Cough Clinic Opens In Grosse Pointe

Old Man Winter is here and he brought his friends: Hack, honk, and sniffles.

As people across metro Detroit battle  those winter colds and the lingering coughs that accompany it, Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe's new Cough Clinic offers quick, convenient, one-stop diagnostic services for people with a chronic cough.

At the new clinic, a board-certified pulmonary critical care physician will examine patients and order diagnostic tests to determine the cause of a chronic cough in days, instead of months.  

"A chronic cough is one of the most common patient concerns," says Robert Marchese, M.D., chief of Internal Medicine and director, Cough Clinic, Beaumont, Grosse Pointe. "The purpose of our clinic is to offer an expedited diagnosis and personalized treatment plan to address and treat the underlying cause of the cough."

Defined as a cough lasting more than three weeks, a chronic cough may be an indication of a more serious, underlying health issue such as acid reflux, asthma, sinus disease and medication side effects.  In rare cases, it may signify an even more serious problem.

A persistent cough can cause dizziness, muscle strain, hoarseness, sweating and urinary incontinence.

Diagnosis of a chronic cough can often take months and involve traveling to multiple locations for tests, such as chest X-rays, pulmonary function tests, CAT scan, acid reflux and allergy tests.

At Beaumont's new Cough Clinic, patients will meet with Dr. Marchese for a complete history and physical, then begin diagnostic testing. Most tests are completed the same day; some may require one or two more visits. Cough Clinic patients will be personally escorted to each diagnostic test by a hospital representative.

For an appointment at the Beaumont Cough Clinic, call 313-473-1088.