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Q. Is Levocetirizine sufficient to cure nasal congestion and cough?

Answered by
Dr. Shyam Kalyan. N
and medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team.
This is a premium question & answer published on Mar 01, 2017 and last reviewed on: May 22, 2023

Hi doctor,

I am a 49 year old male. I am suffering from nasal congestion and cough. I am taking only Levocetirizine for this. Please help.

#

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

  • Your infection will be most probably a viral infection because of the season now. However, we can be sure of that only after a swab is taken and it is cultured to see if there grows any bacteria in it.
  • I give you the following suggestions to take care of the problem. However, only after a thorough examination I will able to arrive at a more confirm diagnosis and institute decisive treatment.
  • Levocetirizine can be continued in the night alone. Mostly the dose prescribed is 5 mg.
  • For cough try some cough lozenges which can be taken orally. Some expectorant syrup will help lighten the mucus and help cough the sputum out better.
  • If you get fever take Paracetamol 650 mg. Take abundant rest if fever ensues. If fever present then it is prudent to consult a doctor and take the appropriate antibiotics.
  • Cold and nasal congestion can be alleviated using nasal decongestant drops, like Xylometazoline 0.1% or Oxymetazoline 0.05%. Take three drops in each nostril and lie down for 10 minutes. Thereafter take steam inhalation. This I suggest you to do twice daily for three days.
  • Take salt water gargles three to four times a day. Take plenty of hot fluids and refrain from having any cold products or drinks.
  • Avoid smoking and drinking during the course of all these medications. Better to avoid them altogether.
  • If fever does not relieve, then you must consult a doctor. It could be worsening and you may require antibiotics or injections.
  • If you get throat pain, then it is a sign of inflammation and salt water gargles will be helpful. Because of throat infection your nodes may get enlarged and become painful.
  • If cough is not productive and if it is dry, you should be seen by a doctor to ascertain if any wheeze is present. If so, you have to take bronchodilators to ease the bronchial passages for air and mucus to pass through.
  • As the details provided are insufficient and I have not examined you, I cannot be decisive whether the infection is a viral or bacterial one.
  • I cannot be sure regarding whether the upper respiratory tract presentation is of some other disease like dengue, leptospirosis, h1n1, etc.
  • However, the latter chances are less, do not worry for now. But, promptly consult with a doctor in case you are not relieved of symptoms.
  • Here, I would like to emphasize the importance of green leafy vegetables to be taken daily, nutritious protein rich food, regular exercise and breathing exercise which if performed regularly can help prevent such infections.

Differential diagnosis:

1. Viral rhinopharyngitis.

2. Acute upper respiratory tract infection.

Regarding follow up:

For further information consult an allergy specialist online.


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