An evaluation of a throat discomfort visual analogue scale in chronic cough.

Chronic cough (CC) is a debilitating symptom affecting approximately one in ten of the general population and leading to impaired quality of life and social exclusion [1]. Many individuals with CC localise their symptoms to the throat area and report sensations such as a “persistent tickling”, “irritation” or “blockage” in the throat [2]. They also often describe that symptoms are provoked by non-specific environmental triggers, such as exposure to scents or odours. In many patients, there is also an apparent overlap between manifestations of laryngeal dysfunction, such as discomfort on swallowing +/- changes in voice quality. Overall, these phenomena may be attributed to an underlying laryngeal hypersensitivity (LHS) [3] and recognition of this entity in CC may be important to help inform and select the optimum treatment strategy; e.g. preferential specialist speech and language therapy (SLT) intervention [4]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hull has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Walsted has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Pavitt has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Miss Tidmarsh has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Selby has nothing to disclose.