What causes coughing at night?

At night, usually around 2-3 in the morning I just have uncontrollable coughing. My husband said last night I coughed for 2 1/2 hours in my sleep. When I wake up in the morning I’m out of breath, it’s difficult to take a breath in and my entire body is sore from scrunching my muscles together when I cough. I’m also exhausted the next day. I’m not sick and it doesn’t happen every night. Maybe once every 2 weeks for a day or two and then it stops. My doctors have done X-rays of my chest, I’ve seen an ENT, I’ve had sleep studies. But no doctor believes there’s anything wrong with me, especially when I’m not coughing in their office at that very moment.

Is there anything I can do? I will NOT diffuse oils and I have allergies to antihistamines, cough suppressants and Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Allegra. I’m so tired of coughing all night every couple of weeks and drs not doing anything to help. I’m in the US.

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Maybe if you have pets the dander from the hair? Or even maybe asthma. I would try another Dr bc it could be bad but also it could be nothing. Hope you figure it out tho!!

Silly question but have you tried sleeping slightly reclined but most upright?

Sleep coughing can be related to asthma. Maybe dust?

Google night asthma and causes. Could be reflux

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Sounds like acid reflux to me.

Acid reflux! Try omeprazole or zantac. Worked for me.

Have they done a lung function test?

Reflux!! Happened to a coworker of mine. Laryngopharyngeal reflux. Not acid reflux. So Zantac wouldn’t help.

My mom does this sometimes…she will cough til she throws up…it gets her down physically…it like all her muscles contract from her sever coughing…
No doctor has helped her either…wished they could

It could be acid reflux, it could be allergies. Do you notice it happening if you turn on a fan at night or the AC? If it’s acid reflux, the food you eat can obviously play a big role. You can look up which food can cause it.

Sounds like you need a preventive inhaler. One you use in the morning and night.

Sounds like what my acid reflux does to me

Take a zantac 150 an hour before bed

Lemon an Honey with rum a couple of sips or two. Or Hot tea lemon an honey But you can also Google What is really good for a coughing spell. See what pops up.

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Sleep apnea? Some people need to sleep with machines

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It sounds more like asthma. I cough like that but usually stop once I use my rescue inhauler.

I have done the same kind of thing. What do you change the day or night before you cough. Clean sheets dried with a scented dryer sheet, lotions or oils you or your husband used, deep conditioner to your hair. Something is triggering the cough and you need to figure out what and eliminate it. Try to figure it out because it will keep getting worse with each exposure and can be life threatening.

Me too luckily i have an inhaler stops the cough albuterol lets the mucus come out spit it out every time it comes up dont mean to be gross

Try a humidifier and keep cough drops close by.

If you run your heater during the night it could dry out your throat and cause you to cough.

and…don’t sleep on your back

Can do it Bronchisits

In case it is reflux, you could use some lifts on the head of the bed so you sleep more elevated. That often helps with my reflux

Got any old codeine, if not allergic. Might stop cough.

Are you perhaps on high blood meds , that also cause coughing

Unrelated but this only happened to me in my third trimester w both pregnancies I assume it’s my acid reflux, i would wake up coughing uncontrollably and choking, try to avoid eating past 9, sleep with 2 pillows under you and on your left side, keep water w you to stay hydrated, that’s the only way I was able to control it as best as I could :confused:

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Try a cool humidifier in your room to moisten the air

I coughed like that u til I had a heart attack they put a stint In my mainaryery and was fine

Try sitting up more in your sleep? Is there a vent near your bed that is turning on?

I would go see a cardiologist

Quiet Gerd (acid reflex)

You might want to check that it is not asthma

Have your husband take a video of you coughing while your sleeping and show it to your doctors

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I had a uncontrollable cough too. Went to the doc. Got a steroid shot in the butt. Got a script of liquid prednisone and a z-pak. But the cough syrup script really worked. Its called bromphenir-pseudoephed-dm.

You might think I’m crazy, but l rub vapor rib at night on my feet n little on throat put a small towel around neck n omg sleep like a baby!!! My opinion !

Try sleeping in an angled position. I have COPD and I have to sleep in a recliner and it helps a lot.:pray::pray:

U need a over night pulse oxe test

How about a humidifier

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I did this an my dr put me on an antacid medicine!

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Steam bath before bed? I mean if it works you’d have to do it every night since you cant exactly know when its going to happen. Also, and I know this is for babies with colds, but still, slithering your feet in Vicks vaporub and wearing socks to bed is tried and true for getting rid of coughs

Consult a pulmonologist and a cardiologist.

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I cough with acid reflux… It’s hard sometimes I sleep with a wedge pillow it helps. I have meds help with acid reflux symptoms.

Definitely recommend seeing a cardiologist. Can be a sign of CHF.

Flonase, babydoll. Allergies. I used to do this. Only at night and early morning.

Possible sleep apnea, post nasal drip, allergy to dust mites? If you sleep on your back it might aggravate the condition. You Need a Dr.

This happens to me at night if I don’t use a cortico-steroid before bed. I have been prescribed Symbicort, 1 puff at bedtime. No coughing.

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See lung and heart I have copd and it helps when I sleep in recliner

Record it and keep notes then go back to the doctors.

Try a vaporizer or more ventilation in your room

I have a cough that comes and goes. Have had allergy test, tried sinus spray, allergy pills. nothing stops it. no particular time of day or night, just whenever, wherever, Would love to know what causes it and how to get rid of it Annoying for sure,

Do u take lisinopril heart meds

Least it’s not keeping u awake u said u coughed for 2 and a half hours n ur sleep u didn’t even know u wouldn’t of knew if ur husband didn’t tell u

Have you gone to a pulmonary specialist?

Sounds like you have a pneumonia you definitely need to get checked out

It might a medication that you take. I took Lisenapril for blood pressure and I coughed for a year.

When the coughing happens, maybe you should get up and try sleeping in a recliner so your head is elevated. Could be post nasal drip.

Check bedroom for mold, make sure you have hypoallergenic pillow, change laundry detergents

Rub Vick on soles of your feet as you are getting in to bed.