Dramatic response to nebulized morphine in an asthmatic patient with severe chronic cough.

We report a 56 year old man with a 16 year history of bronchial asthma who suffered severe coughing spasms that prevented employment, greatly reduced exercise tolerance and caused profound social embarrassment. His cough failed to respond to all standard asthma therapy and nebulized lignocaine. The patient was commenced on nebulized morphine sulphate with dramatic reduction in cough and improved quality of life. This benefit has been maintained at 2.5 years of follow-up.