persistant cough

[nita1508]

My husband has been coughing for at least three-four months and its getting worst everyday. He went to a doctor a month into the coughing and was "diagnosed" with broncitus. Two months later he's still coughing even more. He does cough up phelm, but its no blood in it (yet)! He's never smoked, never drank, 46 years old, he works "graveyard shift" at a place producing product labels. What could it be?

[jemma116]

Thanks for letting me know how things have progressed.
Glad that at last your husband has had the medical help he needs.

Wishing him a speedy recovery.

Best wishes.

[nita1508]

Thank you so much this is what he did. The doctor he just went  to said the first doctor basically failed at his jpb. He said when the first doc saw my husband on the verge of pneumonia he should have prescribed strong antibiotics. Now he had chest ex-ray and clear along with the proper Stronger meds which include steroid.

[Crybaby2006]

How many years did he work for product label factory?   Adhesive ( in vicous form) inhalation can be dangerous to the human body.  My husband painted airplanes, paid well but even with all the protection he wore, it wasnt enough.  Please have him checked out by an Pulmonary Specialist who will rule out the worst and will be able to treat his symptoms best.   Your husband must be losing sleep as well.  Not good for any ailment.  Please take him to doctor ASAP.  3-4 months is too long and you said is getting worse.  

[jemma116]

Your husband needs to go back to the doctor.

The doctor can send a phlegm sample for analysis to find out if there is a bacterial or viral infection.

He should also send him for a chest xray and do a lung function test.

His bronchitis may be due to a viral or bacterial infection.  Antibiotics will not help if it is a viral infection.

Asthma can cause persistent coughing and a lung function test would be able to confirm whether he now has asthma.  If this is the case, there may be triggers that set off the coughing, like dust, allergy to dust mite droppings, smoke, cold weather and so on.

If he feels congested in his throat, nose, sinus and ears, this can cause post nasal drip like Crybaby2006 says.  In which case the doctor can prescribe a nasal decongestant to unblock the airways.

In the meantime, he can do steam inhalations to loosen up the phlegm.
Pour hot water into a bowl, put some Vick or Olbas oil in and breath the steam in with the head over the bowl covered with a towel.  Take care not to get scalded.

Although not very pleasant for him and listening to someone coughing, coughing is the body's natural mechanism to get rid of irritants, whether they are viral, bacterial, or allergies.

Best wishes.

[Crybaby2006]

Was he prescribed antibiotics for the bronchitis?  What color is the phelm?  Post nasal drip can cause coughing, asthma, so many things.  Your husband is still symptomatic and needs to go back to his doctor ASAP.  Not emergency but insist that that doctor does more investigation.  Take care.  

[Caryopteris]

I had a cough that lasted 3 or 4 months over the winter, and it seemed to just be a virus.  Then again it could be something more serious.  A member of Def Leopard just announced he has Hodgkin's disease, and his only symptom was a persistent cough.  So you just don't know til you get checked.