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[Vermillion]

So roughly a week ago I got sick, slept for 18 hours and got better.  I'm still not sure if it was some allergic reaction (that was the point when we had record high temperature and every damn thing was in bloom) or a summer cold.  Anyway the runny nose, headache and etc. have all passed and I feel good enough to go biking or to work. The exception is a cough that will not quit.

And it might even be getting worse.  Last night I was kept up for 4 hours in a coughing fit (It seems to be worse at night) and it's looking like tonight will be the same.

So does anyone have good remedies?  Medicinal, herbal, or whatever, my only caveat is that I can't get perscriptions or a check up, as I don't have insurance right now.

Thanks.

[Honest Abe]

i'm sorry you can't get any checkups, but as there are no medical professionals here i really think it's not a good idea to ask for help with a cough as you described. the only thing you should be doing is going to the emergency room, not asking for help on the internet about a chronic cough.

[Vermillion]

If I see blood on my palm I'll go the ER.  Till then why not look for help where I can find it?

[Ruteger]

Get yourself a humidifier.  Coughing is nature's way of getting shit out of your lungs, phlegm included.  A humidifier will help break it up somewhat making the coughing more effective.

And why it's worse at night is probably only in your head.  Because there is less distracting you from the tingling in your chest.  Try to exercise some self control.  Relax, try not to cough.  And I don't mean supress it.  Just try to breathe normally and pretend the tickle isn't there.

If you can't, just get some Nyquil or Neo Citroen.  It'll make you drowsy enough to fall asleep without worrying about coughing.

[Honest Abe]

knock yourself out, i'm just trying to explain that in my expert internet medical opinion, you're beyond herbal remedies, regardless of lack of blood in your phelgm. you don't take care of a chronic cough like that with sucrets and hot toddies. i really think you should seek professional help.

[nitro6713]

About five or six years ago, I had an essentially permanent cough and cold-like symptoms, and I couldn't figure out what the cause was. After talking to the doctor, he told me the cause was probably sleeping with a fan blowing directly on me.  I don't know if you have a fan blowing right on you while you sleep, but if you do, point it away from you, or, even better, turn it off all together.  It took care of my cough, so it's worth a shot if you have a fan going at night.

Otherwise, I'd recommend sleeping in an a more inclined position, as it may be nasal drainage causing the cough.  That, and try to take some Vitamin C tablets right when you wake up and right before you go to bed.  That always helps me out when I have a cough.   

[Moses]

You've prob just got some innocuous little bug causing your cough. Your body will fight it off eventually. Just go to the chemist and get an over the counter cough suppresent. If that doesn't help, then yeah, you should go see your G.P

[Mr. Matt]

Move to a country where seeing a GP is free and prescriptions are uniform and cheap.

[Professor Explode]

Abe is right. Only a doctor can diagnose and treat you properly.  Earlier this year I had a chronic cough. When I finally got fed up with it and went to the doctor she diagnosed  me with gastric reflux and a prescribed a  course of protein pump inhibitors.  That sorted the problem, but  I would never have guessed it.  You need to be examined by a competent physician.

[Kathana]

I tend to get chronic coughs in the winter when the humidity is low.  My remedies are drinking hot tea, sucking on hard candy and staying away from cold air.

However my fits never last longer than a minute or so and I've never lost sleep over it. My guess is that you aren't really over your cold. Or you've developed an allergy to something that only blooms or spores at night. If it lasts much longer, you do need to see a professional.

[Vermillion]

I do appreciate all of your concern, I guess I tend to underestimate my own illnesses.  I'll be reemployed in two weeks so I could get it checked out then.  And if it's still bugging me after two weeks then it's definitly something to worry about.  For the time being I grabbed some nyquil and a slug of it kept me pretty quiet for the night without giving me insomnia like the Tussin did before.

I might also be able to get some MD friends to give me a quick check up Thursday.  So I'll keep you posted.

[Squirly]

Do you smoke?

I know it sounds daft, but I used to smoke and if I ended up with a cold, it would usually be the cough that was last to go (late night coughing fit included). Cut down on anything related to that vice and you might see an improvement.

I'm just putting it out there as a possibility.

[Johnny Roastbeef]

You mentioned the pollen counts and stuff were high.  Do you typically have seasonal allergies?

[Happy Camper]

In my experience from getting pneumonia several times, one of the best things to do to fight coughs is to sit in a room with a hot shower running, or you could actually take the shower, but I found sitting my bathroom reading a book with the door closed while the shower spits out scalding hot water to do loads of help.  Steam helps.

[zeratum]

Get some zinc pills, it helps the immune system as much if not more than Vitamic C.

[plustax]

If you have allergies, I'd suggest local honey, no shit it really does help.

[Ruteger]

He's right, but you'd be surprised how hard it is it find local honey.  A lot of places will import honey from somewhere else and just slap a sticker on it that says "Indiana Farms" or something.

[sordid]

And, if you can't check on it before you start your new job: we had some strange cough going around at work last spring. Almost everyone got it, and it went from slight fever/cold one or two days, to an annoying cough that lasted a couple of weeks. There was no medicine for it, other than your usual anti-coughing pills, or whatever you foreigners call them.

Not to rain on Abe's parade of doom, but it doesn't have to be dangerous. I do agree with him on the checking it up part, though.

[Superboy]

It really depends what type of cough you have.  When you feel the need to cough, does it come from your lungs or is it a tickling in the back of your throat? 

If it's just a throat irritation that's causing you to cough, there's less to worry about but there's not much to be done without getting something like cough syrup + codein. 

If it's a feeling from deep in your chest that's causing you to cough, it could be more serious.  Does your chest hurt at all?  If you put pressure right under your rib cage, does it cause pain? 

[Vermillion]

It's pretty much gone now, except maybe a twice a day relapse.  I still don't know what caused it but the nyquill helped me sleep for the three days or so I used it.