What causes foul taste in mouth after coughing?

Posted on Wed, 18 May 2016 in Digestion and Bowels

Question: For almost 2 weeks, I have had a spontaneously developing, usually after coughing, very foul taste in my mouth, without bad breath. It tastes like I have put something that's been dead for a while in my mouth. I have COPD, but that is controlled with BREO. My PCP has no idea, and my dentist says my mouth is fine. It's actually getting worse with time. I have been coughing more, but I have no other signs. My temperature and BP/HR are normal, and all lymph nodes are fine. Any ideas?

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil 4 hours later

Brief Answer:
Lung abscess

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern

Based on your description, Lung abscess is the most likely diagnosis.

It presents with several weeks of putrid and foul smell in sputum and oral cavity. Sputum for gram stain and culture, Chest x ray should be done to look for a thick walled cavity/ lesion in order to start treatment with clindamycin empirically as most abscesses would not require drainage and get resolved with antibiotic therapy. CT scan can be advised in consult with your doctor to define the extent of the cavity and look for other possible cause.

Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Let me know if you have any query

Please consult your doctor before deciding on any further course of action.

For future follow up / correspondence you may ask me directly at the link given below

http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/Funnel?page=askDoctorDirectly&docId=68107

Dr. M.S. Khalil

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar