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Cough throat irritation
About 2 months ago I had a cold. The cold went away, but the tickling cough in my throat remained. Recently I consulted a doctor. The doctor prescribed Clavam 625 (1-1-1 for 5 days) and Ambroxol syrup 5 ml (1-1-1 for 5 days). After taking these medicines, the cough became somewhat lighter than before, but it still occurs sometimes—for example after eating or when cold air hits my throat.
It is mainly a tickling or irritating feeling in the throat.
Then I visited the doctor again. The doctor prescribed Levocetirizine 5 mg (one tablet at bedtime for 10 days). Along with that I am also taking Phensedyl DX cough syrup.
However, the tickling cough is not going away. My chest X-ray (P/A view) is normal and there is no other problem—only this throat irritation and cough.
Please suggest some medicine.
Answers (34)
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Alright , so first thing is stop eating hot meals or drinking hot liquids , this will damage your throat further and irritation will increase , stop having very cold items and all lozenges , normal temp food and drinks only . Eat small bites. Now if cough is not regular , you can stop taking all medicines, take cap becosules morning and evening for 5 -7 days after meals , that will heal the damaged mucosal lining in throat from prolonged cough and irritation and you’ll be fine .
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The symptoms appear suggestive of an allergic cough. However, a more detailed clinical history and further evaluation, including investigations such as eosinophil levels and others, may be required to confirm the diagnosis.
For now, you may take steam inhalation three times daily (TDS) and cough lozenges three times daily for symptomatic relief.
Please contact me for further evaluation and appropriate management.
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Gargles with salt water
Tab NAC BD
Vicks Candy
That’s it
Next Steps
Consult a ent doctor
Health Tips
Avoid cold & spices
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Dear patient,
Avoid smoking , oily food , alcohol.
Kinldy do gargle with salty water 2* in a day .
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Steam inhalation with Vicks or eucalyptus oil.
Add
Zerodol sp three times a day after food for 5 days.
Montek lc one at night for five days.
With above medicine.
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Avoid cold and sour food
Steam inhalation and gargles
Do connect and consult
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This seems to be due to acid reflux
Kindly add proton pump inhibitors
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Since your chest x ray is normal, no need to worry . It's most likely post nasal drip due to previous upper respiratory tract infection.
Another differential diagnosis can be acid reflux which too causes chronic cough and throat irritation. So we can manage both together and you will be good to go in 10-15 days!
Next Steps
1)Tab Montina -L (10/5) 0-0-1 (at night before sleeping) for 10 days.
2)Tab Pantop (40) 1-0-0, empty stomach in the morning for 15 days.
3) Saltwater gargle- twice daily for 5 days (most effective out of all)
4) Drink lukewarm water first thing when you wake up in the morning. Not room temp or cold water. Follow this for 1 month.
5) Avoid spicy, fried food for 1 month ( to combat acid reflux).
Health Tips
Follow these steps religiously for 1 month as mentioned. This will definitely get you better!
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Tickling is because of scratchiness in throat because of viral URI
Take montair lc one tab in night for 5 days
Tab mucomix 600 mg once daily for 5 days
And consult with same cough syrup
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This looks like a chronic post-infectious throat irritation cough (very common after viral cold). Since CXR is normal and cough is tickling in throat, the most likely causes are:
1️⃣ Post-nasal drip / allergic throat irritation (Upper airway cough syndrome)
2️⃣ Post-viral hypersensitive cough
3️⃣ Cough-variant asthma
4️⃣ Acid reflux (GERD) – especially if cough occurs after eating
Based on the history (triggered by cold air and after food), allergy + throat hypersensitivity is most likely.
What I would do next
1. Continue anti-allergic treatment for longer
Levocetirizine 5 mg at night – 2 to 3 weeks
Add Montelukast + antihistamine (Montair-FX type) once daily at night for 2–3 weeks
2. Add throat soothing + cough suppressor
Levosalbutamol + Ambroxol cough syrup OR Dextromethorphan syrup if cough is dry
Steam inhalation twice daily
3. Treat throat irritation
Povidone iodine (Betadine) gargle 3–4 times daily
Warm water + honey
4. If cough occurs after meals → treat reflux
Try Pantoprazole 40 mg before breakfast for 2 weeks
If cough persists after 3 weeks
Do these investigations:
CBC with eosinophil count
Serum IgE
Spirometry (to rule out cough-variant asthma)
ENT exam for post nasal drip
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Betadin gargle 4times a day
Cap.benz 3times for 5days
SYP. Acybrophylin+terbutalin+guphensin 10ml three times
Tab. Montair fx 2 times a day for 5days
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Simply do gargle with betadine every 4hrly for one week and avoid food aggregating sore throat...and drink more water and high intake vitamin c food .
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Consult an ENT specialist and a pulmonologist
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Steam inhalation and gargling help a lot. Take prescribed medicine and this cough may be resolved in some days.
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You have a subacute post infectious cough , usually follows a viral infection,or a post nasal drip .It takes time to resolve,on it's own.
You may have to take antihistamine/psruoephedrine combination tablet,like telfastD,
Prednisolone 20 mg twice daily for a few days and foracort inhaler two times daily
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Along with other meds, do gargles with hot water and few drops of betadine mouth wash, take cetrizine 5mg 2 times daily.
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It's most likely post nasal drip and it increases during reclined position.
Next Steps
Steam inhalation and having warm water with honey can alleviate your symptoms alot.
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After infection like the one you had, sometimes it caused sinus inflammation and post nasal drip causing cough.
Steam inhalation to clear the sinuses should help.
All the best.
www.jgsr-health-education.in
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You likely have post-infectious upper airway cough syndrome (irritable throat cough) or laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
Clues from your history:
• Started after a cold
• Chest X-ray normal
• Mostly tickling throat irritation
• Triggered by eating and cold air
• No major sputum
• Antibiotics did not resolve it
This pattern is not typical of bacterial infection anymore.
Most common causes in this situation:
1️⃣ Post-viral airway hypersensitivity (can last 6–8 weeks)
2️⃣ Mild allergy / post-nasal drip
3️⃣ Acid reflux reaching throat (very common trigger after meals)
4️⃣ Eosinophilic airway irritation
Since it worsens after eating → reflux component is strongly suspected.
Next Steps
Instead of repeating antibiotics, try structured treatment:
✔ Step 1: Reflux trial (very important)
• Pantoprazole 40 mg before breakfast for 3–4 weeks
• Avoid spicy/oily food
• No lying down for 2 hours after meals
• Early dinner
✔ Step 2: Airway calming
• Steam inhalation once daily
• Warm water frequently
• Avoid cold drinks
✔ Step 3: If no improvement after 3–4 weeks:
• Spirometry test
• FeNO (if available)
• Consider short course inhaled corticosteroid
Stop unnecessary cough syrups long term — Phensedyl-DX is not a long-term solution.
Health Tips
✔ Avoid throat clearing repeatedly
✔ Use honey + warm water at night
✔ Elevate head while sleeping
✔ Avoid AC air directly on face
✔ Reduce caffeine
Post-viral and reflux cough can persist for 6–8 weeks but is treatable with correct targeting.
If you tell me:
• Is cough worse at night?
• Any acidity or burping?
• Do you feel mucus in throat?
I can narrow this further and suggest a more precise plan. Booking an online consultation would allow structured evaluation and prevent this from becoming chronic persistent cough.
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The symptoms suggested that you have post infectious cough with throat, hyper sensitivity. Since chest X-ray is normal and antibiotics did not help, this is most likely airway irritation or allergic cough rather than infection.
Next Steps
-Tab pulmoclear (acebrophylline 100 mg plus acetylcysteine 600mg) twice daily for 7 days
-Continue tab Levocetrizine for 7 more days
-If cough persists, a short course of inhaled steroid can help: Budesonide inhaler 200 mcg – 2 puffs twice daily for 7–10 days.
-discontinue cough syrup because prolonged usage increases the risk of addiction
Health Tips
Do steam inhalation with warm water twice daily. Avoid cold drinks, dust exposure, and very chilled air which can trigger throat irritation and cough. contact me any time on Practo for further consultation.
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Do consult
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Continue tab.clavam 625 1-1-1 for 5days
Tab levocetrizine 5mg 0-0-1 for 5 days
Syp ambroxyl 10ml 1-1-1 × 5days
Cough will time to settle down
Drink plenty of warm water
Drink some soup
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Hello.
A persistent tickling cough after a cold is commonly due to post-viral throat irritation, allergy, or mild airway hypersensitivity, especially when triggered by cold air or after eating. Since your chest X-ray is normal, serious lung infection is unlikely.
Next steps:
You may try a combination anti-allergic and anti-reflux approach, as throat irritation can also be related to mild reflux.
• Montelukast + Levocetirizine tablet at night for 10–14 days
• Pantoprazole 40 mg once daily before breakfast for 10–14 days
These often help when cough persists after infection.
Helpful tips:
• Avoid very cold drinks, dust, and smoke exposure
• Take warm fluids and steam inhalation
• Avoid late heavy meals or lying down immediately after eating
If the cough continues beyond a few weeks, further evaluation such as allergy assessment or pulmonary consultation may be helpful. You may consult for a more detailed evaluation and tailored treatment if needed.
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Since you have completed your antibiotic course, so there is not much need to start it again.
Take Tablet Limcee- 1-0-1 to be chewed for 10 days
Your throat irritation will reduce
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Dr. Koushik
MBBS
4 yrs exp
Karimnagar
I understand your concern. However, giving specific medical advice without a proper evaluation may not be safe or accurate. A brief consultation will allow me to understand your symptoms, medical history, and any reports you may have, so I can guide you properly. Please feel free to consult me here and I’ll be glad to assist you.
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Dr. Saarika
General Physician
4 yrs exp
Chennai
Sir, as your antibiotic course has been completed, it would be better to start salt water or Betadine gargling 3 times a day.
To continue tab levocetrizen for another 5 days(note you might feel a bit drowsy -better to have it at night)
Please consume warm foods and avoid spicy foods. This is most likely post-nasal drip following the previous upper respiratory tract infection.
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Dr. Ravi Kumar Nadella
General Physician
18 yrs exp
Hyderabad
Pan d
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Dr. Nazia Begum M.G
General Physician
15 yrs exp
Belgaum
Continue medication for two days more
Take tab montec lc
Tab omnocortil 5 mg once daily for three days
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Dr. Kamal Kumar
General Physician
7 yrs exp
Rewari
Dear Patient,
A tickling cough after a cold can last for 4–8 weeks due to throat or airway sensitivity (post-viral cough). Since your chest X-ray is normal, it is usually not serious.
Common causes:
• Post-viral irritation
• Allergy or post-nasal drip
• Mild acid reflux
What you can do:
• Continue Levocetirizine as prescribed
• Drink warm fluids / steam inhalation
• Avoid cold drinks, dust, and smoke
If cough persists beyond 6–8 weeks or new symptoms appear, consult your doctor again.
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Dr. Vetsa Sri Krishna Chaitanya
General Physician
7 yrs exp
Rajahmundry
Need a few more details please consult for further evaluation and treatment
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Dr. Chaithra H
General Physician
5 yrs exp
Bangalore
Urti
Do consult
Steam inhalation
Salt water gargling
Rest for 3 days
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Dr. Anuj Mothsra
General Physician
6 yrs exp
Jhunjhunu
Can help you, kindly consult and provide detailed history for proper diagnosis and further management
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