What Is The Treatment For Intermittent Cough With Temporary Breathlessness?

Posted on Mon, 6 Jan 2014

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

Mon, 6 Jan 2014 Answered on

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I have had a cough for six weeks now. I was diagnosed with bronchitis, tried two antibiotics and cough medicine with codeine. The only symptom is an infrequent (less than 10 times per day) cough, which causes temporary breathlessness causing me to gulp air for one or two breaths. There are no other symptoms (headache, fever, sore throat, etc.). The cough originates in the back of my throat, when it becomes dry from talking. I had a chest x-ray which said 'no focal infiltrate or pneumothorax or pleural effusion. The heart is not enlarged. There are linear markings in the right anterior medial lung base. This is likely due to pleural thickening and/or scarring versus plate-like atelectasis'. I have a PFT scheduled next week. Any advice?

Answered by Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Do you have nasal blockage or cold? Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for posting the query on XXXXXXX After going through the query, I would like to comment the following: 1. You seem to be having cough since 1 month probably ? acute bronchitis. 2. Do you have cold, nasal blockage or symptoms of burning pain in abdomen or acidity? Do you snore or are you a mouth breather during sleep? 3. A PFT will let us know if there is any associated airway disorder. If so your should respond to inhalers. 4. Has your eosinophil count been done? 5. If after pft the etiology is inconclusive then a HRCT scan thorax may be required. I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any. Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries. Regards Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra MBBS MD DNB Consultant Pulmonologist

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

Follow up: Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra (2 days later)

1. Acute bronchitis is the current diagnosis from my doctor(s). 2. I have none of the symptoms in #2. 3. I was given an inhaler in a follow-up visit to my doctor yesterday. 4. No - I did not have an eosinophil count done. What is this for? 5. The PFT is scheduled for next Tuesday (1/16). What is an HRCT scan thorax for? Was there anything in my chest x-ray report comments that should concern me? Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra (20 hours later)

Brief Answer: You need a complete course of antibiotics. Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for the follow up. After going through your follow up query, I would like to comment the following: 1. At present your symptoms seem to be consistent with Acute bronchitis. 2. You need to take a complete 2 weeks of antibiotics with inhalers. 3. Pft will rule out any associated air way involvement. 4. The reticular marking on chest xray could be due to prominent broncho vascular markings associated with bronchitis. You need not be worried too much about your chest xray report. Ideally after 2 weeks, a repeat chest xray should again be done. 5. The HRCT scan of thorax will rule out any associated parenchymal abnormality, especially considering the reticular markings. 6. Eosinophil counts rule out certain infective and allergic causes. I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any. Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries. Regards Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra MBBS MD DNB Consultant Pulmonologis

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