Should I be worried if I'm continuously coughing after a night at ICU Waiting Room?

[Samian Q]

I'll keep it brief: I'm a male pre-nursing student who volunteers Tuesday and Wednesday nights at an ICU Waiting Room at a nearby hospital.

So tonight, after I've come home, I keep on coughing and coughing. I've never had it so persistent!

And my throat feels a little itchy and irritated.

Am I just being paranoid that it might be something big just because I was periodically in and out of an ICU?

Or should I just go to sleep and hope it goes away when I'm awake?

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

Coughing anything up at all? Well what do you think could have caused it? No one was on any kind of airborne or droplet precautions right? And I really doubt you just came down with something like TB in a few hours. Probably just sucked something down your throat. Take some Robitussin and see if it goes away by tomorrow

[Samian Q]

Thanks :)

I'm laying down in bed while writing this, and it's sort of mitigating the cough

[shaas, ASN, RN]

Also, don't forget to take your Vitamin C, daily.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

congratulations -- it sounds as if you have been infected with the common cold. hope you feel better soon!