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NYC COUGH SPECIALIST:
Dr. Gary Stadtmauer

The coronavirus pandemic is a terrible time for someone to have a chronic cough.   Whether you have been coughing for a few weeks or many years, Dr. Stadtmauer’s unique approach may finally help relieve your chronic cough.  Patients who have seen countless specialists and coughed for decades have found relief.

ABOUT CHRONIC COUGH:  Read any trustworthy health website and you will see that everyone agrees on the most common causes of chronic cough (in nonsmokers with healthy immune systems).
  • Asthma
  • Post-nasal drip (allergy or sinusitis)
  • Acid Reflux

Testing for these conditions is seldom available at one office which results in a trial and error approach and/or multiple doctors visits. Also, chronic cough may be the main but is almost never the only symptom. There might also be:

  • Wheeze, chest tightness or shortness of breath (asthma?)
  • Stuffy nose, itching and sneezing (allergy?)
  • Belching, throat clearing, heartburn (reflux?)
  • Headaches, discolored nasal mucous (sinusitis?)

Overlapping Symptoms

Frequently there are overlapping symptoms and it’s not unusual for someone with chronic cough to have 2 problems (i.e.-asthma and sinusitis) and sometimes even 3. The good news is in this day and age, in our part of the world, chronic cough is usually not contagious.  The bad news is that the most people don’t think that way.  It is often the social consequences of chronic cough that are most troubling.

WHAT TO EXPECT:  We will sit down and talk about your symptoms first, then proceed to physical examination and testing.  Many patients get an answer after a single consultation here but the cause is not apparent for all patients.  When all tests are negative it is still helpful since it rules things out.  That is where clinical judgement come in. Less common causes of chronic cough include paradoxical vocal fold motion, neurogenic cough and laryngeal hypersensitivity. Rarer causes include a foreign body (piece of food) lodged in a small part of the airway and even an occasional hair in the ear may trigger the cough reflex.  See Cough FAQ.

Dr. Stadtmauer’s qualifications:

  • Former Chair of the Cough Committee, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
  • Lecturer at national meetings and author of articles on chronic cough

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