Brief Answer:
Psychogenic Cough

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for asking from Health Care Magic

Psychogenic cough is also called as habit cough. Though complete physical examination fails to find any underlying cause but in a lot of individuals there is some underlying which causes repetitive cough. The onset of cough may be due to some infection of irritation but some susceptible individuals (either due to anxiety or due to primary gain) continue to cough. To clear throat irritation individuals cough and which further produces throat irritation and injury, which further aggravates the cough. So in treatment of Psychogenic Cough we have to break this vicious cycle of "irritation-cough-irritation".


Hypnosis has been found to be useful in some children but it failed in her. Then other options which can prove useful are-

- Biofeedback and psychotherapy: Psychotherapy by a psychologist to found underlying conflict behind uncontrollable cough helps a lot. Biofeed helps to find out difference between anxious state and relaxed state. When biofeedback is applied and individuals variations in heart rate, muscle tension, heat changes in body etc are measured. Patients come to know the change in these variables during cough and then they are asked to control these by biofeedback. Although it is a lengthy process but with proper psychotherapy and biofeedback she should improve.

- Suggestion therapy is also very effective. First of all individual is psycho-eduated about complete psychopathology of habit cough. Then individual in proper therapeutic setting is given some spray like lidocaine spray which act as distractor. When spray is given individual is asked to control the cough for progressively increasing time like starting from 5 seconds to 10 second then to 20 second and ultimately to 60 seconds. Once individual is learned to control the cough for about a minute then he/she is reassured that cough can be controlled. With time these sessions are held at home and in few sessions improvement is seen. Consultation of a trained psychologist is needed for proper therapy.

- Underlying anxiety is one of main aggravating factor behind psycogenic cough. In some individuals treatment with low dose anti-anxiety drugs help to decrease anxiety and ultimately decrease in habit occurs. In some patients reason behind cough is tics. Anti-anxiety drugs help to control these tics.

Hope this helps, try to reassure her and explain that here is nothing wrong in her and she can control the cough.

Thanks, do ask again if you have more doubts regarding treatment.

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