Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmanory fibrosis

04/28/2008 12:20PM

Question:

Having pulmonary fibrosis but not coughing, my Mom got a viris this spring & cannot get rid of coughing. She had 2 courses of antibiotics.Please give recommendations what else we can try.Thanks

Answer:

Patients with pulmonary fibrosis can get a cough from the fibrosis as the lung disease gets worse. However, there are other causes of cough that can occur in conjunction with the fibrosis. Some of these include:

gastroesophageal reflux

certain medication (especially ACE inhibitor medications)

asthma

and post-nasal drip.

Frequently in patients with pulmonary fibrosis, we are able to identify one of these other causes of cough and then treat it with a reduction in the cough. In some patients, however, no other cause of cough can be identified other than the pulmonary fibrosis and in those patients, we fall back on cough suppressants.

For more information:

Go to the Pulmonary Fibrosis health topic, where you can:

Read articles on this topic
Browse the previously asked questions
Ask your own question.

Response by:

James N. Allen, Jr., MD
Professor - Clinical
Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University