Cough, Cough, Cough

Over the last 7 days I’ve developed an annoying deep, throaty cough. I have no other symptoms: I’m not congested, itchy, fatigued, or achy. My cough is, in medical parlance, “non-productive” — I’m not “coughing anything up.” It’s most noticeable in the morning and in the evening, and disappears to almost nothing by midday. If I can get to sleep, I don’t cough through the night, and I sleep soundly. Any ideas what I might be suffering from?

Comments

Another Islander's picture
Another Islander on September 5, 2006 - 17:18 Permalink

A mild allergy?

Charles's picture
Charles on September 5, 2006 - 17:42 Permalink

Try gargling with a mixture of salt and baking soda in hot water (a couple tablespoons of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt disolved into a cup of water.) If the back of your throat gets irritated you’ll get coughing fits, and the salt cleans it out. I think the baking soda just keeps you from gagging on the salt-water, but it may have some other folk-medicine purpose. A hot cup of coffee might help as well.

Ann's picture
Ann on September 5, 2006 - 17:43 Permalink

The same thing I had for about 2 weeks.
It just goes away.

Kevin's picture
Kevin on September 6, 2006 - 15:00 Permalink

If it continues, have a look for sources of mildew or mold — some species of those things can trigger alergies even in people who don’t ususally suffer.

oliver's picture
oliver on September 8, 2006 - 06:24 Permalink

Bronchitis? I’m not sure what bearing “productivity” has on whether it’s viral or bacterial or allergic, but if there’s any danger of a lung infection, I imagine you ought to at least talk to a nurse.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on September 8, 2006 - 20:41 Permalink

While my cough is entering its second week, it has now spread to Oliver, and possibly to Catherine. Which, although bad for them, reassures me somewhat that I’m not slowly wasting away from a degenerative lung condition.

Oliver visited the doctor today and was told that it was likely a viral thing. They took a throat swab to be sure and we’ll know more on Monday.

Cough… cough… cough.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on September 13, 2006 - 14:21 Permalink

Turns out I’ve developed an exciting case of pneumonia! Bring on the anti-biotics.

Rob L.'s picture
Rob L. on September 13, 2006 - 15:19 Permalink

I spent about 8 weeks last winter coughing like a maniac after initially deciding that I would try to ride it out and recover “naturally” for once, without antibiotics. After painfully blowing out my rib cartilage from all the violent hacking, I finally broke down and begged my doctor for drugs. I asked, “What did people do before antibiotics?”. “They died”, he said. The moral of the story is that letting nature takes its course does not always result in the desired effect. Bring on the antibiotics indeed.

Ann's picture
Ann on September 13, 2006 - 18:21 Permalink

Walkin’ pneumonia?

Boogie woogie blues also?

Take care of yourself — it can be more dangerous than it feeels.

Silent Bob's picture
Silent Bob on September 20, 2006 - 07:08 Permalink

it sounds to me like you’ve been sucking too much cock.
lay off it for a few days and your throat will get better & your cough will go away.

trust me.
i’m a hooker.