Drink! It’s Good for Your Cough and All of You…

Drink!  It’s good for your Cough and All of You.  Fluid intake is vital for your body functions:  heart, muscles, skin, constipation, and Cough – to name a few.  The key is being and staying hydrated. 

“The importance of being and staying hydrated cannot be overstated when it comes to managing your Cough,” Dr. Mandel Sher advises Cough patients:  “Be and stay prepared:  Keep a water bottle with you.” Dr. Mandel Sher is a National Cough Expert:  727-393-8067.

Here are a few benefits of drinking fluids – especially if you have Chronic Cough.

  • Lubricating:  Chronic Cough is often accompanied by a feeling of mouth and throat dryness.  Coughing aggravates the feeling of dryness and produces even more cough.  So mouth and throat dryness and Cough are a vicious cycle.
  • Soothing:  Cough is irritating.  Fluids, especially warm and hot fluids, can be soothing and quiet the irritation.  An earlier blog post talked about the real value of hot tea and honey.
  • Mucous Buster:  Cough can be triggered by Postnasal Drip which can produce mucous.  Fluids help to thin-out and break-up the mucous resulting in less Cough.

So, you may be wondering how much is enough and which fluids are the right fluids.  The answer to this question, like many questions, is “it depends.”  Some guidelines suggest that we drink 30 to 50 ounces daily.  But some medical conditions and medications may already result in fluid retention so the recommended amount of daily fluid intake may be lower.  Some guidelines recommend water.  Other guidelines recognize the value of juices, other fluids (except those that act as diuretics), and water-rich foods such as fruit and vegetables.

Here are some helpful hints on being and staying hydrated:

  • Sip, Sip, Sip:  Drink GRADUALLY throughout the day.
  • Drink Whether You Feel Like You Need To or Not:  DO NOT wait to feel thirsty.
  • Minimize Perspiration:  The hot summer months can create a risk factor for DEhydration.  Wear light-weight, light-color, and a hat and Sip, Sip, Sip.
  • Pay Attention to Fluid Loss from Medications.

DEHYDRATION CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER PEOPLE:  CONFUSION, LOW BLOOD PRESSURE, HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, AND WEAKNESS CAN BE SYMPTOMS OF DEHYDRATION.

So, for Cough and All of You, Raise Your Glass and Sip, Sip, Sip!

Sarasota – Here He Comes!: Dr. Sher at SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL on CHRONIC COUGH

Sarasota – Here He Comes!: Dr. Mandel Sher returns to SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL on Friday, April 21, to present GRAND ROUNDS:

“Approach to CHRONIC COUGH: A Changing Paradigm.”

Sarasota, Naples, Bradenton, Fort Myers, and Cape Coral is home to many of Dr. Sher’s Cough patients. Dr. Sher appreciates this opportunity and is looking forward to seeing his SMH colleagues.

So, you may wonder what’s so grand about Grand Rounds.  While no one knows for certain who coined the term, Grand Rounds is a time-honored tradition for medical education.  It began at  Johns Hopkins Medical School in the late 19th century with bedside teaching as an approach to education.  As participation grew, the discussions moved from the bedside to the auditorium.  Very often, the patient appeared at Grand Rounds for examination and questioning by those in attendance and then exited when the discussion addressed treatment and prognosis.  Today, Grand Rounds remains a formal weekly meeting of doctors, medical students, residents, nurses, and other patient care professionals.  Medical problems and medical topics of interest are presented and discussed.

Dr. Sher is helping to advance the medical community’s understanding of Chronic Cough and treatment.  To that end, Dr. Sher is a frequent presenter and lecturer at local, regional, and national physician professional societies.  Dr. Sher is a Professor at USF Health, and has participated in the training of over 120 physicians aspiring to become Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology specialists.

Dr. Mandel Sher is a National Cough Expert, one of a handful in the United States.  His patients seen at Center for Cough demonstrate a remarkable success rate!  Over 85% of Dr. Sher’s Cough patients demonstrate a measurable decrease in cough frequency and overall improvement in quality of life.

Cough lasting more that 8 weeks is not normal and can be an indication of a significant underlying medical problem.  Don’t wait.  Be evaluated and treated by a Cough Expert.  Real and sustainable cough relief is a phone call away:  727-393-8067.

 

 

Dr. Mandel Sher IS the Difference Between Cough Relief or Prolonged Suffering

You can choose the ending to your cough story.  Ever wonder how things might have turned out differently if you had chosen to take a different fork in the road? Read Jane’s cough story:  a cough tale with 2 different endings.

Jane’s Cough Story

Meet Jane, a 63-year old grandmother, courtroom attorney, and lover of live performing arts.  Jane coughs.  She’s been coughing for about 18 months and remembers it beginning after a bout with an upper respiratory infection.

The cough has become a “relationship interrupter.”  Her little grand-kids cover their ears when Jane starts coughing uncontrollably.  Jane talks a lot for her job, and oral arguments in the courtroom are often interrupted by coughing fits and water breaks.  And, Jane can’t bear the embarrassment of interrupting the peace and quiet of a group gathering.  Jane is choosing to stay home and miss her beloved pastime:  theater, opera, symphony, and poetry readings.

Jane is frustrated.  Her family, friends, and colleagues are worried.  Jane is motivated to get to the bottom of this and re-claim her life.  Her goal: to cough less and enjoy life more.   The choices Jane makes next will affect her Cough Journey and ultimately, her outcome.  This real-life tale with 2 different endings points out the benefits of choosing Dr. Mandel Sher right from the start. 

Cough Story 1:  Visit to Primary Care Doctor; Still Coughing; Now What?… 

Jane sees Dr. Brown, her primary care doctor.  Dr. Brown is an excellent primary care doctor and carefully describes the many reasons Jane could be coughing.

Dr. Brown suggests a trial and error treatment plan. Dr. Brown explains that their approach to solving Jane’s cough mystery will be to rule out different reasons.  Dr. Brown thinks GERD may be making Jane cough.  Jane’s follow-up appointment with Dr. Brown is scheduled in 4 more weeks.  Jane picks-up the prescription and over-the-counter medications for GERD and begins the recommended treatment regimen immediately.

4 weeks later at Jane’s next appointment with Dr. Brown, Jane is still coughing.  Now Dr. Brown has ruled-out GERD.  Dr. Brown thinks Jane’s cough may be from post-viral infection.  Jane pushes aside the GERD medications and begins with other medications.  Follow-up is scheduled in another 4 weeks. Jane is still coughing.

Outcome: 8 weeks  later + wasted $$$ for medications + side effects of medications + Missed Opportunities = Jane is still coughing. 

Cough Story 2: First Stop:  Dr. Mandel Sher  IS the Difference Between Success and Failure

Jane is ready to get to the bottom of her Cough.  She goes directly to a nationally renowned cough expert, Dr. Mandel Sher.

During the office visit at Center for Cough with Dr. Sher, Jane learns that there is a NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE CAUSE(S) OF CHRONIC COUGH.  Jane also learns that Dr. Sher is one of a handful of Cough Doctors in the United States and that Dr. Sher is on the cutting-edge of breakthrough cough evaluation and treatment.

At the end of the 1st office visit with Dr. Sher, Jane learns that her cough is caused by nerve endings at the back of her throat that are overly sensitive and easily irritated to produce cough.  Her cough is triggered by irritants like GERD.  Both the cause and trigger need to be treated.  Dr. Sher prescribes a comprehensive treatment plan that includes medication, voice therapy exercises, and some diet modifications.  Jane is scheduled for a follow-up appointment in 4 weeks.

Within a few days Jane is feeling better overall.  There is a measurable decrease in her cough frequency.  Jane is feeling hopeful that cough relief is in sight.  She begins to resume normal life.  Jane’s cough results are remarkable!  Like over 85% of Dr. Sher’s cough patients, Jane is experiencing cough relief for the first time in a very long time.  

Outcome:  Within days, Real & Sustainable Cough Relief & Living Life Fully!

Your Cough.  Your Story.  Get it Right the First Time:  Dr. Mandel Sher:  World-Class Cough Care Close to Home:  727-393-8067.

Dr. Sher: Hitting It Outta the (Cough) Park: Baseball as a Metaphor

Baseball can be a metaphor for Cough and Dr. Mandel Sher’s approach to Cough evaluation and management.  As this is Opening Week of 2017 Major League Baseball season, let’s have some fun using baseball terms to describe Dr. Sher’s approach.  Baseball as a metaphor – Play Ball!…

  • BATTING 1,000: Dr. Sher and the Center for Cough team understand frustration and worry accompany most Cough patients and families to their visit.  With that perspective, Dr. Sher and the team really try to get everything that really matters right all of the time:  Excellent Service, Satisfying and Productive Office Visit,  Communication with Other Physicians, and Cough Relief.  Our Cough patients’ satisfaction and gratitude lead us to believe that our efforts on behalf of each patient each time are Batting 1,000.
  • HEAVY HITTER and BIG LEAGUE: Dr. Mandel Sher is PLAYING IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE.  He is one of a handful of Cough experts in the United States and is collaborating with Cough colleagues worldwide to shift the Cough paradigm and improve Chronic Cough outcomes.  Dr. Sher’s “Heavy Hitter” in the “Major League” status includes:
    • Vast and long-term Chronic Cough patient population
    • Leads national clinical research trials for new Cough drugs
    • Lectures to physician audiences at professional meetings on cutting-edge approaches to evaluating and managing Chronic Cough
    • Consistently selected by his doctor peers as a “Best Doctor”
    • USF Health Professor
    • Trains physicians to become Allergy, Asthma and Immunology specialists – over 100 trainees to date and still counting
  • BRAND NEW BALL GAME: It’s a Brand New Ballgame for Chronic Cough evaluation, treatment and management.  A new paradigm includes the role of nerve endings at the back of the throat as a catalyst for Chronic Cough.  Even for those patients who have seen other doctors for their Cough and have failed other Cough therapies, it is a “brand new ballgame” when they are evaluated and treated by Dr. Sher.
  • CLEANUP HITTER and CLOSER: For many Cough patients who have been Coughing for weeks, months, and sometimes years, and for those who have been seen by other doctors and tried other Cough therapies but are still Coughing, Dr. Sher closes the Cough deal with a recommendation for an effective and sustainable solution.   
  • IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVER: Dr. Sher NEVER gives-up on figuring-out and helping a patient with Cough.  He gets the job done!
  • GRAND SLAM: Chronic Cough is rarely the result of one factor.  Most often, the cause(s) and trigger(s) of Chronic Cough are multi-factorial.  Dr. Sher’s comprehensive diagnostic approach addresses symptoms and underlying conditions.  Unlike many other doctors’ “rule-out” and sequential one-base-at-a-time treatment approach, Dr. Sher’s comprehensive treatment approach often includes medication, voice exercise therapy, diet and lifestyle changes simultaneously.
  • HITS IT OUT OF THE PARK: Mandel Sher and Center for Cough achieve REMARKABLE SUCCESS!  Dr. Sher’s Chronic Cough success rate is STUNNING!  Over 85% of Dr. Sher’s Cough patients demonstrate a measurable decrease in Cough frequency and report an overall improvement in the quality of daily life.

Cough that won’t go away is not normal and may be an indication of an underlying serious medical condition.  Contact Dr. Mandel Sher and the all-star Center for Cough team:  727-393-8067.