I have been to the doctor twice in the past month and both times was put on antibiotics for what they thought was pneaumonia and bronchitis. I now after more than a month have a persistant cough with phlem and everytime I breath in it hurts in my chest and causes me to cough when breathing in.the doctor just keeps telling me it has to run its course well the course is getting old and my huband is going to kick me outt of bed ha ha I keep waking him with the coughing.

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Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

I hope you’ve had a chest x-ray taken. It’s the standard examination for pneumonia and persistent cough, and should be taken again after the treatment course is finished.?

The most common cause of persistent cough is asthma. Talk to your doctor about doing some asthma tests. Sometimes a trial treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid is helpful with persistent cough, if infection is ruled out (X-ray, lab). Another common cause of persistent cough is chronic sinusitis with so-called postnasal drip. If sinusitis is suspected, sinus X-ray should be done.

So, my recommendation - first we must make a diagnosis - see your doctor, discuss possible lab tests (WBC, chest X-ray, sinus X-ray) taken, and discuss the possibility of asthma, and inhaled corticosteroid treatment.