Are my cough and chest symptoms caused by allergies?

December 2, 2003

Lately I have been having trouble breathing, sneezing a lot, coughing, sore throat, and my chest hurts. Could this be asthma? My mom has asthma and I thought it could be hereditary. -- H.S., Tennessee

For the past 2 weeks I have been experiencing what I believe to be allergy symptoms. During evening hours my throat gets scratchy, my nose gets stuffy, and sometimes my throat gets sore and sometimes I will get a headache as well. I also get body aches and pains a night or two as well, the discharge from nose and cough is not clear but yellow/green. I wake up in the middle of the night with bouts of coughing. During the late morning and afternoon I am generally fine. We recently experienced flooding in our area and I normally do not have allergy problems, I am a 44 year old female and would appreciate any advice you may give, as this is miserable. -- G.J., Florida

The word "allergies" is sometimes used as a catch-all term. "It's just my allergies" may be a great excuse to avoid seeking medical help, but it can also be deadly.

For example, consider the simple cough. A cough can be caused by post-nasal drip related to allergies, by a common cold, or by gastric reflux. However, it may be a symptom of a much more serious disease such as asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, or lung cancer.

Shortness of breath and chest pain may be symptoms of a heart attack. Yellow or green mucous may signify an infectious disease, and dark brown phlegm may indicate the presence of old blood. Many things can cause headaches, some of them serious. See your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Body aches and pains, especially at night, may indicate a fever.

Asthma can only be diagnosed through medical testing by a physician. If you suspicion you have asthma, you should see your doctor. The sooner treatment is begun, the less likely that asthma will cause permanent damage to your lungs.

Anytime you have a cough that does not go away, you should see a physician.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has an excellent Flow Chart for identifying the causes of cough and determining the best solution. You'll find that link in the References.

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