Can Coughing Increase Size and Risk of Aortic Anuerysm

Hello.
I do not have any medical training.
But I have lots of experience with medical conditions that cause other medical conditions. Although I have a business degree and not a medical degree, I can and I do lots of research into issues that are "hidden" from normal patients.
And yes, I can tell you, either doctors on average are to ignorant to understand the concepts of medical cause and effect, or they just don't care whether your health deteriorates or not.
Go look up the definition of medical gas-lighting. Most doctors are specialist medical gas-lighters. (My opinion formed from my experiences!)

That was the general background.
I am a Total Laryngectomee (Larynx cancer survivor) and now permanent neck-breather.
Most ENT specialist do not know answers I need about living with my condition and they have no idea what causal conditions can arise if or when I am not careful to avoid certain conditions.
They might be specialist with the surgeries, but they are ignorant and indifferent regarding after care... (No fame, no fortune and it is not in their interest if some money from budgets go to patient care instead of most or even all going to doctors' activities like surgeries...)
This was more specific personal background.

Your question about coughing:
My layman's opinion gathered from my research, that I only offer as doctors apparently won't:
There is a difference between having;
(1) an aneurysm and having
(2) an aneurysm that is symptomatic.
When symptomatic, then your doctors should consider overriding the size requirement and expedite treatment.

Because of my Total Laryngectomee condition, I have a speech prosthesis inserted between my esophagus and trachea. This is basically a one way valve, that should prevent food and liquids from going into my trachea and lungs, and enable me to force air from my lungs into my esophagus, vibrating my esophagus and then use that as a replacement voice-box and be able to speak again.
However, that valve should be replaced about once a month but here in the Third World, it is deemed a luxury and you are lucky if the "knowledgeable" people prioritize your case and replace overdue prostheses within 6 months.
This leads to leaks into your trachea and lungs and cause infection upon infection and pneumonia on quite a regular basis.
These leaks and later on the infections as well, thus cause lots of violent coughing.
The end result of which was 2 inguinal hernias, a hiatal hernia and next to the hiatal hernia, a celiac-trunk aneurysm.

Therefore I KNOW that coughing and especially continuous and or violent coughing can cause aneurysms if it cause internal pressure and friction on certain areas.
Something that doctors apparently do not understand or dare not admit, because their ignorance and then indifference could be blamed for the deterioration of your health.
In your case, determine where the aneurysm is and whether your coughing is causing pressure, friction or pain at that spot. If so, I guess you might be aggravating the aneurysm?

That is my layman's opinions.
Opinions that will be denied and vehemently fought against by the self-appointed semi-god medical fraternities and sororities, because it might force them to take responsibility for each patients' health, instead of breezing past and shrugging if they got it wrong.
The amazing thing is: They would come out in droves to deny a layman's opinion, but would send you from pillar to post for years instead of just answering your questions honestly!

The old adage: Doctors' mistakes are buried!
Seek help from a doctor who still cares!

Bless your heart. You are a brave lady and I admire that very much. I'm 79 and as of my last scan I'm at 4.2. I guess I'll have a better idea of how fast this thing is growing when I have my next scan. Enjoy every day and every minute of your life. As the kids like to say, May the Force be with you.

Just as violent coughing can cause or damage aneurysms because of the pressure and friction that it causes, and should be controlled and if possible avoided, you should also take note of the following study:

Antioxidant Vitamin C attenuates experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm development in an elastase-induced rat model.
December 2013Journal of Surgical Research 188(1)

SourcePubMed
Authors: Tao Shang, Zhao Liu,
wuxi institute of commerce
Chang-Jian Liu

After using 1000mg Vitamin C per day for 6 months, my celiac trunk aneurysm seems to have shrunk with 5mm.
Might be coincidence?
But I take Vitamin C, 1000mg per day, each day since.

Hello fellow Maritimer. I grew up in NB and am familiar with the NB Heart Center. I now live on PEI. I recently had an echo that showed dilation of aortic root and ascending artery of 3.4 and 3.2 respectively. I know those aren't large numbers but it is certainly concerning as I was completely surprised to see these results. It is recommended that I have another echo in three years. I started looking at information online and came across this platform. It has been helpful to read posts and see there is a common theme in relation to concerns and anxieties.

Hi!!! Always lovely to meet someone close by!! I come to this site often ! One never knows what bit of info you will find?? I love reading all the stories!!! I wish you well on your journey! Never stop reading ! Always open to chat!!

Thank you! Wishing you all the best as well.

What is the number where an aneurysm diagnosis begins? I was under the impression it was 4..0 but now I see lower numbers. Where do we start counting?

That's an excellent question. From the literature I have read it is anything greater than 50% of the diameter of the vessel and I've also have read 4cm. I am waiting on follow up with my Dr. to have some further discussion about my situation. Right now they are referring to it as "slight dilation" which I hope stays just as it is and doesn't get worse.

I wish my cardiologist would have told me the danger of coughing. They seemed surprised I even asked and said they felt it would not affect the aneurysm since it was acute and not chronic. I read about vitamin C but cannot find a study on it that relates to the ascending aorta - only abdominal. Have you read any regarding the ascending? Thanks !

I agree with your assessment of attitude about dealing with an aneurysm. I am 84 and have CHF as well as an ascending aortic aneurysm at 5.5. There is nothing they can do for me, but given my age I accept that one of these issues will end my life. But for you who are much younger than I am, I understand your anxiety about what to do to live fully while you are alive. I have done all the research I can find on what these stages are and the most helpful and thorough was through ChatGPT, which laid out the issues at each increase in dilation and gave helpful info about how to stay as healthy as you can with kinds of exercise, spiritual practice, and attitudes to practice to keep living as fully as you can. It was so much a relief to get
this info that I couldn’t get from my doctors. Blessings to you all on your journey home.❣️