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Need Help for 15 Year Chronic Cough

Posted By Marian (Texas) on 09/20/2025

Chronic cough 15 years. Can’t sing in choir for all of the sudden I can break into an aggressive cough!

Replied by Art (California) on 09/20/2025

Hi Marian,

Such a long term chronic cough could be very tough to relieve as I assume that you have already tried many many remedies over the 15 years of having this chronic cough. If you tolerate melatonin well, I have seen it relieve chronic cough. Here is a link to a study in children with chronic cough showing that it can be helpful for chronic cough as discussed here :

https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/62/suppl67/pa4456

Here are two relevant quotes from the study :

' After melatonin treatment cough resolved completely in 12 subjects and in 7 children a significant reduction of cough frequency was reported . In the latter group cough was resolved after a single suggestion therapy sitting in 6 children. Only one patient needed additional treatment and psychological counselling. '

' Melatonin showed efficacy in treatment of chronic somatic cough in children. Further research are still needed to evaluate role of melatonin on the cough neural pathways and the benefits in chronic cough phenotypes-driven treatment. '

The dose and length of time used for the children may be too low and short term for adults. It might be useful to use a dissolve in the mouth type melatonin tablet at bedtime. To bathe the esophagus while you sleep. It is worth mentioning that gastroesophageal reflux disease commonly referred to as GERD, is a well established cause of chronic cough. Many people can go for many years not realizing they have GERD.

Here is an explanation of GERD and its symptoms :

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD is a digestive condition where stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus, causing irritation and inflammation.

Symptoms:

* Heartburn: A burning sensation in the chest or throat
* Regurgitation: Feeling food or stomach acid coming up into the mouth
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Chest pain
* Difficulty swallowing
* Burping
* Sore throat
* Hoarseness
* Chronic cough
* Bad breath
* Dental erosion
* Bitter taste in the mouth

Additional Notes:

* Symptoms can vary in severity and frequency.
* Some people may experience only mild symptoms, while others may have severe and frequent episodes.
* Certain triggers, such as eating spicy or fatty foods, drinking alcohol, or lying down after eating, can worsen symptoms.

GERD can be a chronic condition, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery in severe cases. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Lastly, melatonin has shown benefit in people with GERD as discussed here :

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24251671/

Here is a relevant quote from the link :

' Interestingly, pinealectomy, which suppressed plasma melatonin levels, markedly exacerbated gastric lesions induced by topical and non-topical ulcerogens and these effects are counteracted by a concurrent supplementation with melatonin. Evidence is provided that exogenous melatonin and that converted from its precursor, L-tryptophan, attenuates acute gastric lesions and accelerates ulcer healing via interaction with MT2 receptors due to an enhancement of gastric microcirculation, probably mediated by NO and PG derived from NOS and COX-1 and COX-2 overexpression and activity. The pineal gland plays an important role in the limitation of gastric mucosal injury and the acceleration of ulcer healing via releasing endogenous melatonin, which attenuates oxidative stress and exerts anti-inflammatory action.'

In the following study it is shown that melatonin when combined with the over the counter 20 mg drug for treatment of GERD, was more effective than Omeprazole alone as discussed here :

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10765200/

Here are two important study quotes :

' Seventy-two out of 78 eligible patients completed this trial (35 in the melatonin group and 37 in the placebo group). Heartburn, epigastric pain, and Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease score declined significantly in the melatonin group compared to the placebo group (P = .04, P = .03, and P = .0001, respectively). Moreover, the quality of life score was significantly higher in the melatonin group compared with the placebo group (P = .0001). Adverse events were similarly observed in the 2 groups (P = .55), and there were no serious adverse events.''

The combination of sublingual melatonin (3 mg/day) with omeprazole (20 mg/day) may be more effective than omeprazole (20 mg/day) alone in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. '

Note that the above study used a sublingual (dissolve in the mouth under the tongue) form of melatonin and a non prescription form of Omeprazole at 20mg.

Please come back and let us know if this was helpful for relieving your over 15 year cough! It may take time to heal any damage caused over the past 15 years so please keep that thought in mind as you test this idea, or better yet, ask your doctor to check you for GERD and see what he recommends.

Art

Replied by Art (California) on 09/20/2025

Hi again, Marian,

I know I just answered you, but I forgot to mention an important point relevant to you, specifically. You said, ' Can't sing in choir for all of the sudden I can break into an aggressive cough! '
Singing can exacerbate GERD as discussed here :

Singing can exacerbate GERD because the breath control and diaphragm pressure involved in singing increases intra-abdominal pressure, which can push stomach acid up into the esophagus and throat, leading to symptoms like hoarseness, throat clearing, and a constant feeling of a lump in the throat. This increase in abdominal pressure can also make the lower esophageal sphincter relax, allowing acid to flow back up.

How Singing Contributes to Reflux

* Increased Abdominal Pressure: Singing requires intense use of the abdominal muscles to support the breath, which creates high pressure within the abdomen.
* Pressure on the LES: This increased pressure can put stress on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscle that normally prevents stomach contents from returning to the esophagus.
* Acid Backflow: When the LES is compromised, stomach acid can flow up into the esophagus, a condition known as reflux or GERD.Vocal Symptoms of RefluxArt
* Hoarseness and Voice Changes: Acid can irritate the vocal folds, leading to hoarseness, a reduced vocal range, and a raspy sound.
* Throat Symptoms: You may experience a constant lump in the throat, a feeling of something stuck, excessive throat clearing, or a chronic sore throat.
* Post-Nasal Drip and Cough: Reflux can also cause post-nasal drip, chronic cough, and sinus issues.

Replied by Jj (Indianapolis michigan ) on 09/21/2025

I had a cough for over a year. I may only cough once or twice a day, but I knew something was wrong obviously always reading and listening about natural medicine I heard people talking the medicinal uses of saffron I thought holy shit I have some in the house I bought it long time ago when I was making my own butter a pinch of saffron gives butter it yellow cover, anyways I started taking that night and everyday for a while I didn't feel anything miraculous so I became bored with it, but one day I remembered hey I don't cough anymore, I can only attribute it to saffron. On a side note I've learned since 20 to 50 ui of d3 with k2 cures almost everything

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