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How Can Cough And Cold Be Treated?
Hello Dr, My name is Kevin. I have had a chest cough with runny nose the first two days then congestion and phlegm from the nose and after cough. I started off on NightGuil on the fourth day I got this feeling in my left ear like I was under water. The pharmacist told me to switch to Robitussin because of my diabetes. I did, cough is going away some phlegm but it white and not yellow but I'm still underwater with my ear BP 151/100
posted on
Tue, 21 Feb 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 13 Apr 2018
Answered on
Wed, 25 Apr 2018
Last reviewed on
Hello,
1. As I am unable to examine you directly, thus mine symptom wise approach would have been:
i. An ordinary cough with congestion is the commonest symptom seen in general practice, but because symptoms are still persisting there for 3 weeks now, you should consult an ENT specialistwho will inspect the throat with a good torch and tongue depressor to exclude any other pathology [pharyngitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis].
ii. The choice of antibiotic will vary from doctor to doctor and from locality to locality and if a cough worsens or duration increases consult a chest specialist for an immediate chest x-ray and other blood investigations like:
- Hb%, WBC for eosinophilia
- X-ray chest for TB, Pneumonia
- If other investigations are normal, HIV test
iii. Make sure to adopt certain guidelines till you get an appointment:
- Take mainly soft diet - rice, chapati, or phulka, with nonspicy vegetables.
- Avoid fried foods like wada, samosa, dosa, pakodas, papad,namkeen and potato chips, avoid hotel food.
- Do not take any cold drinks, cold water, ice cream, chilled food from the refrigerator.
- Avoid sour fruits like citrus fruits, grapes, take sweet fruits- bananas, papaya.
- Steam Inhalation and warm salt water gargles.
- Cover the mouth while coughing (using hand or handkerchief) to prevent the spread of infection to other family members.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Munish Sood
1. As I am unable to examine you directly, thus mine symptom wise approach would have been:
i. An ordinary cough with congestion is the commonest symptom seen in general practice, but because symptoms are still persisting there for 3 weeks now, you should consult an ENT specialistwho will inspect the throat with a good torch and tongue depressor to exclude any other pathology [pharyngitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis].
ii. The choice of antibiotic will vary from doctor to doctor and from locality to locality and if a cough worsens or duration increases consult a chest specialist for an immediate chest x-ray and other blood investigations like:
- Hb%, WBC for eosinophilia
- X-ray chest for TB, Pneumonia
- If other investigations are normal, HIV test
iii. Make sure to adopt certain guidelines till you get an appointment:
- Take mainly soft diet - rice, chapati, or phulka, with nonspicy vegetables.
- Avoid fried foods like wada, samosa, dosa, pakodas, papad,namkeen and potato chips, avoid hotel food.
- Do not take any cold drinks, cold water, ice cream, chilled food from the refrigerator.
- Avoid sour fruits like citrus fruits, grapes, take sweet fruits- bananas, papaya.
- Steam Inhalation and warm salt water gargles.
- Cover the mouth while coughing (using hand or handkerchief) to prevent the spread of infection to other family members.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Munish Sood
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