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Suggest Treatment For Severe Cough While Having Chronic Sinusitis
Question: I have a lifelong history of severe coughing which has been related to chronic sinusitis. After receiving a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis booster a week ago, I have had a very deep, horrible cough. The left lung has been sore, with most of the "rumbling" in it. I do produce some yellowish-brown discolored mucus, but the amount has decreased since they put me on keflex on a week ago. The keflex was given for the knife puncture wound on my hand, as was the booster, from a kitchen accident.
Three days ago I coughed so hard and continuously for over 2 hours that I saw stars and felt like fainting. Now my left side is swollen and tender to the touch and my massage therapist said I have edema there. I have cracked ribs before from coughing, as recently as 2 years ago. I am still coughing, though not as severely. Will this subside or do I possibly have pneumonia or bronchitis? And no, the Urgent Care did not check my breathing last week. They just took my temp and my blood pressure. I do not have a fever and no other discomfort, but the therapist said I have a crackle, which I have had many times before.
Three days ago I coughed so hard and continuously for over 2 hours that I saw stars and felt like fainting. Now my left side is swollen and tender to the touch and my massage therapist said I have edema there. I have cracked ribs before from coughing, as recently as 2 years ago. I am still coughing, though not as severely. Will this subside or do I possibly have pneumonia or bronchitis? And no, the Urgent Care did not check my breathing last week. They just took my temp and my blood pressure. I do not have a fever and no other discomfort, but the therapist said I have a crackle, which I have had many times before.
Brief Answer:
Time to go in for a chest X-ray.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I read your history a couple of times, and I think given that your coughing has been going on for a week, with severe coughing bouts, and possibly some cracked ribs, it is time to go in to be seen, have a good lung exam, and a chest X-ray.
It's possible the Keflex has partially treated your infection.
It would be advisable for you to get a narcotic cough suppressant such as Robitussin with codeine, which can calm your cough.
It would be good to see what is going on with your ribs. For 1 cracked rib, ibuprofen 3x/dy or another NSAID after you have some food in your stomach, would help - as long as you don't have contraindications to taking NSAIDs (stomach problems, bleeding problems, kidney problems). And rest.
And most of all, it would be good to see what is going on in your lungs. Pneumonia is usually accompanied by a high fever, but not always, so it would be important to have that chest X-ray.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Time to go in for a chest X-ray.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I read your history a couple of times, and I think given that your coughing has been going on for a week, with severe coughing bouts, and possibly some cracked ribs, it is time to go in to be seen, have a good lung exam, and a chest X-ray.
It's possible the Keflex has partially treated your infection.
It would be advisable for you to get a narcotic cough suppressant such as Robitussin with codeine, which can calm your cough.
It would be good to see what is going on with your ribs. For 1 cracked rib, ibuprofen 3x/dy or another NSAID after you have some food in your stomach, would help - as long as you don't have contraindications to taking NSAIDs (stomach problems, bleeding problems, kidney problems). And rest.
And most of all, it would be good to see what is going on in your lungs. Pneumonia is usually accompanied by a high fever, but not always, so it would be important to have that chest X-ray.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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