I wonder if somebody can give me some advice for my 78 year old mother. She seems to be in fine health during the day. However, at night (often between 2:00 to 5:00 in the morning) she will wake up and get an uncontrollable coughing spell. If she takes some Benadryl it will usually stop within 20-30 minutes. But the Benadryl often leaves her shaking for a while. She suspects that the problem is somehow related to a sinus drainage, which is causing the coughing. But so far no doctor has been able to pinpoint a cause.
I wonder if somebody can give me some advice for my 78 year old mother. She seems to be in fine health during the day. However, at night (often between 2:00 to 5:00 in the morning) she will wake up and get an uncontrollable coughing spell. If she takes some Benadryl it will usually stop within 20-30 minutes. But the Benadryl often leaves her shaking for a while. She suspects that the problem is somehow related to a sinus drainage, which is causing the coughing. But so far no doctor has been able to pinpoint a cause.
Obviously, I don't have the benefit of knowing your Mom's complete medical history. The differential diagnosis for cough is *huge*, especially in a 78 y/o. Sinus drainage is one possible cause. If she hasn't tried one of the prescription inhaled corticosteroids (Flonase, etc.), it might be worth trying. She'd need to see her doctor for this, of course. There are more serious conditions that can cause a nighttime cough, of course.
