Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

Mild flu with severe cough and inability to lie down

Resolved Question:

I'm a 49 y.o. male over weight, no smoker, in pretty good health. I'm getting over a mild case of the flu. I don't wheeze when I breathe but once I start coughing it gets quite violent. Last night I coughed quite a lot while I was trying to sleep. I went to work from 2a.m. to 7 a.m. not much coughing but discomfort in my back on the left side. Came home, took a hot bath to help the aches, went back to bed. I tried laying down, but the pain in my back was unbearable. There was no way I was going to sleep laying down. I can sit with no pain, deep breathes have a minimum of pain, but laying down is impossible. What did I do?

Category: Family Physician-GP

Ask Your Own Question

Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy
Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
View Profile
 21 Doctors Online

Expert:  Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy
View Profile

Hello,
Thank you for choosing DoctorSpring.

I have discussed your concern with our Pulmonologist Dr.Jacob George.

There are two possibilities here : The pain could be 1. musculoskeletal due the repeated coughing 2. a pluetic pain and possibly a pneumonia . Even the second possibility is unlikely it has to be kept in mind in view of your symptoms.

The pattern of cough suggests a viral infection mostly. For now I would recommend the following steps :

1. Steam inhalation with open mouth twice daily
2. Pain medication - OTC - Like Ibuprofen 400mg 2-3 times a day
3. Watch for any danger signs - breathlessness at rest, purulent sputum production, cough with breathlessness, fever, sever tiredness.

The pain should show response to pain medication. If there is not improvement in 24-48 hours a chest Xray is need to make sure that there is no development of pneumonia.

Hope this helps
Feel free to ask foolow up questions
Thank you

Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy
Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
Experience: 
MBBS from Sri Ramachandra University in December 2011
M.Med (Family Medicine) - TNMGR University, Chennai
MBA-MPH in Public Health in March 2016, SRM University
Finished AFIH in March 2016, SRM University
MRCP ( UK ), Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, June 2016
Fellowship in Diabetology from Martin Luther University in January 2017

Currently Resident Physician, in MD Radiodiagnosis - Kamakshi Memorial Hospital, Chennai
Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Get me answers from Doctors now
21 Online Doctor

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news