What is this cough???

[CuddlyCrocodile]

My poor mum has been suffering with a cough since October last year. It's bouts of coughing so there are calm periods then off she goes on another bout. Dry cough, no flem no blood. She has been to the GP several times. She's had CT scan, spirometry, chest x-ray and bloods done, all within normal range. No other related issues like chest infections or breathlessness. She was diagnosed with asthma and put on an inhaler which seemed to improve things but not for long. She'll get an appointment at the chest clinic 'within the next year' but can't think what they can do. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to try or what could be wrong? She has never smoked, does exercise, eats well, and is in general an active and well 72 year old.

Find out if she is taking Ace inhibitor blood pressure medication like Ramipril (or anything with a "pril" on the end of the name).

These can cause chronic dry cough with no other reason for the cough. If this is the case, the med can be changed and the cough will go.

I'm not a medic so I'm just throwing it out there as a suggestion.

Thank you @inamo that’s exactly the sort of thoughts I was hoping to get.
Asked but she isn’t !

Gastric reflux can cause coughing.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/

The acid reflux mentioned by pp is a possibility. Also since she was treated for asthma I'd get that checked out again, maybe a preventative inhaler or some other treatment might help.

This could also be a factor worth checking -

www.templehealth.org/about/blog/allergies-vs-chronic-cough

Before my acid reflux was under control I'd fet dry coughing fits.

I recommend the book The Chronic Cough Enigma, written by an American Doctor. It’s about acid reflux.

Post nasal drip is a common problem for the elderly.

Cough variant asthma? It’s what I have and was difficult to diagnose.

@hiintrepidheroes i wonder. She said she was diagnosed with asthma and got an inhaler but it hasn’t resolved the issue. Is cough variant asthma a different diagnoses with different treatment?

What inhaler? They have different uses.

Allergies? My mum used to scoff at my hay fever. Then it hit her in her 70s. She gets a cough with it.

I second either lpr (silent reflux - if she doesn’t have typical gerd symptoms) or post nasal drip. Both of these cause a dry cough. She could try a course of Omeprazole (she may want to get tested for h-pylori first - you can by a home test in most chemists for £10 unless your GP wants to do this). I would def give Omeprazole a shot though.