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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Having trouble breathing
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Having trouble breathing
by nickbond, May 08, 2004 12:00AM
I have a 9 year old who is having trouble breathing.He coughs all day because he can't get the air in or out of his lungs.He has pain right below his rib cage on both side of his chest.He has had the problem for 3 weeks. He spend 4 day in the hospital. They ran test and they said he had an infection in his wind pipe. they gave him antibiotics to kill the infection. But after a week he still had the same problem.He went back to the doctor and he gave him asthma medicine (Advair diskus fluticasone propionate 500mcg / salmeterol 50 mcg)and he has been taking it for about 10 days. It has not help at all.They also gave him Zyrtec 10 mcg to stop his cough,they told us it was a nasal drip that was making him cough.Someone please help.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, May 17, 2004 12:00AM
, May 17, 2004 12:00AM
Since your son did not respond to the asthma treatments, another common cause for the symptoms being described is the postnasal drip. This can be from an infectious or non-infectious cause.
Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. There could be several reasons for this drainage. One reason is an allergy. A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold. A third reason is chronic sinusitis. Postnasal drip can cause coughing as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. Your son may experience the postnasal drip as a feeling of mucus at the back of his throat. You may notice your son clearing his throat.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. Your son should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine fluid daily. Throat clearing can irritate the throat and make it sore. When your son feels the need to clear his throat have him sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine, like the Zyrtec® (cetirizine), can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your son’s doctor to see if Zyrtec® (cetirizine/pseudoephedrine), a combination antihistamine-decongestant, would help him more. Often an antihistamine and decongestant are taken only when the postnasal drip gets bad. It may be more helpful to take the antihistamine and decongestant on a regular basis.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen coughing. When the postnasal drip is thin and watery Atrovent® Nasal Spray (ipratropium bromide) may help to dry up this up. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and coughing. To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the Atrovent® Nasal Spray (ipratropium bromide), and the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering your son. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your son’s doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. There could be several reasons for this drainage. One reason is an allergy. A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold. A third reason is chronic sinusitis. Postnasal drip can cause coughing as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. Your son may experience the postnasal drip as a feeling of mucus at the back of his throat. You may notice your son clearing his throat.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. Your son should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine fluid daily. Throat clearing can irritate the throat and make it sore. When your son feels the need to clear his throat have him sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine, like the Zyrtec® (cetirizine), can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your son’s doctor to see if Zyrtec® (cetirizine/pseudoephedrine), a combination antihistamine-decongestant, would help him more. Often an antihistamine and decongestant are taken only when the postnasal drip gets bad. It may be more helpful to take the antihistamine and decongestant on a regular basis.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen coughing. When the postnasal drip is thin and watery Atrovent® Nasal Spray (ipratropium bromide) may help to dry up this up. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and coughing. To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the Atrovent® Nasal Spray (ipratropium bromide), and the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering your son. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your son’s doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
