What to do about a dry cough caused by lung cancer
Disease description:
Recently, I have been experiencing a persistent dry cough for several months without improvement. The hospital diagnosed me with early-stage lung cancer. I would like to ask, what should be done about a dry cough caused by lung cancer?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Qi Zhirong
Dry cough is one of the common symptoms in lung cancer patients and should be managed with comprehensive consideration of the patient's specific condition.
1. General treatment includes increasing fluid intake to keep the throat moist, reducing coughing episodes, and avoiding exposure to irritants such as smoke and pollen.
2. Regarding pharmacological treatment, when the dry cough is severe, cough suppressants such as dextromethorphan and codeine may be used. Additionally, expectorants such as myrtol and ambroxol can also help relieve dry cough. If the dry cough is caused by tumor compression or bronchial obstruction, surgical treatment may be considered to relieve the compression and obstruction.
3. Effective management of dry cough in lung cancer requires active patient cooperation and attention to the prevention of complications.
For dry cough caused by lung cancer, appropriate treatment methods should be selected based on the patient's individual condition to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.
