Hello.... I had an 'uncommon' head cold last week. Started with a mild scratchy throat, advanced to a persistent hacking dry cough; the stuffy nose came full-tilt by weekend, Fever was never above 100.5 F, I was not bed-ridden, I did not have aches and pains (other than the discomfort in my chest and stomach muscles, some of which probably have never been used before the coughing fits I had last week). Doctor (Friday) indicated reative asthma - and gave me an Advair inhaler and cough medicine with codene. Symptoms gradually subsided, except: 1) gurgling / clicking sound continues in larynx (from what I can tell), 2) lost sense of smell entirely (that's never happened before). Doctor wants to start cortisone treatments. I am not keen on cortisone. What is this? Have never had symptoms like this with rhino virus before.