I seem to cough a lot, but o­nly after

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
I seem to cough a lot, but o­nly after
Sat, 04-29-2006 - 7:41pm

 I’ve gone to bed. Why?


Chronic coughs have many causes, but these are the four most common: If you cough during the first hour after you lie down, especially if you suffer from heartburn, the cough may be due to GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) If you cough in the wee hours of the morning, especially if you also have chest tightness or shortness of breath, the cough is more likely due to asthma.  If you cough right after getting out of bed and you are a smoker, then it may be due to chronic bronchitis. If you cough most of the day and have halitosis (bad breath) and hay fever or sinusitis, it’s more likely due to post nasal drainage. Also, having a cold can cause postnasal drip and coughing which is made worse at night because you are lying down.

How do you tell? Talk with your doctor. If you have GERD, he or she may advise a medication that blocks stomach acid production for several weeks to see if the cough goes away. Asthma usually can be diagnosed with breathing tests. Postnasal drip can be detected easily by using a light to look for mucus running down the back of your throat.


Which cough do you have???!!!

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