# Air con cough



## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

I'm a new arrival who's been coughing almost non-stop (say 22 hours a day) since I arrived. Any tips for countering the air con cough? Cough syrups seem hopeless. Cheers.


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## cami

StewartC said:


> I'm a new arrival who's been coughing almost non-stop (say 22 hours a day) since I arrived. Any tips for countering the air con cough? Cough syrups seem hopeless. Cheers.


how do you know it's not an infection? have you seen a doctor? we're around 250 nationalities here, and we all bring in our bugs. some of the bugs may be airborne through the a/c.

for immediate relief, try strepsils (honey and lemon is what i use as the taste is milder), and trachitol (german product, works on my throat like magic). keep your throat moist and avoid talking. you can also try panadol cold and flu, or nurofen cold and flu.

when i came here, i lost my voice for 10 days, and i was desperate as i was teaching at the time too. the doctor i saw avoided to touch me because i was a female patient, he looked in my throat from a 5-pace distance and said it was laryngitis (doh! and i thought i'd broken a leg....).

still, i would say you should see a doctor asap.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I find the sweets just tickle my throat and make things worse. There doesn't seem to be anything between a pharmacy and a hospital here and checking into A&E for a cough is a bit pathetic. Will give it a few more days. Some sleep would help but you cannot sleep and cough at the same time (I think).


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## indoMLA

I don't know what air con is but I am assuming that it is referring to air conditioning? If so, then I would tell you to first to try sleeping with the AC turned off. It could be that the air condition is drying the air out and this is not helping as your throat requires moisture. Another issue could be that the filters and ducts in the AC are not clean and are blowing the dirt out into the living space. Try to get your landlord (if in an apartment/villa) or the hotel staff to clean these items. 

Of course all this should be done with a visit to the doctor to rule out an infection. Good Luck.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Many thanks. It's kind of you to reply. I'll be moving out of this hotel apartment next week (hopefully) and have already asked the landlord at my new place to clean the filters. Does anyone here really sleep without air conditioning? The mind boggles.


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## indoMLA

During these last few months, when the weather is nice and cool and there are no dust storms, the AC can be turned off and the windows are opened. 

Do you have the cough when outside of the hotel room? If so, then it is most definitely the air ducts. Try sleeping with a moist cloth (towel, handkerchief, etc.) over you mouth. 

Another issue is mold. A lot of places here have mold that is not treated properly. Ask for a new room.


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## ReggieDXB007

The last time I had a persistent cough was around 5 years ago which was the tail end of a cold which then descended into my lungs. It was so bad that there were times when I couldn't talk. The doctor here prescribed anti-biotics but they did nothing. In the end I went to see a specialist who prescribed a short, heavy dose of cortizon based asthma spray. What had happened was the cold became bronchial which then irritated my lungs to the extent that the inflamation just wouldn't subside.

I am not suggesting that this may be your problem, but you may want to explore the possibility that you are having an alergic asthma attack.


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## lxinuk

Go to Boots - I went to a boots pharmacist in Mall Boots and he was able to help just like the UK xx


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## CDN2012

I would get the cough checked out but to help with that, what really works for me is 2 teaspoons of Honey(non-pasteurized) with a bit of lemon in hot water. Basically just a hot honey lemon drink. Works really well. I take it a few times a day when my throat dries out or get a cough usually from the a/c.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Thanks again for all suggestions. I have managed to contain the cough to night-times only and have eased it by taking some Day Nurse I brought from the UK. Still suffering sensations of drowning and getting no sleep through the night. Really miss the ability to talk to a doctor and get some effective treatment. I'm hoping the move to our new apartmentthis week will do the trick.


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## Lita_Rulez

several days of coughing so hard you can't sleep and feel like you are drowning, and you still haven't decided to go see a doctor.

Either you are (like most guys) over selling a mild cold in which case, you are stupid
Or you are really that sick, and still have not realized you need to be checked out fast, in which case, you are stupid.

.
..
...

Oh, wait, that's not really an alternative choice there...



Seriously though, you'll take advice on your health from strangers on an internet board (!) what exactly is preventing you from getting checked out. Fear of hospitals ? There are "clinics" (ie, doctors offices) all over Dubai, if you don't do it for you, do it for others so you can at least confirm you don't risk infecting every body you meet...


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## rsinner

StewartC said:


> Thanks again for all suggestions. I have managed to contain the cough to night-times only and have eased it by taking some Day Nurse I brought from the UK. Still suffering sensations of drowning and getting no sleep through the night. Really miss the ability to talk to a doctor and get some effective treatment. I'm hoping the move to our new apartmentthis week will do the trick.


Don't know why you think you cannot go to a doctor. There are tonnes of clinics in Dubai (not just hospitals). Your medical insurance documents should provide a list of pharmacies/clinics/hospitals (you can go to a non network establishment as well, but it would not be a cashless transaction and you would need to claim insurance later). 
Just as an example this is a clinic in Ibn Battuta mall, and the same company has various clinics and hospitals in Dubai (links on the webpage). You can just google as well. Welcare Clinic Ibn Battuta

I wouldn't leave it untreated for so long if it were causing me so much of trouble.


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## sabeenmansoor

Hi I think u should really go to a doctor as it happened to me as well two years ago and I can understand that the cough is so much that u can't sleep and u feel sick coz of that. I went to a doctor in musalla medical clinic on bank street somebody recommended me and he had my blood tests done to see if it's an infection and it came out to be a severe allergy as the environment here is so dusty.. He gave me singular and broncophine and few other antiallergic tablets and the cough finally subsided after two months....please do not take these medicines without asking a doctor as u really don't know what it is but maybe u also have a case of allergy... If it's possible then u can visit that doc his name is dr John marshal clinic no: 04-3966123 or u can search musallah medical centre his clinic is overcrowded but u knw nothing matters if u want to finish this cough


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Am truly overwhelmed by concern and trouble taken By most people) here. I've only been here for two weeks and have no access to insurance. My passport is in for residency application so I'm stuck for now.


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## sabeenmansoor

I think his fees is 100 dhms ....


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Just had a five-minute coughing fit where I thought I would suffocate. Couldn't regain my breath. What to do? Awaiting issue of credit card. No passport due to residency application. Just Dhs350 in my possession. How we take for granted the services we enjoy back in the UK. This is a nighmare.


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## dizzyizzy

StewartC said:


> Just had a five-minute coughing fit where I thought I would suffocate. Couldn't regain my breath. What to do? Awaiting issue of credit card. No passport due to residency application. Just Dhs350 in my possession. How we take for granted the services we enjoy back in the UK. This is a nighmare.


speak to your employer and see if they can help - maybe a salary advance or something? You really need to see a doctor soon.


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## cami

StewartC said:


> Just had a five-minute coughing fit where I thought I would suffocate. Couldn't regain my breath. What to do? Awaiting issue of credit card. No passport due to residency application. Just Dhs350 in my possession. How we take for granted the services we enjoy back in the UK. This is a nighmare.


can you pm me? i'd like to help.


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## fcjb1970

Well this won't help if are a deathly ill or anything but a good trick to keep the sinuses moist at night is to spread some Vaseline on your sinuses (inside of you nose) with a Q-tip before you go to sleep. Works wonders


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## BedouGirl

Good old fashioned steam. But you sound as though you need to see a doctor. Talk to your HR Manager and see what they will do to assist you.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Finally went to the docs today. Now have plenty of strong stuff for the cough/infection and a bad upset tummy. Feeling better already. The kind wishes here helped to keep me going when I was a bit delirious and feeling terrible. Also, I hope the tips this thread elicited will be helpful for others in future as they adjust to A/C and climate. My tip would be: don't wait 8 days to see a doctor. Never too old to learn.


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## toothdr

Just wondering what happened to you. Glad you are ok. That's the main thing.


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## BedouGirl

Glad to hear you finally went to the docs. The rule of thumb to remember for the future is if something like this doesn't go away on its own within three days, then it's generally developed into an infection. Infections require more than over the counter treatments. Get well soon.


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## Oz_n_Bee

Can anyone recommend an air conditioning maintenance company who would clean out the vents before we move in? Would also like a deep clean of the property if you can recommend anyone? Many thanks

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## BedouGirl

Benair 04 347 4797. Have found their services to be far superior to the company my landlord previously used. Am sure it won't be cheap though.


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## Oz_n_Bee

BedouGirl said:


> Benair 04 347 4797. Have found their services to be far superior to the company my landlord previously used. Am sure it won't be cheap though.


How much did they charge you just out of interest? and when did you use them??

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## BedouGirl

My landlord has a contract with them, so I can't tell you.


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## Bigjimbo

Oz_n_Bee said:


> How much did they charge you just out of interest? and when did you use them??
> 
> Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


PM me, I have the name of an extremely reliable and inexpensive compnay for deep cleaning.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC

Not the ones who just "cleaned" mine, James, I hope!


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## Bigjimbo

StewartC said:


> Not the ones who just "cleaned" mine, James, I hope!


No Stewart! That was the Landlords people. Mine would have scoured the place back to new! Still waiting for him to call me back..... Who would be an agent eh?


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## Lamplighter

StewartC said:


> I'm a new arrival who's been coughing almost non-stop (say 22 hours a day) since I arrived. Any tips for countering the air con cough? Cough syrups seem hopeless. Cheers.


Stewart

Firstly, pleased to read in the rest of the thread that you have recovered.

Air Conditioning does indeed dry out the air, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned humidifiers on this thread. I have a couple in my apartment, and I got them for exactly the reason that the air con was giving me coughing fits, especially at night. You can pick them up at most pharmacies for not a lot of money, and with the ones I have (I forget the brand) it's possible to add an aromatic oil - we tend to use Olbas Oil.

Cheers


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## Abdul_B

Sleep with the AC off, keep warm at night. Showering at night is also better if you're ill, if you shower in the morning you tend to go into a car/metro with full blast AC which'll just make things worse again ;x. 

Also, tea/hot liquids....etc all help . I had this when I first came, it sucks.


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## Oz_n_Bee

Abdul_B said:


> Sleep with the AC off, keep warm at night. Showering at night is also better if you're ill, if you shower in the morning you tend to go into a car/metro with full blast AC which'll just make things worse again ;x.
> 
> Also, tea/hot liquids....etc all help . I had this when I first came, it sucks.


Thanks! Very useful advice....

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## Maniatis7

What about 'runny nose' situations due to the air con? Any advice on how to get over that symptom?

Thanks!


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## Abdul_B

Yes...dry your hair properly to avoid catching a cold. I prefer to shower at night rather than in the morning, cos straight after a shower in the morning I'm in the car with the AC on for 30 mins or so....this stuff'll kill ya if you don't watch it lol


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