Respiratory Infection - what is it? Or can you tell me what you would call this?!
Question: I went to the doc today...I had a cold that turned into this persistent cough and I can not remember what the doctor said it what - she said it could last up to 6 weeks!!! It's this dry cough...she had me take cough medicine with codine and a nasal spray and an acid reflex medicine. In the mean time I can't stop coughing...anything triggers it...even breathing. What is this called? Is it a respiratory infection?
Answers: I went to the doc today...I had a cold that turned into this persistent cough and I can not remember what the doctor said it what - she said it could last up to 6 weeks!!! It's this dry cough...she had me take cough medicine with codine and a nasal spray and an acid reflex medicine. In the mean time I can't stop coughing...anything triggers it...even breathing. What is this called? Is it a respiratory infection?
Sorry to hear that your sick. If the doctor had a chest x-ray taken and told you that there was fluid in the lungs then you most probably have pneumonia which is an infection in the lower airways of the lungs. Otherwise you have bronchitis which is irritation and swelling of the major bronchial passages. This in turn causes hypersensitivity. In addition, when the lungs are irritated your body attempts to soothe and cleanse them by sending fluid to the affected area. Unfortunately the point at which the main bronchial tube branches into the left and right lung is call the carina and is also the trigger point for the cough reflex. This is very important in that when you accidentally inhale water or food and it hits this area you cough it back out. The constant cough is a result of the extra fluid. Your doctor gave you the cough medicine with the codiene to help to calm the cough, the nasal spray will help with the post nasal drip. Finally, the main bronchial tube and the esophagus share a common wall. That is most likely why the doctor gave you the reflux medicine as when your have reflux it can also cause a cough. I hope that you feel better soon.
Do you have pertussis?
Bronchitis
pnuemonia