General Health

Before your doctor treats your nonproductive, persistent cough, he may take your full medical history and do a physical exam and conduct other tests, which may include a blood test, a chest X ray, a tuberculosis skin test, and a spirometry breathing test. If the cough persists, a bronchoscopy and possibly a biopsy will be performed. These tests will help to rule out any underlying illness, such as a lung malignancy.

Once your doctor determines that your health is fine except for your cough, he might prescribe an antibiotic such as erythromycin, to be taken by mouth four times a day for a week, plus a mild cough suppressant such as Robitussin. If your cough is due to a viral infection, he will recommend that you rest and take aspirin or Tylenol; if your sinuses are also acting up, there are plenty of over-the-counter sinus remedies such as Sinutab and Dristan to help you. If these don’t do the trick, a prescription nasal inhaler such as Nasacort and/or a prescription antihistamine such as Claritin can be used.

If you’re taking an ACE inhibitor, tell your doctor as it may be responsible for your frequent cough. Your doctor may switch you to another medication, like a calcium channel blocker such as Cardizem or verapamil.

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General Health