Wheezing and coughing every night... what could it be?

[user0786]

Hi All,

Posted on here for more traffic.

So I've been coughing a lot every night to the point where I'm wheezing and my chest feels a bit tight.

I called the doctor and she's prescribed me a blue inhaler.

What could be causing the wheezing/coughing?

Thanks in advance

Asthma? Allergies? A virus? After effects of a virus? Heartburn? Hard to say really, could be so many different things! See if the blue inhaler helps, go back to the doctor if it doesn't.

I had this but came on suddenly when I was lying in bed. I was doing a deep clean of the bedroom and noticed mold on the back of the wardrobe so I think it may have been that. It really surprised me as newish extension with clean lines but we do have the dreaded washing rack in there as lack of space. I assume it was that.

Asthma? Ask to see the practice nurse or whoever is their asthma specialist.

In the meantime do make sure you wash your bedlinen on hot, consider changing your pillows, damp dust bedroom skirting boards, as dust mites can contribute. Do finances permit considering changing from carpet to hard floor in the bedroom?

Prop yourself up at night so you are not lying flat (a V pillow can help with this)

Acid reflux often results in a cough only when laying in bed.
Worth investigating

It's definitely not a virus as she asked if I have a fever etc and I don't. I had similar symptoms when I was younger and again, was given a blue inhaler. The symptoms eased and have now come back.

I do suffer with allergies, I have done for as long as I can remember but I have a runny nose etc in terms of allergy symptoms as I have rhinitis.

Will see if it eases and then if it doesn't will see the practice nurse.

It doesn't really happen much during the day - sometimes but not much. It's mostly at night.

Previously the doctor has just listened to my chest and said everything sounds normal. But my issue is that it's wheezy at night not so much during the day.

Hope that makes sense?

Mould

mould spores and dust mites inside the pillows.

Id want checking for asthma. I’d speak to the practice nurse about checking for it.

What's it like first thing in the morning? Reflux can cause a nighttime and morning cough.

As you already know you have allergies and problems with your nose, could you have post nasal drip? I have a dust allergy which causes my nose to go into overdrive trying to rid itself of the irritant. That then drips down the back of my throat causing me to cough and frequently clear my throat. For me, it’s much worse when I’m in bed lying down plus there are more soft furnishings that collect dust upstairs. It’s also much worse in the winter when the heating’s on and windows are closed.

This happened to me recently, I then found some mould growing around the window seals and since cleaning that it's been fine!

Asthma is often worse at night so could be something worth speaking to your GP about. Alternatively, something you are allergic to in your bedroom - what's new in there, or when was the last time you dusted.

You might have asthma and it's good to have the puffers, but worth eliminating triggers - it could be triggered by mould, dust, dust allergy, dust mites... Wash all your linen, pillows, duvets, and hoover your mattress really well both sides, while you're turning your mattress take the time to pull your bed frame out and hoover and wipe down skirting boards underneath. Do the same with any bedroom furniture, pull out your wardrobe and dust behind, declutter and clean anything that you have lying around on top of your chest of drawers, side tables, etc. Clear surfaces make it so much easier to dust.

If you have fitted carpets get them properly cleaned - you can rent one of those machines at big supermarkets or a friend might lend you a Vax carpet cleaner.

DH is allergic to feather pillows/toppers/ duvets so the moment he lays his head on one he's wheezing and coughing, DS1 has inherited this too.