What diseases might be indicated by frequent coughing at night?

I often experience an itchy throat, a persistent cough, and shortness of breath from around midnight to early morning. I've taken cough medicine, but it hasn't helped. What illness could this be a symptom of? (Quyen, 29 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

Coughing is the body's natural mechanism for expelling irritants or obstructions from the airways. Coughing at night and in the early morning can be due to environmental conditions, medical conditions, or both.

Many factors in the bedroom can trigger a cough, such as excessively cold air, dust from air conditioners, fans, or bedding; pollen, pet dander, or mold. If these are the causes of your cough, simply clean the room thoroughly, wash bedding to remove dust, mold, and pet dander; and clean the cooling equipment.

Several medical conditions can also cause nighttime or early morning coughing, the most common being chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is because during sleep, the airways are often narrower than normal, making asthma more likely to be triggered, especially in overweight individuals, those with short necks, or those with sleep apnea.

At night, the body releases less epinephrine—a hormone that relaxes the airways and reduces shortness of breath—than at other times of the day. In some people who have both asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleeping position can worsen GERD, causing more coughing and triggering asthma attacks.

Nighttime coughing can also be related to whooping cough, pneumonia, or bronchitis. Generally, these conditions have quite similar symptoms. Therefore, for an accurate differential diagnosis, you need to see a respiratory specialist and undergo further respiratory function tests, chest X-rays, depending on the doctor's recommendations. Avoid overuse of cough medicine as it can interfere with the body's natural airway clearing mechanism.

For people with asthma, nighttime coughing can trigger dangerous asthma attacks. Patients should keep their asthma relief medication readily available to use immediately when an attack occurs. Instructions for use: spray 1-2 puffs, and if shortness of breath persists after 15-20 minutes, spray another 2-3 puffs. If shortness of breath is still not controlled after that time, the patient should seek medical attention promptly.

People who smoke should quit as soon as possible, and maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce nighttime coughing. The indoor environment should be kept clean, dust-free, and the ideal room temperature between 26-32°C and humidity between 30-60% should be maintained. People with respiratory problems, especially asthma, should avoid keeping pets such as dogs, cats, and birds in the house.

Master of Science, Doctor La Quy Huong
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi

Readers can post questions about respiratory illnesses here for doctors to answer.

Source link