cannot operate due to my heart condition and Asthma. I thought my heart problems were a nightmare to deal with , but this has gone on now for three years and is getting worse it is driving me to the edge plus the embarrassment in public.In the last 4 months i have been treated with 6 lots of antibiotics, 4 lots of steroids, plus all my inhalers and the 18 heart tablets i take. All i get is (with all your other problems what can we do ) I have tried drinking pints of water, inhaling steam every thing the doctors have suggested but still  no relieve. Has any one out there some advice or a remedy they have used that works. I live in the UK and our health service is very slow at getting any tests done. It took 2 years for them to diagnose the Asthma please can any one help

[NOT_a_md_77]

Someone already mentioned reflux on in his or her comment.  It's amazing how some symptoms and their most common solutions may lead us down the wrong paths.

I had a long-term cough, light tickle and an intermittently raw throat for about 5 years.  The common assumption made by me and my primary care physicians was that it was post-nasal drip due to allergies (of which [allergies] I have an abundance).  I was treating this problem with a variety of prescribed antihistamines, and--most importantly, nasal lavage therapy.  It was only this latter therapy that gave me short-term relief.  However, after moving and changing allergists, my new allergist thought to refer me to Gastroenterologist to see if something else was triggering my post nasal drip.  

It turned out that I had mild acid reflux disease.  The post nasal drip was my body's attempt to "coat the throat" in response to the irritation caused by the acid--and yes, I also had post nasal drip on occasion due to my allergies.  

Anyway, my gastro doc prescribed Prevacid and after about a week on the meds the problem went away almost completely.  I've encountered 3 different co-workers who have chronic cough or tickle and who have been diagnosed by their primary care physicians as having allergy-related post-nasal drip.  I mentioned my situation to all of them and 2 of them finally got it checked out and had the same problem as me (I guess we work in a high stress environment).  Both of them are doing better now that they are treating their reflux problems.  This may not be your issue, but it's something to ask your doctor about.  I was amazed that my body was "smart" enough to try and fix the acid problem with the post-nasal drip.  Something I thought of as a nuisance was actually meant to help me.

[Nodens]

Recently my wife was very desperate for a solution to a persistent, tickling cough which prevented her sleeping. This has been a long term problem.

This was related to digestive problems. I searched different forums (including this one) and read all the recommended "cures" for tickling coughs .. apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper/tabasco and honey .. you name it!

We even tried an air ioniser to zap dust from air.

http://www.myairzone.com

Useful, but not a cure.

A recent blood test showed her to be anaemic and she was booked in for gastroscopic inspection (involving a camera inspection of oesophagus, stomach and duodenum and biopsy).

After the gastroscopic inspection she was diagnosed to have hiatus hernia causing acid reflux. Oseophagus was also seen to be inflamed due to her long term coughing.

A prescribed course of a daily Omeprazole 20 mg capsule has now begun to control the coughing after just two days.  Seems that her hiatus hernia was the root cause of coughing. Relief all round!

My wife has asked to post this for benefit of others suffering from these symptoms.

Here is a link to symptoms of hiatus hernia.  

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/27000867/

....

[AndrewsMom]

Your chronic cough could be a lung condition called Bronchectisus.  It's a chronic lung disease of the airways.  My son has had this for 7 years and is currently undergoing aggressive treatment as he is only 14  yrs. old.  Ask your doctor about a pulmonologist recomendation who can help you.

Andrew's on-set at age 6 was a chronic cough (fairly dry) was confused with asthma.  His constant bouts with pnemonia were the catelyst to get to the pulmonologist.  Don't live with chronic cough as it is NOT normal for anyone.  Good Luck and Good Health.

Ellen

[coughing like crazy]

I have had a chronic cough that sounds very similar to yours, for 3 years.  It has gotten worse over that time.  The first doctor prescribed Zantac & over-the-counter allergy meds, but my symptoms remained the same.  Then went to a specialist, who tested me for allergies (skin test) & asthma (methacholine challenge) and now diagnosis is non-allergic post nasal drip w/possible acid reflux.  But again, the Zantac does not seem to do anything.  Has me on Nasonex at night, saline irrigation a.m. & p.m., and a cool mist humidifier in bedroom.  After about 2 months, still same symptoms.  Now I am going to try stuff gleaned from this site (Jan-May 2006 postings about cure for post nasal drip) including berry juice (think cranberry but have to go check), oil of oregano, diet to test myself for food allergies, and (last but not least) looking into the whole candida thing.  But it will be worth the work to find a cure!!!!  Very embarrassing at work - about 5 of us in one big office & here I am hacking away all the time.  Have to put myself on "mute" on conf. calls.  Everyone always asking  "are you okay!!!???" Driving my friends and husband nuts too. (He has similar cough too, but not as bad, and makes me wonder if there is the same alien beast living in both of us)  Good luck with your cough - hope you don't have to spend too much time going to the doc!

[National Jewish]

A common cause for these types of symptoms is a postnasal drainage that irritates the throat.  It can be on an allergic or nonallergic basis.  It is more common at night when lying down, but can occur at any time.  I would drink lots of fluids to loosen the mucus to see if this works.  If it does not, I would speak to your physician about giving you some different medications to control the drainage and see if this works.