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Suggest Treatment For Bronchitis And Cough
Question: Hi. I had bronchitis about a month ago. I took anti biotics and the cough went slightly away and my voice returned to normal. However the cough became dry and tickly and very annoying. I has a chest x ray as I am a very anxious person and the x ray came back normal besides slightly prominant hilar regions. I was told this is quite normal on x rays...What can I do about the cough and is ut normal that this irritating cough is dtill here for about 7 weeks?
Brief Answer:
It needs time
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
persistent cough with a normal chest X-ray is relatively common after a respiratory tract infection (post-infectious cough) and may last for up to 8 weeks after the resolution of the infection. It should get progressively better though. I'll come back later on this cause.
Another potential cause is asthma. Asthma exacerbations may occur after infections. Asthma attacks usually cause shortness of breath and wheezing, so you should have recognized something different than just cough.
Let me get to the most common cause, post-infectious cough. This kind of cough can be attributed to either the damage to the lining of the airways by the infection, which takes some time to heal, or it could be attributed to specific pathogens or conditions like whooping cough or sinusitis.
Regarding treatment, if whooping cough is the cause then a macrolide antibiotic should be enough to treat it. If sinusitis is the cause then treatment depends on the severity of symptoms (antibiotics may help). If post-infectious cough is the cause then you just need time. If the cough is very severe, you can try inhaled ipratropium, which may alleviate the symptoms.
I hope I've helped!
Kind Regards!
It needs time
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
persistent cough with a normal chest X-ray is relatively common after a respiratory tract infection (post-infectious cough) and may last for up to 8 weeks after the resolution of the infection. It should get progressively better though. I'll come back later on this cause.
Another potential cause is asthma. Asthma exacerbations may occur after infections. Asthma attacks usually cause shortness of breath and wheezing, so you should have recognized something different than just cough.
Let me get to the most common cause, post-infectious cough. This kind of cough can be attributed to either the damage to the lining of the airways by the infection, which takes some time to heal, or it could be attributed to specific pathogens or conditions like whooping cough or sinusitis.
Regarding treatment, if whooping cough is the cause then a macrolide antibiotic should be enough to treat it. If sinusitis is the cause then treatment depends on the severity of symptoms (antibiotics may help). If post-infectious cough is the cause then you just need time. If the cough is very severe, you can try inhaled ipratropium, which may alleviate the symptoms.
I hope I've helped!
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks. also slightly prominant hilar regions is common in exrays? Also you say I shouldnt worry about this dry tickly cough?
Brief Answer:
The cough is not worrisome
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome.
Regarding your cough, this is nothing to worry about. If it gets better over time, nothing more has to be done about it. Otherwise refer to my previous answer.
Regarding your X-ray report, slightly prominent hilar regions is a little vague. If the radiologist could see something more specific, then it should have been in the report. I can't comment on a vague finding without having seen the actual X-ray film... If you're too worried about it though, you can repeat the X-ray after a couple of months, to check how it's going.
Kind Regards!
The cough is not worrisome
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome.
Regarding your cough, this is nothing to worry about. If it gets better over time, nothing more has to be done about it. Otherwise refer to my previous answer.
Regarding your X-ray report, slightly prominent hilar regions is a little vague. If the radiologist could see something more specific, then it should have been in the report. I can't comment on a vague finding without having seen the actual X-ray film... If you're too worried about it though, you can repeat the X-ray after a couple of months, to check how it's going.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks. One doctor scared me and said she hopes its not lymphanopothy. Should I worry? I have absolutely no other symptoms whatso ever?
Brief Answer:
lymphadenopathy cannot be totally excluded
Detailed Answer:
hilar enlargement suggest lymphadenopathy but as I've said before, there is nothing concrete with this description. If the radiologist had a sure finding, it should have been in the report. Instead of it, the word "slightly" is used to express doubt about the finding.
Testing with a chest X-ray after a couple of months should be sufficient to make sure that the slightly prominent hilar region has not grown. A computed tomography (CT) is a much more detailed test than chest X-ray and is the test of choice when the doctor wants to exclude hilar problems. I can't suggest which of the two actions is the best, because I haven't seen the X-ray myself. Your doctor is the most appropriate person to decide that.
Kind Regards!
lymphadenopathy cannot be totally excluded
Detailed Answer:
hilar enlargement suggest lymphadenopathy but as I've said before, there is nothing concrete with this description. If the radiologist had a sure finding, it should have been in the report. Instead of it, the word "slightly" is used to express doubt about the finding.
Testing with a chest X-ray after a couple of months should be sufficient to make sure that the slightly prominent hilar region has not grown. A computed tomography (CT) is a much more detailed test than chest X-ray and is the test of choice when the doctor wants to exclude hilar problems. I can't suggest which of the two actions is the best, because I haven't seen the X-ray myself. Your doctor is the most appropriate person to decide that.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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