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Not Getting Proper Sleep Due To Cough. What Is The Cause Of Cough At Night?

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Posted on Tue, 9 Oct 2012
Question: I have a cough that wakes me up when I am falling asleep. I don't cough during the day, but as I am about to fall asleep I wake up coughing. This happens 3-4 times before I can actually fall asleep. I had a cough thorughout the day for about a month, with no other symptoms, which now went away, and I am left with this cough which only happens when I fall asleep.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Piyush Ostwal (1 hour later)
Hello,
The cough lasting so long following initial infection indicated predisposition of the individual to the allergy/ asthma. Get your pulmonary function tests done which might give a clue.
Other possible causes could be obesity, large tongue, large tonsils etc. In all these situations the airway for breathing is narrow and becomes further narrow as the tone of the muscles of throat decreases with sleep.
Get your self evaluated by both pulmonologist and ENT specialist following which some conclusion can be arrived at.
if you have any more queries, I will be happy to answer.
Good luck.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Piyush Ostwal

Neurologist

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 349 Questions

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Not Getting Proper Sleep Due To Cough. What Is The Cause Of Cough At Night?

Hello,
The cough lasting so long following initial infection indicated predisposition of the individual to the allergy/ asthma. Get your pulmonary function tests done which might give a clue.
Other possible causes could be obesity, large tongue, large tonsils etc. In all these situations the airway for breathing is narrow and becomes further narrow as the tone of the muscles of throat decreases with sleep.
Get your self evaluated by both pulmonologist and ENT specialist following which some conclusion can be arrived at.
if you have any more queries, I will be happy to answer.
Good luck.