Tickly cough

rick_chasey

So often after I've cycled I get a little cough. No biggie. Doesn't last long.

However, more recently after longer /harder efforts (in this case the 3 lap Richmond park challenge on my SS) I get a very very tickly cough and a bad one at that. Woke up this morning and still have it. Lungs feel sore too.

Now, obv. people will say head off to the doc, which I will, but meanwhile, does anyone suffer from the same?

desweller

Hayfever?

Living in London, you'd hardly notice most of the time, but in Richmond Park things are obviously a little different. I'd try some antihistamines first and see how you get on.

rick_chasey

Well I'm coughing up blood too so I'm taking it a lot more seriously.... off to the hospital.

Wily-Quixote

Probably some sort of highly aggressive tumour... JOKING.... Cough is common, especially in cooler or changing weather. Can be a mild bronchoconstriction like exercise induced asthma bu not as severe. Seeing a doc for lung function or histamine challenge testing may not be a bad idea. Just to reiterate probably not a tumour and try not to get health advice online...

desweller

Rick Chasey wrote:

Well I'm coughing up blood too so I'm taking it a lot more seriously.... off to the hospital.

:shock: Cripes...hope it turns out to be nothing fella.

rick_chasey

Doctor reckons the cough is due to allergic reactions to the air / pollution. The blood he reckons is due to the cough so shouldn't be concerned, as long as it doesn't last.

Solution? Anti hystemine every day for a bit and said I should think about some of those air filter / gimp masks....

Cleat Eastwood

you had a bad cough earlier in the year didnt you ? maybe you're just not over that too - take it easy anyway-bad chests and bikeling dont go well together - get a black filter and wear it like an scr ninja.

ddmrcp

If youve been coughing for some time now after exercise, does sound like it is causing some irritation to the airways- bronchospasm-and not necessarily asthma as pointed out earlier.
Plus, its not uncommon to cough too hard for too long to burst a few capillaries - source of red stuff.
Atmospheric pollutants can make anybodys cough worse-
Do you really have allergy or other symptoms to suggest hay fever?
I only suggest this cause the meds do make you sleepy, even if it a tiny bit- and antihistamines are not a treatment for exercise induced cough. Good luck.

sungod

the plane tree seeds are bad at the moment in london, even if you aren't allergic the fibres can still cause physical irritation of eyes, nose, throat, lungs

a filter mask might be worth trying, not really the weather for it though

rick_chasey

ddmrcp wrote:

If youve been coughing for some time now after exercise, does sound like it is causing some irritation to the airways- bronchospasm-and not necessarily asthma as pointed out earlier.
Plus, its not uncommon to cough too hard for too long to burst a few capillaries - source of red stuff.
Atmospheric pollutants can make anybodys cough worse-
Do you really have allergy or other symptoms to suggest hay fever?
I only suggest this cause the meds do make you sleepy, even if it a tiny bit- and antihistamines are not a treatment for exercise induced cough. Good luck.

I do have hay fever - though I'm not suffering from it at the moment. That was all puffy eyes and very runny nose. I don't tend to get any of that in London - presumably the pollen that made me react like that doesn't hang around London.

I did ask if he thought it might be a kind of asmtha and he kinda shrugged it off and said I could have it, but my current symptoms (slightly irritated nasel and throat area) suggests an allergy.

Any of you have any experience with these gimp masks?

I'm loathe to wear them but if it's the only thing that can keep me on my bike and breathing normally...

desweller

I hate the masks; the filter is very fine by definition, so it heavily throttles airflow.

London, like most cities, is fairly low on pollen (compared to where I live in the Cotswolds, anyway) so perhaps you should just avoid parks for a few weeks; shouldn't last for more than three weeks or so. Annoying in this weather, I know.

Other things that helps are good sunnies that keep pollen out of your eyes. Try the anti-histamines first; I find the Benadryl 8-hour ones to be the most effective (Acrivastine) but everyone is different.

ddmrcp

I do have hay fever - though I'm not suffering from it at the moment. That was all puffy eyes and very runny nose. I don't tend to get any of that in London - presumably the pollen that made me react like that doesn't hang around London.

I did ask if he thought it might be a kind of asmtha and he kinda shrugged it off and said I could have it, but my current symptoms (slightly irritated nasel and throat area) suggests an allergy.

Any of you have any experience with these gimp masks?

The throat may be irritated from coughing, but the eyes/nose do suggest allergy- so antihistamine it is.
The other thing- if this cough started during non pollen season then again it may suggest airway irritation- exercise induced- which is only now being recognised as a 'problem' esp among elite athletes.
Gimp masks- if what you mean are 3M N95 masks, they may have some value, but not been really proven in this setting (while they do work preventing infectinon within healthcare setting)

msmancunia

I had a similar problem when I lived in London - just walking from Holborn to Aldwych would set me off. I got diagnosed with bronchiospasmosis, basically the pollen/pollution/whatever was putting my lungs into spasm. Despite me telling the GP "but I don't have asthma" he gave me a ventolin inhaler and told me to try it - and it worked. I only need it during the tree pollen season, but I wouldn't leave home without it now, and I don't need antihistamines. Ask your GP to give you a peak flow test.

Grifteruk

Good timing this thread as Ive been suffering a bit for the past couple of weeks with an annoying cough during and after rides. Suffered with it yesterday was making it difficult to get a full breath in without a cough. Never had asthma but got a few allergies but not quite sure what's causing it. Still got it today and im sitting in the office at the moment, so not convinvced its a hayfever thing.

One of the other guyes was srtruggling with hayfever last week too even though he doesnt get it that often. Couldnt really explain it but it seemed to pass after a week or 2.

cyco2

I have written before of my experience of Exercise Induced Asthma so willn't go through it again. But I would urge you to try out a ventilator because the dry coughing is because of a minor lung obstructions and a ventilator will open them up again. I hope it works for you because on a ride I always use one and its like I've got into the turbo region after I've used it.