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recurrent persistent dry cough treatment

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Hi all!

I want to ask if others experienced repeated dry cough, so persistent that is annoying because does not let you sleep in the night or work in the day time. The throat is irritated and when you breath, the introduced air rubs the throat and produces spasmodic dry cough. Do you experienced more than 1 month of this kind of dry cough? Do you have frequent episodes?
 
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Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
Yes, I have this... and it is an ongoing issue. At times it is nearly unbearable. Other times it is intermittent.

You have described it well.
I do all sorts of things, daily, to try to be proactive about always trying to prevent it from being at its worst.
These include hydrating with lots of beverages, and including into my daily diet, lots more slippery , throat coating foods.... such as coconut oil or broth......while I avoid dry, scratchy foods like crackers.
At some times, I also take some liquid antacid...not as much to lower acid reflux from adding to the irritation, but rather, to coat the throat and esophagus, with something soothing and protective, to allow me to sleep.

I also pay attention to how I speak, noticing it gets worse when I am stressed or have muscle tension while talking, and also, speaking louder (To accommodate a hard of hearing person) I cannot do, without making it worse, the cough and losing my voice, when I do not have any cold.
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Thank you @Shoshana for your reply. Very good point you made about adapting the speaking mode, I noticed it too. Did you make any medical investigations about the cause of throat's irritation? For example an endoscopy of the throat? Or some lungs X-ray?
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
I had one of the types of throat scope, which showed NO cancer growth.
It did show a bit of irritation from acid reflux but not major.

They "know how" to treat that, so yes, they offer acid blockers like candy, but there are many detriments to that, as the previous poster noted, so I have those rarely. And, That is not the cause of my esophageal problems, the bits of splashover acid just irritate it.

My scope also did show that I do not have complete mobility of some of my vocal folds. SO this would contribute to my throat discomforts, as well as to hoarseness, quieter volume voice and voice sometimes cutting out altogether.

In the past, I also had the swallowing tests, which showed less than optimal muscle action, and irregular muscle action, so I suppose this is all from the overall CFS illness. ALL of my muscles in my body are effected. They don't work fully or normally.
This throat coughing issue which you described well, in the original post on this thread, is a VERY difficult one.
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
@Shoshana : What is your personal theory about the cause of this dry cough and throat irritation? Is it a long term virus action? Is it asthma? Is it from CFS? Or something else?
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
My personal theory is that all of my muscles, including the ones in the valves in the esophagus, and the ones in the sides (lining) of the esophagus, and those that move the vocal folds, and those for swallowing correctly and smoothly, and those in ( lining) the colon as well.... all of my muscles, in my body, perhaps from the brain motor control, seem very effected as part of the primary illness . Not just the added "deconditioning" .... and that ALL forms of exercises seem to wear out the functions I have left.

Just my personal theory. I don't think it would be asthma. That effects breathing OUT, not breathing IN.

The breathing in, is what irritates mine. Plus the fact that the muscles/brain muscle control, does not function fully, smoothly , or properly. Its a rough outcome. I do think of you, dealing with this also. Very tough symptom.
 
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Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
Chewing is an exercise for me. Talking is an exercise for me. And all exercise wears me out, instead of helping me gain strength or flexibility, like it should.
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
My personal theory is that all of my muscles, including the ones in the valves in the esophagus, and the ones in the sides (lining) of the esophagus, and those that move the vocal folds, and those for swallowing correctly and smoothly, and those in ( lining) the colon as well.... all of my muscles, in my body, perhaps from the brain motor control, seem very effected as part of the primary illness . Not just the added "deconditioning" .... and that ALL forms of exercises seem to wear out the functions I have left.

Just my personal theory. I don't think it would be asthma. That effects breathing OUT, not breathing IN.

The breathing in, is what irritates mine. Plus the fact that the muscles/brain muscle control, does not function fully, smoothly , or properly. Its a rough outcome. I do think of you, dealing with this also. Very tough symptom.

This seems to look like Multiple Sclerosis? Did you perform any investigations into this direction?
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
My personal theory is that the Thymus gland is affected. http://www.innerbody.com/image_endoov/lymp04-new.html
Remember that CFS is affecting our immunity, damaging it. That is why the thymus is affected too.The thymus gland is located into that body area where the problems with the irritation are and is playing a critical role in our immunity and T-cells development. All these pieces of the puzzle are related.
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
Thanks for that input, @sorin

I am thinking about them. They sound plausible.
Have you done specific investigation into either of thse?
How would one try to address the question of thymus gland?
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Thanks for that input, @sorin

I am thinking about them. They sound plausible.
Have you done specific investigation into either of thse?
How would one try to address the question of thymus gland?

Regarding Multiple Sclerosis I did a MRI scan for head and the person who "read" the images said this hypothesis is eliminated. Regarding the thymus, the worst thing I suppose can be a cancer of thymus gland, please check this
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/thymoma/symptoms-and-signs
But it can be other problem with the thymus, not necessarily cancer.
It can be diagnosed with a PET-CT , CT or RMI.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/thymoma/diagnosis
Unfortunately I started to know more about this disease than the doctors where I go to be consulted. Actually I can not get any medical help simply because the doctors that consult me are outdated and do not know anything about Thymus. I need a medical prescription to do further testing of Thymus, but no doctor seems to take me seriously. The doctors seem to be quite irritated that I dare to suggest what tests I need. They automatically put the label of "hypochondriac". So it is a vicious circle in the sense I have a feeling of what could be wrong but can not get any medical cooperation into this direction.
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
I don't actually "like" that, but I clicked like, to mean that I understand what you are saying, about the nonavailability of doctors who are very knowledgeable, and /or doctors, who are not upset by a well-informed patient.

Thanks for the other info. I will check into it.
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Of course, the like is to express that you are on the same opinion with someone and not that you "like" the situation described which may be miserable in fact. :)