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What Causes Night Time Cough And Cold Body?

Posted on Mon, 27 Jun 2016

Question: My husband is 62 yrs. he has smoked on and off for 20 years - he officially quit 1 1/2 years ago. He has had a cough since November. He has been checked for Bronchitis and Pneumonia. It is mainly at nights and he is unable to sleep. Also, his hands and feet are abnormally cold (and he is never cold). We've been sleeping in separate rooms due to his non-stop coughing - a few times he has crawled into bed with me and he is ice cold. I"m not sure what kind of Dr. to take him to. Our family practitioner has not been able to find anything wrong and keeps saying it's a virus.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Have you checked for heart diseases?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Night time cough with cold body is more likely due to heart diseases.
So please let me know
1. Have you checked for heart disease?
2. Is he not taking any inhalers?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (21 minutes later)

He has not been checked for heart disease. Also he is not using an inhaler. I don't know if any of this is of value, however, in his late 30's he did a lot of drugs, smoking, (didn't like alcohol so that is one vice that was avoided). The drug use quit approx. 20 years ago.
Thank you for your help!

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
He should definitely investigated for heart diseases.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion, he should first be investigated for heart diseases.
Also start inhaler after consulting pulmonologist.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar .
Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 minute later)

Would heart disease also create a cough? And, pardon my ignorance, what is a heart specialist called?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No need to call yourself ignorant.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
And please, don't call your self ignorant.
Yes, heart diseases can cause cough. But it is wet kind of cough.
And heart specialist is known as cardiologist.
So please let me know
1. Is he having dry cough at night?
2. Is he having chest congestion or wet cough at night?
3. Is coughing associated with wheezing sound from chest?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (14 minutes later)

You are kind - thank you.

His cough is kind of wet - he describes it as wet and scratchy.. He can't clear out the congestion in his chest unless he stands up. But even then he can't stop coughing.
Sometimes he sounds wheezy while he's trying to clear the congestion and the cough sounds like a light bronchitis.

Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Is he having edema feet and facial puffiness?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
All these favour either worsening bronchitis or early heart failure.
So better to investigate for this.
Please let me know.
1. Is he having edema feet?
2. Is he having facial puffiness?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (5 minutes later)

He has no facial puffiness or edema. I have noticed for quite a few weeks that he has not looked well. He is losing weight on a grand diet of coca-cola and icecream sandwiches - if only I were so lucky. friends have also noticed he hasn't been looking well. As for his diet - I told him I'm not going to bug him anymore since I found it better served to plan his funeral. Ahhh men, when are they going to start listening to their wives?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I listen to my wife very quietly.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Not all men are same. I listen to my wife very quietly.
Weight loss is a feature of bronchitis.
So please let me know
1. Had he ever undergone PFT (pulmonary function test)?
2. What was his last chest x ray report?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (39 minutes later)

Bravo for listening to your wife.

He has not had a PFT test or a chest x ray. I forgot to add, which I surmise was quite obvious to you, that when he was checked for bronchitis and pneumonia - he had neither (according to the doctor).

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Was the doctor pulmonologist?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Thanks for your admiration.
Yes, you are right. I am surprised to hear this that doctor denied possibility of pneumonia and bronchitis.
Can you please tell me
1. Was the doctor pulmonologist?
2. Was the chest x ray absolutely normal?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (10 minutes later)

He only saw a family practitioner. He did not have a chest x-ray done. the doctor just listened to his heart, checked his ears, and looked in his mouth - said everything looked and sounded good and gave him an antibiotic (several months ago [which made no difference]) and this last time (approx. 3 weeks ago) the doctor gave him some cough medicine. That was all that was done.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You should definitely take him to pulmonologist and cardiologist.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion, he should definitely take him to pulmonologist and cardiologist for chest x ray, PFT (pulmonary function test) and other heart related reports.
He should definitely start inhalers and other cardiac supportive drugs if he found to have heart disease.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wishing good health to your husband. Thanks.

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