Are current versions of Covid causing coughing?

July 7, 2022 9:08 AM

Are current versions of Covid causing a bad cough? I have an event next week that I have been looking forward to for months and I just cracked a rib yesterday. I'm not willing to accept a risk of getting a cough with this rib situation. I guess that means I'm not going anyway but I would still like to know for purposes of deciding whether I need to put myself in lockdown until it doesn't hurt so much to breathe, cough, laugh, exist, etc.
posted by HotToddy to Health & Fitness (17 answers total)

Anecdotal, but I got Covid for the first time two weeks ago and had a pretty bad cough that still persists after my other symptoms have cleared up.
posted by Malleable at 9:12 AM on July 7, 2022

I had it in April and had a bad cough for a few days. I think a cough is less common with the new variants, but you should take all precautions if you absolutely can't risk getting a cough right now.
posted by cakelite at 9:12 AM on July 7, 2022

Yes. My housemate just had it two weeks ago and had such a hard cough she thought she cracked a rib (but didn't) and was very short of breath. Two weeks later and she still has a somewhat persistent cough (though testing negative).

My 2 friends that have it right this moment do not have a cough (more allergy-like symptoms, including sneezing which might also cause you pain).

But yeah, you might not want to risk it.

All located in New York, if that matters.
posted by greta simone at 9:13 AM on July 7, 2022

Anecdotal, but I got Covid for the first time two weeks ago and had a pretty bad cough that still persists after my other symptoms have cleared up.

Same, except it wasn't my first time, and it was more like a month and a half ago. Still coughing. I cough a lot anyway because of allergies, but this is excessive.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:18 AM on July 7, 2022

I have covid now and have had a constant stream of mucous down my throat causing a bad cough and sore throat. Please protect yourself.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:21 AM on July 7, 2022

I had covid recently and had a relatively mild cough (considering the scale of coughing that covid can cause), but even that would have been unbearable with a broken rib. I wouldn't risk it.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:22 AM on July 7, 2022

I had Covid late June. I had some light coughing that cleared up in a couple days, probably the least annoying of my symptoms. But, even so, it would have been pretty darn bad with a broken rib.
posted by sk932 at 9:26 AM on July 7, 2022

This is anecdotal but I am seeing lots of tweets about heavy coughing right now. I think you're right on the money. I hope you feel better soon!
posted by bleep at 9:28 AM on July 7, 2022

Okay, well I guess we can consider this question answered. Thanks all!
posted by HotToddy at 9:30 AM on July 7, 2022

Depends on the person. I had it ~6 weeks ago and my main symptoms were rapid heart rate and mild allergy-like symptoms. However my PCP told me that it can cause a lingering cough (and specifically that is not considered being symptomatic with covid once other symptoms have cleared up).
posted by DoubleLune at 9:58 AM on July 7, 2022

Just another confirmation that this round of Covid is sore throat / congestion / cough. Yep. Had it for far too long.
posted by RajahKing at 10:23 AM on July 7, 2022

I believe I'm recovering from it right now (my wife had a positive test yesterday; I tested negative but had some bad symptoms last week) and the coughing is still pretty rough, especially in the mornings when things have had a chance to build up in the night.
posted by madcaptenor at 10:41 AM on July 7, 2022

I'm on the mend from my own Covid case, which started as "sore throat" on the night of the 30th and then manifested as "pretty much how a typical cold goes" with me over the weekend; whether I was coughing or sneezing or blowing my nose or dealing with sinus congestion was pretty much a matter of "where's the mucus sitting right now". The worst coughing came on the first day, but only after I'd been lying on my back reading for a few hours and it had all settled down there good.

I think that may contribute some to whether or not you get a cough with Covid; everyone's a little different, but "where is the mucus sitting" also affects whether you're coughing vs. sneezing vs. congested or whatever. Staying well hydrated and taking medication with guafenesin really helps here - that thins the junk out so it has less of an impact overall and you can get it out of your system easier.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:53 AM on July 7, 2022

There are some indications that although Omicron was initially more likely to affect the upper respiratory tract, the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have evolved to refavour infecting lung tissue.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 10:55 AM on July 7, 2022

Another yes, my mother has the Rona right now and a terrible cough.
posted by aspersioncast at 3:53 PM on July 7, 2022

I got a non-COVID (by PCR) cold recently that has been making the rounds and had a noticeable and annoying cough for 3+ weeks despite feeling better otherwise after a week.
posted by cnidaria at 6:58 PM on July 7, 2022

I bruised a rib about six weeks ago. I saw a doctor for an unrelated issue and she told me to be careful about making sure I breathed deeply enough and coughed enough. Not coughing (expectorating) enough could lead to fluid gathering in my lungs and then to pneumonia.

I tested positive for Covid two weeks ago and started coughing a lot. Because of the rib injury coughing was very painful and I had core muscle pain for a couple days. I actually tracked it as 30 minutes of intense core exercise in my fitness app. 🙂
posted by bendy at 12:46 AM on July 8, 2022