Why does my cough return with mucus & blood after treatment?

Question

Hello doctor,

It has been about four months since I have been having a dry cough that comes and goes. My doctor says I am suffering from a viral cough, and he prescribed medicine to help me with this problem, as well as with my allergies. It worked out fine, but in two weeks the cough reappeared and became a productive one, sometimes accompanied by some blood in my phlegm. What do you think it could be?

Please guide.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Your cough lasting four months can no longer be considered an uncomplicated viral infection. Progression from a dry cough to a productive one, and finally the presence of blood in your sputum, is significant and should be investigated.

Your symptoms can result from:

Chronic bronchitis or inflammation of the airways.
Cough following an infection and possibly complicated by secondary infection with bacteria.
Tuberculosis (in case you reside in areas where there is high prevalence of TB).
Bronchiectasis.
In rare cases, a serious problem like a lung mass.

It is important for you to know that blood in the sputum should never be neglected, irrespective of its quantity.

These are your next steps:

Take a chest X-ray immediately.
Perform sputum examination, including tests for tuberculosis.
Perform a complete blood examination.

If needed, perform a chest CT scan. I would advise you not to take cough syrups, which will merely suppress your symptoms without addressing the underlying cause. If the blood in your sputum gets worse, you should go to the doctor straight away. You get a fever or lose weight or sweat at night.

You should go to the doctor immediately in case:

The blood in your sputum gets worse.
You get a fever or lose weight or sweat at night.
You get shortness of breath.

At this point, it is essential to obtain a proper diagnosis rather than just symptomatic treatment.

I hope I have addressed all of your questions and concerns.

Thank you.