Bad cough for 3 weeks now ! What works?
I cough especially when I talk! I have been taking honey and eating pop corn. Its a dry cough. They say that marshmallows work so I am trying them now to coat the air passages!! Thyme is also suppose to be good. I have not gone to the doctor because I feel fine! Any suggestions?? Three weeks now I have been taking Alkaseltzer plus and it seems to help some!
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rainbowgardener
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alkaseltzer helps because the likeliest cause is gastro-esophageal reflux (aka GERD, acid reflux):
"When acid from the stomach leaks up into the gullet (oesophagus), the condition is known as acid reflux. This may cause heartburn and other symptoms. A medicine which reduces the amount of acid made in your stomach is a common treatment and usually works well. Some people take short courses of medication when symptoms flare up. Some people need long-term daily medication to keep symptoms away.
•Heartburn: this is the main symptom. This is a burning feeling which rises from the upper tummy (abdomen) or lower chest up towards the neck or lower chest up towards the neck. (It is confusing as it has nothing to do with the heart!)
•Other common symptoms: these include pain in the upper abdomen and chest, feeling sick, an acid taste in the mouth, bloating, belching, indigestion (dyspepsia), and a burning pain when you swallow hot drinks. Like heartburn, these symptoms tend to come and go, and tend to be worse after a meal.
•Some uncommon symptoms: these may occur and if they do, can make the diagnosis difficult, as these symptoms can mimic other conditions. For example: •A persistent cough, particularly at night sometimes occurs. This is due to the refluxed acid irritating the windpipe (trachea)." https://www.patient.co.uk/health/acid-re ... sophagitis
also
"These are other common risk factors for acid reflux disease:
Eating large meals or lying down right after a meal
Being overweight or obese
Eating a heavy meal and lying on your back or bending over at the waist
Snacking close to bedtime
Eating certain foods, such as citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods
Drinking certain beverages, such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea
Smoking
Taking aspirin, ibuprofen, certain muscle relaxers, or blood pressure medications
Common symptoms of acid reflux are:
Heartburn: a burning pain or discomfort that may move from your stomach to your abdomen or chest, or even up into your throat
Regurgitation: a sour or bitter-tasting acid backing up into your throat or mouth
other symptoms can include
Hiccups that don't let up
Nausea
Weight loss for no known reason
Wheezing, dry cough, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat
It's time to see your doctor if you have acid reflux symptoms two or more times a week or if medications don't bring lasting relief. Symptoms such as heartburn are the key to the diagnosis of acid reflux disease, especially if lifestyle changes, antacids, or acid-blocking medications help reduce these symptoms*."
https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/gui ... ux-disease
*This is saying one diagnostic sign that this is acid reflux is if the symptoms including the dry cough are reduced by antacids. You feel fine because you aren't sick. Acid reflux is not a disease/infection, it is a disorder, a structural weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter (valve) that when it is working well keeps the stomach contents from rising. However, if it isn't well managed by over the counter treatments and lifestyle changes, you should see a doctor, because the acid in the esophagus over time can cause erosions and other problems.
Life style changes include: lose weight, eat small meals, don't eat late at night or irritating foods, exercise, don't spend too much time lying down. More info about ways to avoid this problem: https://www.webmd.com/ahrq/treating-acid ... le-changes
"When acid from the stomach leaks up into the gullet (oesophagus), the condition is known as acid reflux. This may cause heartburn and other symptoms. A medicine which reduces the amount of acid made in your stomach is a common treatment and usually works well. Some people take short courses of medication when symptoms flare up. Some people need long-term daily medication to keep symptoms away.
•Heartburn: this is the main symptom. This is a burning feeling which rises from the upper tummy (abdomen) or lower chest up towards the neck or lower chest up towards the neck. (It is confusing as it has nothing to do with the heart!)
•Other common symptoms: these include pain in the upper abdomen and chest, feeling sick, an acid taste in the mouth, bloating, belching, indigestion (dyspepsia), and a burning pain when you swallow hot drinks. Like heartburn, these symptoms tend to come and go, and tend to be worse after a meal.
•Some uncommon symptoms: these may occur and if they do, can make the diagnosis difficult, as these symptoms can mimic other conditions. For example: •A persistent cough, particularly at night sometimes occurs. This is due to the refluxed acid irritating the windpipe (trachea)." https://www.patient.co.uk/health/acid-re ... sophagitis
also
"These are other common risk factors for acid reflux disease:
Eating large meals or lying down right after a meal
Being overweight or obese
Eating a heavy meal and lying on your back or bending over at the waist
Snacking close to bedtime
Eating certain foods, such as citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods
Drinking certain beverages, such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea
Smoking
Taking aspirin, ibuprofen, certain muscle relaxers, or blood pressure medications
Common symptoms of acid reflux are:
Heartburn: a burning pain or discomfort that may move from your stomach to your abdomen or chest, or even up into your throat
Regurgitation: a sour or bitter-tasting acid backing up into your throat or mouth
other symptoms can include
Hiccups that don't let up
Nausea
Weight loss for no known reason
Wheezing, dry cough, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat
It's time to see your doctor if you have acid reflux symptoms two or more times a week or if medications don't bring lasting relief. Symptoms such as heartburn are the key to the diagnosis of acid reflux disease, especially if lifestyle changes, antacids, or acid-blocking medications help reduce these symptoms*."
https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/gui ... ux-disease
*This is saying one diagnostic sign that this is acid reflux is if the symptoms including the dry cough are reduced by antacids. You feel fine because you aren't sick. Acid reflux is not a disease/infection, it is a disorder, a structural weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter (valve) that when it is working well keeps the stomach contents from rising. However, if it isn't well managed by over the counter treatments and lifestyle changes, you should see a doctor, because the acid in the esophagus over time can cause erosions and other problems.
Life style changes include: lose weight, eat small meals, don't eat late at night or irritating foods, exercise, don't spend too much time lying down. More info about ways to avoid this problem: https://www.webmd.com/ahrq/treating-acid ... le-changes
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applestar
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Wow Bobberman, if that's the case, it might be related to your 10PM snack.... 
Hope you feel better soon!
Hope you feel better soon!
This reply is in no was as comprehensive as the above ~ but still ...... it works, and I didn't believe it until I tried it either. I had a bad nagging cough that hung on for weeks after the cold was long gone. Girls at work advised me to rub the bottoms of my feet with Vicks Vapo-Rub before bedtime, slip on a pair of attractive thick socks, and hit the hay. No coughing that night and within a couple more days of the same treatment, the cough was gone. Worth a shot.
I'd stop eating the popcorn too. It would only make my throat drier and more irritable. And it is better not to eat or drink anything a couple of hours before bedtime anyway. Chew gum instead if you have to.
Around here what people like to do is eat preserved lemons for a sore throat. My grandfather used to put lemons in a gallon jar with salt and the sun would cook it. The bottle stays on the roof forever and the lemons get brown and shriveled but hey they work.
Not the way it is done here, but this was the recipe I found. If you have a Chinese seed shop near you, they may have the preserved lemons. Even the wet lemon peel works.
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pr ... ons-110714
Around here what people like to do is eat preserved lemons for a sore throat. My grandfather used to put lemons in a gallon jar with salt and the sun would cook it. The bottle stays on the roof forever and the lemons get brown and shriveled but hey they work.
Not the way it is done here, but this was the recipe I found. If you have a Chinese seed shop near you, they may have the preserved lemons. Even the wet lemon peel works.
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pr ... ons-110714
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applestar
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Just tossing ideas in -- if you tend to cough when you talk, then it sounds like dry throat. Are you drinking enough water/fluids every day? I prefer herbal teas with honey when I have a cold. When I have them, I like "lemon honey" (a jar filled with slices of lemon then covered in honey). "kumquat honey" -- honey covered kumquats are good too. Keep both in the fridge.
What is the humidity level like in your home?
I don't think any dry food would help. Hard candy does help - I like natural candies that contain honey. My dad likes ricola. BTW -- I think marshmallow they are talking about is not the spongy sweet but the herb marshmallow root.
What is the humidity level like in your home?
I don't think any dry food would help. Hard candy does help - I like natural candies that contain honey. My dad likes ricola. BTW -- I think marshmallow they are talking about is not the spongy sweet but the herb marshmallow root.
But you don't feel fine. You've had a bad cough for three weeks and possibly a severely impaired memory. It's not hypochondria to go to the doctor when you have been coughing for three weeks; that's my suggestion. Three weeks is a long time to have a cough.Bobberman wrote:I have not gone to the doctor because I feel fine! Any suggestions??
what helps soothe my throat with chronic and acute bronchitis is making herbal teas.
lately what I have been using is mullein (I find whole large pieces of mullein work better than the tea bags with ground -- Mexican markets carry fairly inexpensive bags of herbs sometimes), and I add in some whole fenugreek, cloves and fennel seeds which I grind with mortar/pestle. Fresh ginger is good in there. If I had peppermint around I would add it in. Most of these are good digestive aids, too.
lately what I have been using is mullein (I find whole large pieces of mullein work better than the tea bags with ground -- Mexican markets carry fairly inexpensive bags of herbs sometimes), and I add in some whole fenugreek, cloves and fennel seeds which I grind with mortar/pestle. Fresh ginger is good in there. If I had peppermint around I would add it in. Most of these are good digestive aids, too.
Hope the teas work for you. Another thought is the persistant cough could be environmental. Have you been doing different activities since this started. This could be things like working in the greenhouse, messing with seeds/plants. Most of us have some changes when being outside more in the spring (whenever that is), and being inside during the winter months.
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valley
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Hi, I've read most of the above posts, all make good points.
I have found another cause that may apply. If you find you, well, need to blow your nose more often at this time than you had before: The problem may be, Post Nasal Drip. Sounds terrible when you say it out like that.
It can get very bad, so that when you lay down in bed you cough more, and mimics COPD.
I have found that drinking more water per day helps, thinning the mucous, they say we produce 1 to 2 quarts per day. No one believes this when you tell them, they say: "Bull, I don't drink that much water each day."
When we drink less water the mucous get thicker and dries at the very point where it has to choose between going down our throat or our windpipe. The mucous is like a petri dish, other things can grow in these conditions also.
I am/ was a Med Tech, When working in ER I've seen people come in for this, have suffered it myself, I've had this problem and used antibiotics, this will only help control an infection, the cough will remain.
Decongestants can help but they cause side effects.
I'd say: Try drinking 8 glasses of water each day. It works for me. That should relieve the cough. If there is some cough that hangs on, there may be something causing us to produce histamine. It could be as simple as dust.
If your nose runs when you first get up in the morning, dress a little warmer.
This post is too long. I'll watch to see if how you deal with it and what you find.
Richard
I'v also found that cough drop like Hals that heat you throat will give temporary help.
I have found another cause that may apply. If you find you, well, need to blow your nose more often at this time than you had before: The problem may be, Post Nasal Drip. Sounds terrible when you say it out like that.
It can get very bad, so that when you lay down in bed you cough more, and mimics COPD.
I have found that drinking more water per day helps, thinning the mucous, they say we produce 1 to 2 quarts per day. No one believes this when you tell them, they say: "Bull, I don't drink that much water each day."
When we drink less water the mucous get thicker and dries at the very point where it has to choose between going down our throat or our windpipe. The mucous is like a petri dish, other things can grow in these conditions also.
I am/ was a Med Tech, When working in ER I've seen people come in for this, have suffered it myself, I've had this problem and used antibiotics, this will only help control an infection, the cough will remain.
Decongestants can help but they cause side effects.
I'd say: Try drinking 8 glasses of water each day. It works for me. That should relieve the cough. If there is some cough that hangs on, there may be something causing us to produce histamine. It could be as simple as dust.
If your nose runs when you first get up in the morning, dress a little warmer.
This post is too long. I'll watch to see if how you deal with it and what you find.
Richard
I'v also found that cough drop like Hals that heat you throat will give temporary help.
the fruits got me thinking
do watch sugar intake, as it turns acidic in the system, leeches magnesium and calcium, and also causes major amounts of mucus.
whole fruits are good, of course, but all things within reason. try to avoid lots of fruit juice, or especially processed foods and sugars! Try to eat more greens and whole foods.
one more suggestion, is to try to get some chlorophyll. the BEST liquid chlor. extract on the market is called ChlorOxygen by Herbs, etc. It really helps my asthma and other breathing issues. Thiss product tastes pretty good, which cannot necessarily be said of all chlor. products, but this stuff is really awesome.
You may also consider some alfalfa tablets. not as effective, but still a good super green.
do watch sugar intake, as it turns acidic in the system, leeches magnesium and calcium, and also causes major amounts of mucus.
whole fruits are good, of course, but all things within reason. try to avoid lots of fruit juice, or especially processed foods and sugars! Try to eat more greens and whole foods.
one more suggestion, is to try to get some chlorophyll. the BEST liquid chlor. extract on the market is called ChlorOxygen by Herbs, etc. It really helps my asthma and other breathing issues. Thiss product tastes pretty good, which cannot necessarily be said of all chlor. products, but this stuff is really awesome.
You may also consider some alfalfa tablets. not as effective, but still a good super green.
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Taiji
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Not to belabor the point 
, but most people don't drink enough water. Even I sometimes forget! First thing I do in the morning is drink a tall glass of water.
If I feel something coming on, or just don't feel quite right, I have a Chinese medicine called Banlangen Keli. I believe in English it is know as Isatis root/leaves. Now I order it thru Ebay from China. It has never failed to knock out whatever is coming on for me. Everyone in China knows about this. Some people take it just as a tea even if they feel fine. Once my mom had a case of bronchitis that would not go away for weeks. After taking the medicine, the bronchitis went in about 2 days. Did the Banlangen do it, well, we'll never know for sure, but maybe.
, but most people don't drink enough water. Even I sometimes forget! First thing I do in the morning is drink a tall glass of water. If I feel something coming on, or just don't feel quite right, I have a Chinese medicine called Banlangen Keli. I believe in English it is know as Isatis root/leaves. Now I order it thru Ebay from China. It has never failed to knock out whatever is coming on for me. Everyone in China knows about this. Some people take it just as a tea even if they feel fine. Once my mom had a case of bronchitis that would not go away for weeks. After taking the medicine, the bronchitis went in about 2 days. Did the Banlangen do it, well, we'll never know for sure, but maybe.
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valley
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Well Bobberman, I have that cough too. It has lessened now I'm drinking more, I do forget to drink enough each day, its not completely gone.
A thimble of brandy has helped by warming the bronchial area.
Slowing down the mucous production is the goal, as it takes the wrong path while we sleep. Datura, just the smallest amount, helps containing ,Atropine sulfate , I'm not perscribing, I had it growing on a property, the people who rented the place dug it up, not wanting their horse to get it.
Good luck, do keep in touch, and update.
Richard
A thimble of brandy has helped by warming the bronchial area.
Slowing down the mucous production is the goal, as it takes the wrong path while we sleep. Datura, just the smallest amount, helps containing ,Atropine sulfate , I'm not perscribing, I had it growing on a property, the people who rented the place dug it up, not wanting their horse to get it.
Good luck, do keep in touch, and update.
Richard