I have a cold and a lot of coughing, what should I do?

Question

Hello, My colds usually stretch with a lot of coughing, mainly in the evening and at night. I cough constantly and my throat stings. This cough can last for almost a week. I am exhausted from not sleeping because of the cough. Despite syrups, lozenges, hot steam, sitting up and even pumps of ciclesonide, nothing changes. Do I have any other options? Hello, thank you for the advice unfortunately, I can't use sinus rinse too often. It creates otitis for me i have to use tympanic transplants, tubes and eustachian tubes that are not very functional is there another alternative? thank you

Naji-tom Samaha · Accepted Answer

Hello ma'am, I'm sorry to read about your troubles! I highly recommend nasal hygiene with saline solution such as Hydrasense or Sinus Rinse which can be done as often as needed during the day and at least 30 minutes before bedtime. It is a little uncomfortable but works extremely well to prevent secretions from running down the throat, which often causes coughing and irritation. To this end, I suggest that you stop using syrups as they are not effective for coughing as they do not address the problem... I encourage you to drink a lot of liquids, cold or hot depending on your preference You can continue with the lozenges and your other prescribed medications. If the situation persists for more than 7 days without improvement, you should consult a doctor as a precaution. I hope I have been helpful to you and I am available if you have any further questions! Sincerely, Tom Samaha, pharmacist Thanks for the feedback. If you are not pregnant (or trying to become pregnant), if you are not breastfeeding, one can try a decongestant nasal spray such as Dristan, Otrivin or other, which can be used twice a day for a maximum of 3 to 5 days (Do not use longer as it could make the situation worse). As for the Sinus Rinse, you can mix the whole mixture and use only half the bottle, or apply less pressure on the bottle. Sincerely, Tom Samaha, Pharmacist