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Why Have I Been Coughing For About 2 Months With Intermittent Breathing Difficulty, Fatigue And Joints Pain?
Question: I have been coughing for about 2 months. At times I feel like I can't breathe deep enough. I feel very tired. My joints ache. I have had some night sweats.
Brief Answer:
investigation is required
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
coughing for 2 months is too long and requires investigation. The potential causes are many so I'll make a list with some of the most common ones.
The first cause your doctor needs to consider is post-infectious cough. This kind of cough follows respiratory tract infections and may last up to 2 months. Usually a gradual improvement is expected. In some cases treatment might be required. The treatment options includes mostly antibiotics and bronchodilators.
If post-infectious cough can be excluded (no infection when it started, more than 2 months' duration, findings that raise suspicion for other diagnoses) then various causes of chronic cough have to be considered.
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause. Regurgitation of acidic fluid in the esophagus and upper respiratory tract may result in cough particularly during the night.
Sinusitis may also cause chronic cough but it is usually associated with headaches (or facial pain) and nasal discharge.
COPD (chronic obstructie pulmonary disease) is another consideration particularly if you also have shortness of breath and increased phlegm production. Wheezes can be heard in many patients with COPD.
Less common causes may include various types of "chronic" infections like tuberculosis and disorders like heart failure (shortness of breath and/or swollen ankles are common symptoms), pericarditis (with pleurisy or no pleurisy), various disorders of the pleura, diseases of the larynx, etc.
A clinical examination and chest X-ray are important elements of the initial assessment. A basic biochemical panel, complete blood count and inflammatory markers are equally important.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
Best regards!
investigation is required
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
coughing for 2 months is too long and requires investigation. The potential causes are many so I'll make a list with some of the most common ones.
The first cause your doctor needs to consider is post-infectious cough. This kind of cough follows respiratory tract infections and may last up to 2 months. Usually a gradual improvement is expected. In some cases treatment might be required. The treatment options includes mostly antibiotics and bronchodilators.
If post-infectious cough can be excluded (no infection when it started, more than 2 months' duration, findings that raise suspicion for other diagnoses) then various causes of chronic cough have to be considered.
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause. Regurgitation of acidic fluid in the esophagus and upper respiratory tract may result in cough particularly during the night.
Sinusitis may also cause chronic cough but it is usually associated with headaches (or facial pain) and nasal discharge.
COPD (chronic obstructie pulmonary disease) is another consideration particularly if you also have shortness of breath and increased phlegm production. Wheezes can be heard in many patients with COPD.
Less common causes may include various types of "chronic" infections like tuberculosis and disorders like heart failure (shortness of breath and/or swollen ankles are common symptoms), pericarditis (with pleurisy or no pleurisy), various disorders of the pleura, diseases of the larynx, etc.
A clinical examination and chest X-ray are important elements of the initial assessment. A basic biochemical panel, complete blood count and inflammatory markers are equally important.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
Best regards!
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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