Chronic Cough: what might be the cause?

Perhaps, Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathy?

Thank you! I just looked up this condition and I want to discuss this with my doctor as an option to look into. We’ve exhausted just about everything else.

@cindykoch Hi Cindy, Another possibility is GERD (gastro esophageal reflex disorder) where the esophagus doesn't close perfectly, and when you lie down acid backs up and causes coughing.

Has the doctor checked for it? Have you tried sleeping with your head elevated at 10-12 degrees to see if it is better?
Sue

I finally went to an ENT and was diagnosed with laryngeal sensory neuropathy. Regular doctors don't usually even know about this...at least not the dozen or so I saw before I was diagnosed. It is treated with low doses of anti depressants, gabapentin, steroid shots in your neck. Those treatments and others would help for a little while, then drop off. I've had this condition for 6 years. One thing that did help was being prescribed a steroid for an inflamatory condition in my back. Lo and behold, it stopped my cough. It was prednisone and you cannot stay on that steroid, it is for short term use only. I was on it for 9 days and the cough stayed away for 2 months. It is just now coming back. That told me it had something to do with inflammation, and probably of the vegus nerve (largest nerve in your body.) I now take a pill called VITAAE from the SANE co. It seems to help, keeping my cough at bay to maybe twice a day, and once at night. That's all I'm taking presently. Google them to find out all the info. Good luck!

I add my welcome @cindykoch. In addition to the helpful suggestions you've gotten from @rondakalan18 @sueinmn and @texanna, I'd like to provide links to other related discussions that may give you some clues and questions to ask your doctor:
- Chronic cough & sinusitis: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-cough-sinusitis/
- Chronic Cough: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-cough/
- Post-COVID Cough https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/newsfeed-post/post-covid-cough/
- Anyone have Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathy? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/larynx-sensory-neuropathy/

Lots to read. I hope I didn't overwhelm you. 🙂 Have you had COVID? I'd be interested in what resonates with you from the other discussions and how your next doctor's appointment goes.

Doctors haven’t gone any further than allergies and my ears have fluid in them so I was treated with Zyrtec and an antibiotic and using Flonase. That’s as far as any diagnosis has gone. I tried last night to sleep in the recliner and it did help just a little bit because the episodes of coughing were less. I think I will try to discuss with my primary doctor this as well that you mentioned. Thank you for the advice.

I am suffering from a chronic cough right now and do not have a significant diagnosis so I joined just last night to get some answers here possibly and some advice and someone gave me the below opinion and I’ve been researching it along with GERD. I’m gonna discuss these with my doctor this week and see if I can get to a specialist.
“An uncommon cause of chronic cough is laryngeal sensory neuropathy”

Hi, @cindykoch
I hope you do manage to get a referral to a gastroenterologist. I believe that specialty would be the best start with a chronic cough since it could be caused either by something in your larynx or esophagus.

You mention that you did try Zyrtec. Did that help at all? If so then that would definitely narrow things down.

I have Barrett's Esophagus and when it's particularly troublesome I find I do cough a lot but it doesn't sound as if that's your problem. For me it also causes hoarseness.
Please keep us up to date on how things are going.
JK

Zyrtec does not seem to be helping. Nor does NyQuil or the Flonase.

I have been living with a chronic cough since 2009. I saw all of the fine physicians in my area (Boston) and then flew out to Mayo as a last resort and even they weren't able to come up with a diagnosis. It comes and goes with me. It can get very bad or go away entirely for a month or two at a time. I've been allergy tested and have no allergies at all. I do have gerd and take nexium and and I also take Gaviscon Advance as needed. I have never heard of laryngeal sensory neuropathy but that will be my next area of research with my Otolaryngologist. Thank you for this!