Ask Your Question today
I AM A SENIOR , GENERALLY IN GOOD HEALTH. I HAD OPEN JAW SURJURY OCT.6
TWO DAYS AFTER, I DEVELOPED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A CHEST COLD ALL PREVIOUS COLDS HAVE BEEN SINUS RELATED. MY FAMILY DOC CHECKED ME OUT AND LUNGS ARE CLEAR - -PUT ME ON A PRESCRIPTION OF ANTIBIOTICS. I STILL HAVE A DEEP COUGH. COULD THIS BE A SIDE EFFECT OF 2 HOUR GENERAL ANESTHETIC
Your cough could be as a result of the tube that they put down your throat while your under,that can cause a dry throat and sometimes feel like you've scratched your throat.
I'd an awful cough after an anaesthetic, I swore the tube had ripped my throat. The best thing I took was a linctus - absolutely rotten but worked well. So yes, normal.
Your family doc should have told you that a cough after intubation is normal. Endotracheal tubes irritate vocal cords. Also, respirators don't necessarily provide humidified air. Finally, with general anesthesia, you were ventilated with "positive pressure," which most likely further irritated your lungs and so forth. Your cough should go away in a few days. I'd say if after four days, you start to develop a productive cough (green/yellow sputum) OR if you develop a fever, go back to the doc.