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Journalism of Courage
Are you one of those who are struggling with dry or wet coughing bouts that do not seem to go away despite full recovery from your viral fever? This is called post-viral bronchitis and no matter which time of the year you contract the flu — during the monsoon in the southern states and during winter in the northern states — it is becoming more frequent. Of every ten patients I am seeing these days, five are returning to the OPD with a stubborn cough.
Some, particularly the elderly, are not even responding to broncho-dilators and need steroids. Also people who have never been on the nebuliser are using it.
This is a cough that persists usually after a viral upper respiratory infection. It doesn’t mean you have not recovered fully, it just means that the cough outlasts other symptoms simply because the airways in your lungs are still raw and inflamed. Or your respiratory system is still not robust enough to deal with extra stressors like pollution. Sometimes a viral infection may lead to a secondary bacterial infection in the form of pneumonia and extend the bouts. The cough can also mean an exacerbation of underlying lung conditions you do not know about but has been brought to the fore.
WHAT ELSE CAUSES LONG COUGHING BOUTS?
1) Sinusitis often stuffs up the nose and you may experience a postnasal drip or a feeling of liquid sliding down the back of your throat. A repeated attempt to clear your throat may cause some hoarseness, itchiness and obstruction, commonly known as a sore throat.
2) Sometimes it may just be asthma, and though the usual symptoms like breathlessness may subside, the constricted airways may still cause coughing bouts.
3) Whooping cough may be caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, again as a secondary infection after a viral fever. This involves spasmodic and rapid bouts of cough that don’t allow any break and force the patient to inhale air noisily.
4) You may not feel acid reflux but when you are about to sleep, it goes up your oesophagus and irritates your upper respiratory tract. This happens frequently among smokers and those who drink too much tea, coffee at night or have a late dinner.
5) Chronic lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, inflammation and malignancy.
6) Allergens like dust mites and molds.
7) Interstitial lung disease, progressive fibrosis or thickening of the lungs.
8) Certain blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors cause dry unexplained cough.
WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSULT A DOCTOR?
Normally post-viral coughs go away on their own or the doctor may prescribe some relief in the form of cough suppressants, antihistamines and decongestants. Drink warm water or fluids and keep a dehumidifier around you.
If the cough lasts beyond four weeks and disturbs your sleep and regular activities, it’s time to consult a doctor. A chronic cough can last eight weeks or longer in adults, or four weeks in children.
Rush to the emergency if you cough up blood, if the bouts get more severe, if you have difficulty swallowing or if your fever, body aches and chills return.
That’s why everybody above 60 should take the pneumonia shots while those with chronic lung infection should take it above 50.
