[Obscure coughing and the feeling of suffocation during sleep. Long-term nocturnal acoustic recording].

A 58-year old male presented with a 6-week history of increasing nocturnal cough, dyspnea and awakening. Physical examination, chest auscultation and lung function in the daytime did not show any pathological findings. Only nocturnal long-term recording of respiratory sounds was helpful: In- and expiratory wheezing, as the acoustic manifestation of airway obstruction, was found throughout the night. As the cause for nocturnal cough and distinct airway obstruction, a pansinusitis with postnasal drip syndrome was diagnosed.