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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
What could be causing this?
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.
What could be causing this?
by tnsai, Nov 03, 2004 12:00AM
Hi,
About three weeks ago I started coughing, the cough had no phlegm or anything and normally coughs like this go away in a week or so, so I didn't pay it any attention, I might add that at this time my sinus was quite bad due to the bad air quality in my country (smog) so I was sneezing a bit and my nose was stuffy when I went to sleep every night.
After the first week, I was still coughing, so I took some cough syrup that was meant for dry coughs and after a week or so, my coughing eased down but now but I still have this feeling that phlegm is stuck on the back of my throat and when i try to cough it out nothing comes out.. I also feel short of breath.. not gasping for air or anything but just feeling that I am doing a light run or something, the feeling gets stronger when I am lying down on my back and less so when I am sitting down.. I also want to add that I've previously felt this way before(1 year ago), where GERD seem to have been the cause of it..
I've read that GERD can cause coughs and everything and just wondering if thats the cause of my coughs? I also have a very serious sinus problem as mentioned earlier where very little dust would cost me to sneeze very strongly and stuff up my nose..
thanks for any advise
About three weeks ago I started coughing, the cough had no phlegm or anything and normally coughs like this go away in a week or so, so I didn't pay it any attention, I might add that at this time my sinus was quite bad due to the bad air quality in my country (smog) so I was sneezing a bit and my nose was stuffy when I went to sleep every night.
After the first week, I was still coughing, so I took some cough syrup that was meant for dry coughs and after a week or so, my coughing eased down but now but I still have this feeling that phlegm is stuck on the back of my throat and when i try to cough it out nothing comes out.. I also feel short of breath.. not gasping for air or anything but just feeling that I am doing a light run or something, the feeling gets stronger when I am lying down on my back and less so when I am sitting down.. I also want to add that I've previously felt this way before(1 year ago), where GERD seem to have been the cause of it..
I've read that GERD can cause coughs and everything and just wondering if thats the cause of my coughs? I also have a very serious sinus problem as mentioned earlier where very little dust would cost me to sneeze very strongly and stuff up my nose..
thanks for any advise
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Nov 12, 2004 12:00AM
, Nov 12, 2004 12:00AM
Many problems can cause a cough. It is possible for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or sinus problems to cause a cough. However it is also possible to have more than one problem causing a cough. So you could have GERD or sinus problems along with some other problem causing your cough. With sinus problems a cough can certainly last for 3 weeks. You should see your doctor if your cough has not gone away after 12 weeks.
GERD is the back flow of stomach contents, including digestive juices, into the esophagus or food tube. This is most commonly called acid reflux or heartburn. Your symptoms could be caused by esophageal spasm from heartburn. This reflux can come all the way up into the mouth and nose. When this happens the material can be aspirated, dribbling into the windpipe and lungs. This could also explain your symptoms. Please check with your doctor about these possibilities.
GERD can cause the following symptoms:
· Heartburn or a sour taste in the mouth;
· Pain occurring in the middle of the chest;
· Coughing and/or choking while lying down;
· Increased trouble breathing while asleep; and
· Even no symptoms at all. This is called “silent reflux” and it is common.
You will need to check with your doctor to know for sure what is causing your symptoms. A pH probe is the best test to find out if you truly have GERD. This test measures the acid in your esophagus to see if digestive juices are coming up from your stomach. Please read our Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/reflux.html for more information about things to do to lessen GERD. It’s important that you get started on helpful treatment if this is the cause of your symptoms. A gastroenterologist is the type of specialist to let you know if further testing is needed to identify GERD and the best treatment.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities. Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or dust. Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, a stuffy nose, achy teeth, an odor coming from the nose, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, lightheadedness, constant low fever, and thick, yellow to green nasal drainage.
The best way to identify a sinus infection is with a sinus CT scan, although sinus x-rays are a decent alternative. A sinus CT scan will also identify if any of the openings that drain your sinuses are blocked. If your symptoms are due to sinusitis, they will last as long as the inflammation continues. Here are some ways to clear up the inflammation. Please check with your doctor to see which of these would work best for you. Please read our Sinusitis MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/sin.html for more information.
The most common cause of sinusitis is an infection, especially when the mucus is green. Sinus infections can be difficult to treat since they respond slowly. When any of the openings that drain your sinuses are blocked it will take longer to clear a sinus infection. If a viral infection is the cause it’s a matter of time until the sinusitis clears on its own. When a bacterial infection is the cause you may need to take an antibiotic for at least 3 weeks. Even after an antibiotic clears the infection, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.
This inflammation can block sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production. The mucus may “sit” there, especially when it is thick. It may not move with coughing. As the sinus infection clears, this mucus drains from the nose and sinuses down the back of the throat causing a constant or intermittent postnasal drip that can be irritating to the throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on. This mucus can fester sinusitis.
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. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.
An antihistamine 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 relieve your blocked sinuses by decreasing the swelling so they drain better. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more. Often a prescription 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 the nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and help your sinuses to drain better. 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 doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
If your symptoms continue, your doctor may recommend a prescription nasal steroid spray. This can decrease mucus production and improve sinus drainage by decreasing the inflammation in the nose and openings that drain the sinuses. This generally provides a more lasting decrease in sinus pressure and improves sinus drainage. 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 take several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you.
GERD is the back flow of stomach contents, including digestive juices, into the esophagus or food tube. This is most commonly called acid reflux or heartburn. Your symptoms could be caused by esophageal spasm from heartburn. This reflux can come all the way up into the mouth and nose. When this happens the material can be aspirated, dribbling into the windpipe and lungs. This could also explain your symptoms. Please check with your doctor about these possibilities.
GERD can cause the following symptoms:
· Heartburn or a sour taste in the mouth;
· Pain occurring in the middle of the chest;
· Coughing and/or choking while lying down;
· Increased trouble breathing while asleep; and
· Even no symptoms at all. This is called “silent reflux” and it is common.
You will need to check with your doctor to know for sure what is causing your symptoms. A pH probe is the best test to find out if you truly have GERD. This test measures the acid in your esophagus to see if digestive juices are coming up from your stomach. Please read our Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/reflux.html for more information about things to do to lessen GERD. It’s important that you get started on helpful treatment if this is the cause of your symptoms. A gastroenterologist is the type of specialist to let you know if further testing is needed to identify GERD and the best treatment.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities. Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or dust. Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, a stuffy nose, achy teeth, an odor coming from the nose, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, lightheadedness, constant low fever, and thick, yellow to green nasal drainage.
The best way to identify a sinus infection is with a sinus CT scan, although sinus x-rays are a decent alternative. A sinus CT scan will also identify if any of the openings that drain your sinuses are blocked. If your symptoms are due to sinusitis, they will last as long as the inflammation continues. Here are some ways to clear up the inflammation. Please check with your doctor to see which of these would work best for you. Please read our Sinusitis MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/sin.html for more information.
The most common cause of sinusitis is an infection, especially when the mucus is green. Sinus infections can be difficult to treat since they respond slowly. When any of the openings that drain your sinuses are blocked it will take longer to clear a sinus infection. If a viral infection is the cause it’s a matter of time until the sinusitis clears on its own. When a bacterial infection is the cause you may need to take an antibiotic for at least 3 weeks. Even after an antibiotic clears the infection, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.
This inflammation can block sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production. The mucus may “sit” there, especially when it is thick. It may not move with coughing. As the sinus infection clears, this mucus drains from the nose and sinuses down the back of the throat causing a constant or intermittent postnasal drip that can be irritating to the throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on. This mucus can fester sinusitis.
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. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.
An antihistamine 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 relieve your blocked sinuses by decreasing the swelling so they drain better. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more. Often a prescription 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 the nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and help your sinuses to drain better. 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 doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
If your symptoms continue, your doctor may recommend a prescription nasal steroid spray. This can decrease mucus production and improve sinus drainage by decreasing the inflammation in the nose and openings that drain the sinuses. This generally provides a more lasting decrease in sinus pressure and improves sinus drainage. 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 take several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you.
Member Comments (2)
by tnsai, Nov 03, 2004 12:00AM
also I want to add that I have not had any headaches or fevers, though sometime i get this back pain that goes up an down
