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Wheezing At Night. Want To Take Natural Or Over The Counter Medication. Can I Take Benadryl?

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Posted on Tue, 10 Jul 2012
Question: Hello -- I am a healthy 65 years old male. Lately I've been waking up at night due to wheezing. Only at night. Would rather use natural remedy or over the counter medicine. Is Benadryl a good choice?
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Answered by Dr. Ashwini Kolur (4 hours later)
Hello,
Thanks for your query.

I will try my best to provide you with best possible professional recommendations to your questions.

Certain common causes of nocturnal wheezing are allergy, allergic reaction and rhinitis, COPD, gastro oesophageal reflux disease and nocturnal asthma.

I think it might be asthma, more than 90% of patients with asthma experience night-time wheezing. Reasons are exposure to allergens at night such as dust mites or animal dander, reflux of stomach acid into the oesophagus, cooling of the airways that cause spasm of the major airways, sinusitis and postnasal drip.

Treatment includes finding the cause which is responsible, like if you have pets avoiding them may help, changing the bed sheets and turning off the AC as cold can precipitate asthma.

Medications used are bronchodilators, steroids and mast cell stabilizers are helpful.

I advise you to first find the cause and try to avoid it. Regarding the benadryl is allergic medication that can also help, you can consider it but if symptoms persist even after 2 to 3 days it will be nice if you see physician.

I like to know whether you and in your family have history asthma or any allergic disease.

Yet again, I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.

Hope I have cleared your queries. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.

Regards
Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Answered by
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Dr. Ashwini Kolur

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 1014 Questions

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Wheezing At Night. Want To Take Natural Or Over The Counter Medication. Can I Take Benadryl?

Hello,
Thanks for your query.

I will try my best to provide you with best possible professional recommendations to your questions.

Certain common causes of nocturnal wheezing are allergy, allergic reaction and rhinitis, COPD, gastro oesophageal reflux disease and nocturnal asthma.

I think it might be asthma, more than 90% of patients with asthma experience night-time wheezing. Reasons are exposure to allergens at night such as dust mites or animal dander, reflux of stomach acid into the oesophagus, cooling of the airways that cause spasm of the major airways, sinusitis and postnasal drip.

Treatment includes finding the cause which is responsible, like if you have pets avoiding them may help, changing the bed sheets and turning off the AC as cold can precipitate asthma.

Medications used are bronchodilators, steroids and mast cell stabilizers are helpful.

I advise you to first find the cause and try to avoid it. Regarding the benadryl is allergic medication that can also help, you can consider it but if symptoms persist even after 2 to 3 days it will be nice if you see physician.

I like to know whether you and in your family have history asthma or any allergic disease.

Yet again, I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.

Hope I have cleared your queries. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.

Regards