Suggest Treatment For Chronic Cough

Posted on Tue, 6 Sep 2016

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

Tue, 6 Sep 2016 Answered on

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I cough so hard sometimes that it feels as though I'm about to pass out; there's a buzzing "electrical" sound and I begin to lose vision. The experience passes when I stop, everything's back to normal until the next time. Question is, what if I can't stop the coughing? Unconsciousness? What then?

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Short course of oral corticosteroids.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Sometimes an allergic reaction can set off an inflammatory process that continues after the allergen is no longer present. It eventually resolves but can take some time. In situations like this, we usually recommend a high dose of inhaled corticosteroids, and if that isn't enough to stop the inflammation that is keeping this going, then a short course of oral corticosteroids is the next step. So several days of prednisone may be very helpful for ending this reaction.

So - it's time to either go back to your doctor, or, if you can't get in to see him or her soon, then go to the urgent care to have this addressed.

And if you are having considerable difficulty breathing tonight, then it's time to go in to the ER.

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