My 89 year old mother in law, has had a continuous cough for 6 months, she has been to many doctors, has had many test all which seem to come out fine,she has never smoked a day in her life. she worked in factories years ago. has been in good health until this cough,she is up most of the night coughing,they had her on steroid and inhalers and so many antibiotics and allergy medicine nothing seems to work. One doctor said it could be phys co somatic I do not believe this, because I have been around her when she has these coughing spells. she does live alone in an elderly apartment building and this cough is totally wearing her down.,possibly reflex or gore? first they thought it was sinusitis. she has had lung ex rays,chest ex rays, heart monitoring. even went to an E N T and all test are negative..what other test can we have done for her? can you help me my brother in law is an R N and for the past 6 months has taken her to many doctor and specialist in her are,she lives in Lawrence,Ma. I have suggested we take her to Mass Eye and ear infirmary in Boston am..this is where her oldest son and i live. I would appreciate hearing from you. thank you Lorraine Chabuz YYYY@YYYY
Hi,1. As you have gone through every possible testing and her cough showed no response to even steroids, the possibilities like chronic aspiration and HERD should be considered - Deletion fluoroscopy and esophageal manometry would help.  2. A repeat CT thorax and PET scan would also help to find out any occult node compressing remote areas of bronchi, causing cough. 3. Mild pleurisy which is easily missed by conventional imaging can also be made out by these and hopefully throw some light into the diagnosis.4. As she worked in factories, the chance of interstitial lung disease can not be ruled out and is possible only with high resolution CT thorax. I do not entertain the diagnosis of psychosomatic disease in 90-year-old, unless every trace of possibility is thoroughly searched for. All the best.