I have a stubborn cough that seems to be drainage from possible sinus infection - would like to know what exactly it is. this cough is stubborn mucus that seems to originate from sinuses & drains me of energy. have had this for a couple of weeks. for the

It's : It's never possible to know exactly what is wrong with a patient unless you are face-to-face with him or her, but it does sound like you are describing upper-airway cough syndrome. This is when the lining of the nose is making too much mucous which will then drip back into the throat, occasionally irritating the vocal cords, making them spasm and induce coughing. This condition is often treated with antihistamines like zyrtec or allegra, however, there is evidence that the older antihistamines like chlorpheniramine may be more effective, but they can also be sedating and cause side effects like dizziness, especially in older patients. Sometimes a decongestant like sudafed can also be helpful, but this is something that can be very dangerous in older patients or those with heart conditions. Nasal steroid sprays like Flonase and Nasonex (mometasone) (both prescription only) can also be helpful. Otc nasal sprays like afrin should be avoided, because while they are remarkably effective at clearing up nasal discharge, when on stops taking them, even after only a few days, the congestion can return even worse than it was. While upper-airway cough syndrome is a benign condition that typically gets better even without medication, a cough lasting for more than 2 weeks should be evaluated by a physician. Many other much more serious conditions can present this way. Pneumonia, lung cancer, and auto-immune lung disease are just of handful of very serious conditions that could be described by your symptoms, but are impossible to diagnose without actually seeing the patient.