Pursuiter's Cough

[Hillandale]

I was skeptical about the reflux at first, too, because I had no symptoms of it that I recognised. I was aware of a searing pain up the center of my chest while I was climbing, preceding the cough, but attributed it to airway drying and irritation. I think now it was probably that first rush of acid causing the burning.

[bikerHen]

Yep, I get it too! For me it's pushing way to hard up a hill and breathing, or trying to breath, with my mouth wide open. You said a "graze" at the back of the throat, that's the perfect description! The last time it happened I cough for about 10 minutes straight at the top of a hill. It was a hard make you gag and pee in your pants type cough! No amount of water will soothe it and for me it lasts a good 24 hours. I'll try some of the cures mentioned next time.

Glad to have a name to put with it. Makes me feel better that it's not just because I'm out of shape. Bikerhen

[ohmyspokes]

I definitely get pursuiter's cough when I race track, especially on low-humidity days. And I hear many others clearing their throats and making little tickle coughs, too. I don't get it as much when road racing, though.

[SalsaMTB]

I definitely get it also when I push hard on a ride. It will happen after the ride for a few hours, but I have had it go for a couple days. It's mainly on the inhale and it makes me cough. I just figured it was because I was breathing so hard during the ride.

[wabisabi]

Thanks for looking into this! I also get a cough, particularly after a hard ride, or a century. I rode a charity ride yesterday, only 62 miles but several long hills, and I had the cough last night. You are right, it sounds like a smoker's cough, and sometimes I get a little hoarse also.

[RoadRaven]

Very interesting to see so many of us know this...

I wonder why there is so little about it in books or on the net...

I wish there was a way to stop the coffing (she coffs, a hard ride yesterday still lingering on...) but nothing I have tried (from this thread or from the chemist) seems to fix it...

Guess I will have to "wear" the coff proudly, as I do my interesting tan lines...

[annie]

Very interesting to see so many of us know this...

I wonder why there is so little about it in books or on the net...

I, too, wonder why so little is said! I have had the exact same experience after both mtb and road rides, when I am either racing or "racing" to keep up with faster riders. I am breathing so much, so deeply, and so fast! I can feel it stressing my throat, just to pull in enough oxygen. Then I'll cough for the next two days. At first, it only happened after really challenging mtb rides...........I thought maybe there was something in the woods that was affecting me, like allergies. Then it happened after a couple of road rides, when I was pretty much struggling to keep up for the entire ride. I figured that all that breathing irritated something and I'd have to put up with it occasionally. Now I look at it as if it was telling me that I worked DA** mightily on a ride and so earned the cough. Don't LIKE it but as long as no real harm is done. plus the fact that it doesn't happen often, it's something that I can deal with.

annie

[Googlie Wooglie]

anybody else coughing as they read this? Suddenly I have a dry patch in my throat ... sheesh.