Bronchospasm could be the cause of your mysterious cough

A cough caused by bronchospasm can be triggered by cold weather, among other causes. — TNS

I was coughing a lot after recovering from a respiratory infection. When I did not stop coughing after a few weeks, I went to see a doctor and he told me I had bronchospasm. What is bronchospasm?

The bronchus is part of your respiratory tract system.

You breathe air through your nose.

It then goes into your trachea (windpipe), followed by entry into your bronchi – plural for bronchus – before reaching your left and right lungs.

Naturally, you have two bronchi: the left bronchus and the right bronchus.

The lower part of your bronchi branch off into bronchioles before going into the alveoli that form your lungs.

Bronchospasm occurs when the smooth muscles that line the bronchus and/or bronchioles constrict or tighten.

As a result, you can wheeze, have shortness of breath, cough, have poor endurance or have an upset stomach.

You can also feel dizzy or giddy.

Some people have multiple symptoms; others have only one.

What caused this bronchospasm to happen to me?

Many conditions and diseases can cause your bronchi to spasm.

Some common causes are:

• Chronic lung diseases: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• Lung infections: Viral, bacteria and fungal lung infections.
• Lifestyle choices: Smoking and exercise.

  The nicotine in cigarette smoke can stimulate the nerves in your lung, causing them to trigger constriction in the smooth muscles of your bronchi.

  That goes for e-cigarettes as well.

• Environmental causes: Air pollution, haze, smoke, pollen, dust, mold, animal fluff, and even cold weather!
• Chemicals: Fumes from cleaning products and manufacturing.
• Certain foods: Some food additives in foods that are preserved or processed.
• Certain medications: Some blood pressure medications, blood-thinning medications, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAID) used for pain.

  General anaesthesia can also cause bronchospasm for some patients.

A doctor can help you chart out your lifestyle choices and go through the checklist.

You both can then try to isolate what it was that caused your bronchospasm, so that you can try to avoid that activity or thing.

Why does this bronchospasm happen to me and not my spouse? After all, she eats the same things (almost) and does the same activities as I do. We live in the same house and environment.

There are some people who are more prone to getting bronchospasm that others.

If you have asthma, are prone to having allergies or have underlying lung conditions as mentioned above, you will be more liable to get bronchospasm.

Young children and old people (aged over 65) are also more at risk to getting bronchospasm, compared to other age groups.

What sort of exercises cause bronchospasm? I do a lot of exercise. Should I be worried?

Exercise does indeed cause bronchospasm in some people.

It is possible that you may be one of them.

People who live in cold countries sometimes get bronchospasm when they go running or do some exertion in the cold weather.

It is caused by breathing in air that is cooler than your lungs.

Some people who go swimming are triggered by the chlorine in the swimming pool water.

Some people who go running outdoors can be set off by breathing in pollen.

They usually get worse bronchospasm in the spring when pollen abounds.

If you have exercise-induced bronchospasm, you will know it because you will start having symptoms like difficulty in breathing or coughing only when you exercise.

How is bronchospasm diagnosed? Would they have to put a tube down my nose?

There are a series of tests the doctor can do if they suspect bronchospasm.

There is spirometry, where you breathe in and out several times through a tube connected to a machine.

There is a pulse oximetry test, where a device is put on the tip of your finger to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood.

Your blood can be taken to measure the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in it.

You will probably be asked to go through a chest X-ray, or even MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to see if you have any lung conditions causing the bronchospasm.

There is also a test called eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation, where the doctor asks you to inhale a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide to see if your lung function changes.

This is usually done if exercise-induced bronchospasm is suspected.

Is there any cure for my bronchospasm?

Bronchodilators can be prescribed to widen your airways.

You can take them daily, or about 15 minutes before you are about to embark on an activity that may cause bronchospasm, e.g. exercising or going outside.

For chronic cases, you may be prescribed steroids.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.