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23 years
Go to follow up question
It's been 10 days that I have a very bad cough that just wouldn't go away. I tried 3 different cough syrups and I'm taking antibiotics. it still didn't go away. I am sleep deprived
Sep 10, 2014
2nd opinion

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
Bronchitis occurs when the bronchi, the tubes that carry air to the lungs, get inflamed and irritated, with resulting swelling and production of mucus. This triggers the cough reflex in an attempt to expectorate the mucus.
Acute bronchitis (the most likely diagnosis in your case) usually comes on quickly and gradually resolves over a 2 to 3 week period.
Acute bronchitis cases are most commonly caused by a virus, as such, the majority of cases do not require antibiotic treatment, and the immune system of the body is able to clear the infection by itself. Often, the episode of acute bronchitis is preceded by a few days after having an upper respiratory tract infection such as a cold or the flu. Acute bronchitis is caused by bacteria, but this is a less common occurrence.
Acute bronchitis also can be caused by breathing in chemicals or noxious vapors that irritate the bronchial tubes, such as smoke or chlorine fumes (from swimming pools). It also can happen if a person inhales food or vomit into the lungs.
The most common symptom of acute bronchitis is a cough that starts as dry and hacking, then becomes productive (you spit phlegm) within a few days. You may have a low fever and feel fatigued.
Most people get better in 2 to 3 weeks. But some people continue to have cough (sometimes known as post viral cough) for more than 4 weeks, and this is due to residual airway inflammation more so than airway secretions. As such, cough medication are not useful to abolish this cough. Some physicians may recommend a short course of steroids to counteract the inflammation. Kindly re-consult your treating physician in this regard.
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