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Dry cough and bitter in taste
My father is 73 years old and generally active. He had fever for 3 days last week. Now he is complaining of a bitter taste in the mouth and has developed a dry cough since yesterday. He has taken Paracetamol and dry cough syrup. Please advise on further evaluation and treatment.
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If you would like to discuss your concern in more detail, please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp at nine one one nine two five five six nine nine. Alternatively, you can connect with me through the Practo app for a detailed consultation
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At 73 years, a dry cough with bitter taste after a viral fever is usually post-viral airway irritation, and acid reflux often adds the bitter taste in the mouth. Please make sure he is drinking enough fluids, taking steam inhalation twice a day, warm saline gargles, and eating an early light dinner with the head end of the bed slightly raised, avoiding spicy and oily food. Paracetamol 500 mg only if fever or bodyache, and stop the cough syrup if it makes him drowsy, as sedating syrups are not ideal at this age. Please get a simple check done: temperature, oxygen saturation on a pulse oximeter, CBC and a chest X-ray if the cough continues beyond a week. Take him to a doctor or emergency the same day if he has breathlessness, chest pain, oxygen below 94 percent, blood in sputum, confusion, or fever coming back. If a bacterial chest infection is suspected he will need examination before any antibiotic; kindly do not start one on your own. You can consult me on Practo or bring him to Synergy Multispeciality Hospital, Miraj for an examination.
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