For the last year I've had an annoying sensation of a sensitive/sore/irritated patch on my larynx/at the top of my chest (about where the chest bone ends and the neck begins...). No phlegm associated with it, just a feeling of irritation, normally just in the background and not too noticeable, but if I run in cold air, or get even the vaguest hint of a cold coming on/feeling run down, I find that talking provokes an involuntary cough response for weeks afterwards, which is very annoying when trying to read the bedtime story! This initially started after having the flu and an annoying chesty cough, but it's a bit depressing that the inability to talk without coughing then continued for about 5 months following all other symptoms clearing, followed by another 7 months of feeling like it was still sensitive and having little things provoke the same symptoms (albeit they don't last 5 months at a time any more). Is this ever going to stop? How can I get rid of it?????? It can also be a bit embarrassing, because the cough comes out initially almost like a little laugh (as though I think I'm incredibly funny...), as it's an explosion of air coming out when it isn't supposed to! Has anyone else had this and did it ever get any better?