Neuropathic Cough Symptoms and Remedies
Sensory neuropathic cough (SNC), a chronic and often dry cough that affects around 11% of people in the United States, can be a persistent and debilitating condition. However, treatments are available that can help ease symptoms and improve quality of life.
SNC is more common in females and older adults. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery suggests that treatment for SNC may include cough retraining therapy, medications, or medical procedures.
Initial treatments for SNC may involve simple measures such as swallowing instead of coughing, sipping water, staying hydrated, avoiding smoking, caffeine, and alcohol, breathing through the nose, and avoiding straining when speaking. Cough retraining therapy is also an important part of the treatment plan.
When standard cough treatments are not effective and tests for other conditions produce negative results, a doctor may diagnose SNC. Common treatments for SNC typically include neuromodulatory medications such as gabapentin, amitriptyline, and pregabalin. These treatments aim to reduce nerve hypersensitivity responsible for the cough.
Gabapentin has demonstrated benefit in decreasing cough severity by modulating sensory nerve activity. Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, may reduce nerve-related cough by its neuromodulatory effects. Pregabalin, similar to gabapentin, can provide symptom relief in refractory cases.
Behavioral interventions focus on suppressing cough triggers and retraining the cough reflex. Topical capsaicin, a substance derived from chili peppers, may also help in reducing cough. A 2021 study suggests that topical capsaicin may be a potential treatment for SNC, providing symptom relief in 63.7% of people and resulting in 75% or more cough reduction in 30.8% of individuals.
Medical procedures, such as nerve blocks, may be carried out in-office to help treat SNC. These may include the use of steroids, numbing agents, filler, botulinum (Botox), and certain medications or substances injected into a person's throat or vocal cords.
Although there is no single universally effective therapy, these treatments are currently the mainstay in managing SNC. They are generally well tolerated and can improve patients’ quality of life by lessening chronic cough impact. However, individual responses may vary and some patients may require combination therapy or dose adjustments.
It is important to note that certain triggers may cause coughing episodes, such as talking, laughing, movement, inhaling cold air, and strong smells. Gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) are common treatment options for SNC, but they may cause side effects such as dizziness, feeling drowsy, fatigue, headache, confusion, stomach ache, weight gain, and withdrawal symptoms after stopping the medication.
In summary, neuromodulators like gabapentin, amitriptyline, and pregabalin are the most common and effective treatments for sensory neuropathic cough, helping reduce symptoms and improve life quality, though individual responses may vary. Emerging research suggests that targeting inflammatory pathways might have a role in cough hypersensitivity in related conditions, but this is experimental and not yet standard for SNC.
- Sensory neuropathic cough, a health-and-wellness concern affecting millions, can cause persistent and debilitating symptoms.
- Sensory neuropathic cough is more common in females and older adults, and treatment may involve a combination of simple measures, cough retraining therapy, medications, or medical procedures.
- Neuromodulatory medications like gabapentin, amitriptyline, and pregabalin are commonly used to treat sensory neuropathic cough, aiming to reduce nerve hypersensitivity responsible for the cough.
- Topical capsaicin, a substance derived from chili peppers, may also be used to help reduce cough intensity, showing potential as a treatment for sensory neuropathic cough.
- Medical procedures, such as nerve blocks, may be carried out in-office to help treat sensory neuropathic cough, using various substances like steroids, numbing agents, filler, Botox, and certain medications.
- Although there is no single universally effective therapy for sensory neuropathic cough, these treatments can improve patients’ quality of life by lessening chronic cough impact.
- However, some side effects may occur with treatments like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica), which are common treatment options for sensory neuropathic cough, including dizziness, feeling drowsy, fatigue, headache, confusion, stomach ache, weight gain, and withdrawal symptoms after stopping the medication.
