Diagnostic Tests for Cough
Diagnostic Test list for Cough:
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Cough
includes:
- Physical examination
- Inspect sputum for color and consistency if possible
- Examine lymph nodes looking for enlarged cervical or Axillary lymph nodes which may indicate lung cancer
- Examine for Horner's syndrome - e.g. dilated pupil and drooping of the upper eyelid which may indicate lung cancer.
- Examine for possible causes of postnasal drip - e.g. sinusitis, ear infection, nasal polyps.
- Examine lungs noting breath sounds and their intensity and also the presence of added sounds
- Examine cardiovascular system for evidence of left ventricular failure
- Examine or enlarged liver and spleen - which may suggest a systemic disease involving the lungs e.g. polyarteritis nodosa, sarcoidosis.
- Blood tests
- Full blood count - for evidence of infection, anemia or cell changes with asthma.
- ESR - may be elevated with any bacterial chest infection, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, lung abscess or lung cancer).
- Serology for atypical pneumonia organisms - e.g. mycoplasma, chlamydia and pertussis.
- Blood cultures - if fever is present.
- Sputum microscopy and culture
- Sputum culture for acid fast bacilli to rule out tuberculosis if suspected
- Lung function tests - can help distinguish between obstructive lung disease e.g. asthma, emphysema and bronchitis and restrictive lung disease e.g. pulmonary fibrosis.
- Skin prick allergy testing may be valuable in asthma
- Radiological investigations
- Chest X-Ray - can show many lung problems and show signs of left ventricular heart failure e.g. enlarged heart.
- Sinus X-Ray or CT scan - to pick up sinusitis which may case post-nasal drip and chronic cough.
- CT scan or MRI scan of chest - more sensitive then chest X-Ray, used to further characterize abnormalities found on Chest X-Ray.
- Barium swallow - can detect gastro-esophageal reflux, esophageal diverticulum.
- Echocardiogram - may be required to diagnose left ventricular failure.
- Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy with or without lung biopsy - may detect lung cancer, bronchiectasis, foreign body, chronic fibrotic lung disease.
- Esophageal pH monitoring - may be required to diagnose gastro-esophageal reflux.
- Tuberculin skin test - may diagnose tuberculosis, but misleading if previous BCG vaccination.
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Cough causes:
- Lung & Respiratory Health Tests:
- Cold & Flu: Home Testing:
Conditions listing medical symptoms: Cough:
The following list of conditions
have 'Cough' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which
include a symptom of Cough or choose View All.
Conditions listing medical complications: Cough:
The following list of medical conditions have 'Cough'
or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.
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