Having Cold And Mucus At The Back Of The Throat. What Should I Do?

Posted on Sun, 1 Dec 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 1 Dec 2013 Answered on

Mon, 23 Dec 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi really scared started with a cold and mucus back of throat 2 weeks ago getting worse hard breathing doc put me on antibiotics not working now I'm waking up not feeling well at all my symptoms are blowing my nosie in morning hard breathing and when I swollew it's hard cos I feel there's musus in the back of my throat very dry month to heart rate a bit fast I have to keep drinking something so I can swallow getting very sweeting hands as well I'm walking around the house lost and really scared please help it's not right.

Answered by Dr. Kerry Pottinger (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Likely to be acute bronchitis. Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for using Healthcare Magic. Your symptoms suggest you are suffering from severe bronchitis. In most cases recovery takes 7-10 days and as the cause is usually a virus then antibiotics do not affect recovery. Bronchitis is very common at this time of year. I suggest you rest as much as possible. Continue to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and ensure the mucus in your lungs can be coughed up. Paracetamol and ibuprofen for aches and pains. Although I note you have reflux so you may be unable to take ibuprofen. If you are a smoker then stopping smoking would be advisable if possible. Honey and lemon juice in warm water will soothe your throat from all the coughing. I would not advise cough medicines as these will stop you coughing up the mucus. Decongestant nasal sprays or drops available over the counter from your pharmacist may help your breathing. If you feel no improvement over the next 48 hours then I recommend you see your doctor as this may be an indication to review your antibiotic treatment you were taking and consider starting a different antibiotic as I would have expected an improvement by this stage. I hope this is of help to you. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards, Dr K A Pottinger, MBChB FRCA

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar