Lingering dry cough
 

OK docs, so i had a few days down with a cold two weeks ago. Maybe a mild flu but had no fever or general aches.

It started with a sore throat then a wheezy chest and cough and ended with a stuffy head and coughing up a wee bit of phlegm.

Now I have a dry cough. Not constantly but I get fits every so often. My lungs are clear, I can breathe easily and have no congestion. So, WTF?

TIA and happy Thanksgiving. SmileWavy

One word -- "After-flu". I'm no Doc, but I've had my share. They can linger for weeks.

Hi m8

I'm not GP or MD so this is my own info

was told ages ago that cough mixtures suck.

GENERALLY

Coughing is a reflex to clear your chest.
Has a doc/nurse confrimed your chest is clear?

I would IMHO advised the following

1> drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to keep your throat moist and relieve irritation

2> gargling is crap also,, but a reliefer such as Ibuprofen is cool as its an anti inflmaatory agent

3> constatnly suck boiled sweets, if you prefer, sugar free, menthol types, again to keep your throt lubricated

4> try NOT TO Cough but if you have to try to bring something up.

5> get a bowl of HOT water and a few drops of OLBAS oil, VICK, or other vapour inhalers solution. cover head, breathe in through nose, out through mouth. Twice a day

6> also STEAM baths/showers agin great (as often as you like)

IF it lasts for more than a week and your bringing up coloured mucus (as opposed to clear) THEN goto a doc and get checked out

OF course goto a DOC now if you like

hope this helps

I got the flu about a month ago with a sore throat and all of the classic symptoms. I've still got a lingering dry cough. I'm not bringing up anything and I don't have anything to bring up.

I seem to remember having the same experience a couple of years ago. I think it took a couple of months to go away completely.

Thanks guys!

Could also be bronchitis... get it checked...

Do you take blood pressure meds? One of the fun side effects....

if it doesn't go away soon, see a doc. a long term dry cough can be lung cancer. given your recent history of flu symptoms, i doubt it is cancer, however.

Most likely post-nasal drip. The three most common causes of chronic cough are acid reflux, post-nasal drip, and asthma, IIRC from a family medicine article I read while in med school. If you had a cold a week or two ago, and are still coughing today (and obviously aren't still sick), it's probably some remaining post-nasal drip that's irritating the back of your throat and causing the cough.

edit: sorry, forgot to say you can try something to dry you up a bit like Claritan or Sudafed and see if that helps.

:eek:

how about a family doctor? or ...?

WebMD - Better information. Better health.

LOL on "happy Thanksgiving."

Hamthrax, no doubt about it.

Had it a couple of months ago. Finally took some apple cider vinegar shots and it went away.