How do you keep a cough from getting worse?

[mcsangel2]

I feel like I need to apologize because I can't tell if this is a stupid question. So I'm not actually sick, but in the last week or so I've had a tiny bit of a cough? Like I might cough a couple times a day? For a few seconds? But in that week it's started to get more "wet". I'm paranoid because my acupuncturist last week was coughing (grrrr) throughout the appointment and I really really need to avoid getting sick if I can help it. ETA: I just coughed just now and it's also making my nose runny for a second.  I can't tell if maybe I *am* coming down with something or maybe it's allergies which I have never had before. (I have problems with antihistaimines)

Do I just get mucinex? Maybe that's overkill? For other complicated reasons I'd like to avoid taking anything pharmaceutical (esp if it has acetaminophen) though I will if it will be more helpful at this early stage and I can take less of it. Is there anything else that would help?

[fortnightlily]

I think it depends what's causing the cough. If it's not in the lungs but more of a throat irritation from nasal drip you can try gargling warm salt water and using a neti pot/nasal rinse.

I've also known people who had a random throat (as opposed to chest) cough and the cause was irritation of the upper throat due to acid reflux, so you could try an antacid and cutting back on acidic foods...

[bex1973]

For me a nasal decongestant does the trick. But that may be unique to me because I'm not a doctor LOL

[mcsangel2]

Feb 27, 2023 15:15:29 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I think it depends what's causing the cough. If it's not in the lungs but more of a throat irritation from nasal drip you can try gargling warm salt water and using a neti pot/nasal rinse.

I've also known people who had a random throat (as opposed to chest) cough and the cause was irritation of the upper throat due to acid reflux, so you could try an antacid and cutting back on acidic foods...

When I'm actually coughing, I'm feeling it a bit in my chest. It's not a dry cough. I do have problems with acid reflux and it def isn't that kind of cough.

[Bad Dingo]

Have you tested for Covid? I think if you have a cough and you usually don't have a cough you probably are sick. I'm sorry.

[goldengirlz]

All of the OTC meds you listed are just for managing symptoms; they won’t actually address the underlying cause or keep it from getting worse.

If it’s a virus, it probably just needs to run its course (even Paxlovid for covid is meant to be prescribed within five days of symptom onset.) Truthfully, if I didn’t feel sick, was only coughing a couple times per day for a few seconds, and it was lasting a week without change … I wouldn’t do much of anything.

[wanderingback]

Feb 27, 2023 15:46:06 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

All of the OTC meds you listed are just for managing symptoms; they won’t actually address the underlying cause or keep it from getting worse.

If it’s a virus, it probably just needs to run its course (even Paxlovid for covid is meant to be prescribed within five days of symptom onset.) Truthfully, if I didn’t feel sick, was only coughing a couple times per day for a few seconds, and it was lasting a week without change … I wouldn’t do much of anything.

This.

There is some weak evidence that zinc can be helpful in prevention, but what you’re talking about, no I don’t think anything will help and definitely those otc meds just suppress symptoms not prevent illness.

[arielroux]

Well, I’ve been dealing with a cough for weeks now and the only things that have helped are DayQuil cold and flu and a prescription for tessalon perles. That was a god damn lifesaver. FINALLY, after three weeks, my cough is almost gone.

[NewGirlNic]

This doesn't answer the question of how to keep a cough from getting worse, but... I had an awful chest cold/bronchitis in Oct/Nov. Was on 2 different steroids', an inhaler, went for chest xrays, Mucinex etc. The thing that really helped manage my coughing was Delsym 12 hour cough suppressant.  I had a lingering cough for weeks and it was so annoying, since I felt fine, but didn't want to go out into the world hacking all over people (obviously) and once I started coughing I couldn't stop. This stuff really helped stop the cough all day so I could function and at night so I could sleep. 

[CurlyQ284]

I have an rx for allergy medication, it makes me super sleepy so I can only take it at night but I take one pretty much whenever I'm sick. I feel like it dries everything up and helps with post nasal drip better than any cold medicine.

My son has otc Zyrtec for his allergies and I give him that when he has it too. I think it helps!

[tarzanswife]

Sometimes I get more drainage down my throat due to allergies that causes me to cough (post nasal drip). If it is interfering with my work day I take Mucinex to thin it out so I'm not hacking all day. Also some flonase and warm camomile tea with honey helps as well.

[texasharleygirl]

Last week, I started coughing and I wasn't really feeling any other symptoms. It started at the end of my mom's hospital stay and I thought it was just the air is different and I spent several nights sleeping on the couch. When we moved her to rehab, I started coughing and the nurse tech brought me water!

The way I described it to the PA when I got an appointment was that it was like something was down in my throat/upper chest just "tickling" to make me cough. It was always a dry cough and didn't produce any phlegm. She ended up doing a quick course of Steroids and gave me a cough medicine to help. Within 2 days I quit coughing.

I would just see if you can do telemed or something and get a steroid pack.

[sonrisa]

Sorry to hear.

That was me the first day of COVID a few weeks ago. Things that helped manage the cough: drinking a ton of water, mint tea, NOT the "natural" cough syrup I picked up (it made things worse). a spoonful of honey slowly dissolving on my tongue, getting a better inhaler. Paxlovid (maybe? I don't know if this added to the cough suppression beyond the better inhaler. That made the biggest difference. I went from not taking a good breath in 4 days (and coughing when I tried) to being able to breathe freely while awake more often than not. But that probably doesn't translate generally.

[expectantsteelerfan]

When I am coughing, it's almost always from post-nasal drip. What causes the post-nasal drip can be many different things (allergies, strong smells, change in temperature from walking outside to inside, change in weather, being sick, one of the medications I take, etc. etc. etc.), but the only thing that helps the cough tends to be blowing my nose or doing anything else possible to clear the post-nasal drip. So I always keep kleenex on me and am not shy about blowing my nose (and then washing my hands or at least using sanitizer) when I need to. I also always have cough drops on me, although I use non-menthol ones like Ludens when I'm sure it's just allergies or my medication irritating me and making me cough. Benedryl and Sudafed (the one you buy behind the pharmacy counter) work the best for drying up nasal symptoms when I need to be out in public with really bad nasal issues (I take 2 rx allergy meds already, so I only add benedryl at night if needed), and I'm a fan of the netti pot too.

[k3am]

Non medicine things that our doctor has recommended to help are nasal saline and honey. Neither kid or I am a fan of actual honey, but there are some manuka lollipops that also do the trick.