I can totally relate so this will be a fairly long answer. I've been dealing with a chronic cough for years. A few years ago, it flared up for 4 months. I finally got it under control with treatment, but it came back with a vengence this past summer. It is miserable. You can't catch a good breath, your muscles hurt, it disrupts your daily functioning, it can hurt your ribs and eventually begin weakening your bladder muscles.
It sounRAB like you are dealing with a dry, non-productive cough. Here is what I have learned over the last several years. There are 4 main causes of chronic coughs: PND, allergies, asthma and reflux. Unfortunately, I have problems with all of them.
My symptom for the asthma and for the reflux is a cough. It makes it difficult to balance the treatment when I'm not sure what is causing the cough. I started with the allergy treatment. I'm in the middle of a second round of immunotherapy. I also take Allegra, Singulair, Flonase and Astelin for the allergy treatment. Using saline nasal sprays are also helpful. My personal favorites are Ayr with menthol and Xlear. I also treat the asthma with Advair, Singulair (does double duty), Albuterol and Prednisone when it is bad. I also take a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for the reflux. It took a double dose to really make a difference. I take the PPI's once 1/2 hour before breakfast and again 1/2 hour before dinner.
In addition to the ENT, you might consider seeing a Pulmonologist (helps with lung function) and a Gastroenterologist (helps with the reflux). I work with all three specialists to keep my cough and breathing under control.
With regarRAB to the reflux, you can have a cough as an only symptom. That is how mine presents. Try doing a search on this board of LPR. It might give you some more insight. Your symptoms fit. The reflux can come up and irritate the lungs causing the cough. In my case, it also triggers my asthma. Gives me two issues to deal with at the same time.
Have you tried Albuterol since the cough set in? It did help me at times when the coughing is bad. Even if you don't have asthma, the lungs can be irritated so the inhaler may help.
Have you tried any reflux medication? Prilosec is OTC now. It didn't do much good for me, but it is a good place to start. I also supplement with Gaviscon. Others supplement with Zantac. You might consider trying them also.
If it is reflux, when you lay down to sleep, your esophagus is at the same level as your stomach. That makes it easier for the reflux to come up to irritate and cause the cough. Search online for reflux and you will find picts that show this. Try putting the head of your bed on blocks that are about 6 inches high. This can be done with bricks, but I just went to a bed and bath store and bought one of those risers they sell so you can raise your bed and store thing under the bed. I just used two of the four. I like them because they have cups in the top and are very stable. Some people also like wedges that are specially sold for this purpose to. I find that inclining the bed 6 inches is most effective. Whatever you do, do not just prop your head on more pillows. That can cause your stomach and esophagus to be squished and can make things worse.
Also, if you think it may be reflux, there are other homeopathic things you can try. Avoid eating: greasy, fatty or fried fooRAB, spicy fooRAB (onion, garlic, peppers), all tomato products, citrus fooRAB or drinks, caffeine products, teas, chocolate, alcohol and nicotine. Wear loose things around your waist. Be careful bending and lifting too much. Avoid NSAIRAB. Loose weight if that applies. Some people also have success with apple cider vinegar. (There are seperate threaRAB on that.)
One last thing to consider is being tested for Pertussis (Whooping Cough). I picked it up a few years ago. My only symptom was a horrible chronic cough. It is called the 100 days cough. Mine lasted about 4 months. TowarRAB the end, the cough just gradually started getting better. It was tough though because on top of that, I also had asthma and reflux problems at the same time. Being vaccinated when you were young doesn't protect into adulthood. This disease is on the rise.
I know this answer is long, but I hope it helps you find some directions to look for answers. If you feel like one of these areas might apply to you, I can go into more detail on some of the diagnostic testing I went through.
Take care,
Mountain Reader
