hmmm --didn't realize i was married to you
All the over the counter stuff is crap... it's got more placebo effect, or knock 'em out so they can't cough effect, but does nothing to cure the cough. I've gotten prescriptions for high powered cough medicines with codeine (gives me hallucinations) as well as antibiotics (which are useless in curing a cold)
I'm currently keeping myself awake nights (like i need another reason for insomnia) with a cough... Doctors in the past have told me it's post nasal drip, bronchitis, a cough, asthma related, allergies, stress...
What seems to help a little bit, and this was given to me by this interesting woman who runs the health food store where i used to live... Eucalpytus oil on a cloth and breathe in in... or use it ina vaporizer... When I get coughs where it feels like someone is sitting on my chest... then vicks vapor rub helps - that's always in my medicine cabinet-- sometimes just breathing that in helps..
I am also a mouth breather... I cough a lot more when ido that.. If I breathe thru my nose... and really pay attention to my breathing... then I cough less as well...