@kimduncan1211 Your symptoms sound like a progression of allergies getting worse over time. I do have allergies and was told by my environmental medicine doctor that the best way to test allergies is with the maximum tolerated dose method. They test individual strengths of allergy extracts One by one to get the highest does that does not provoke growth of a wheal. they time it for 5 minutes and measure, and make a customized extract with a specific combination of things for my allergy shots. he told me that a lot of allergy tests are "one size fits all" and that they are not accurate. I have trouble with allergies in Texas as there is so much dust, pollen and it doesn't freeze putting plants into hibernation. I do use a HEPA filter with activated carbon filtration and wear a surgical mask sometimes that has the same filtration capability. They are 3M Procedure masks # 1820 with >99% efficiency @ 0.1 Micron particles. It sounds like your lungs are sensitive to every bit of allergen or dust that is inhaled. Mine are too, but not if I am in clean air. I use a HEPA filter running in my house and bedroom at night and have found relief. Allergy shots, inhalers, & antihistamines do help me, but they only go so far depending on how much exposure there is. Do you feel better if you are up north and away from Texas? I found that I'm allergic to my cats and that was enough to keep my lungs irritated so everything bothered me. I tried wearing the masks at night (when we are most vulnerable) and it made a huge difference. You certainly could test that or use a HEPA filter in a closed room and see if it makes a difference. I know that I wouldn't do well living in TX. My question is about the phlegm that builds up causing the coughing, and what happens to that if you cut the nerve? Coughing is your body's defense to clear stuff out. If the phlegm stays in the lungs (which has happened to me for some physical reasons & asthma), it's a breeding ground for germs to grow, like pneumonia. I've had a repeating pattern of chest infections until I recently figured this out.If you try some prevention with breathing purified air, you might get an answer.