About dry coughs
A cough can be one of the most irritating experiences in our lives. It comes on suddenly, causing a sore throat and other discomforts. It can happen while we speak, maybe in a professional environment, and we are caught with an urgent need to cough and cough to clear the voice, trying to get rid of the accumulated mucus.
When we cough, our lungs are trying to clear the airways in order to breathe better (Cleveland Clinic). It is a natural defence mechanism of the respiratory system. There are two types of cough:
- Wet cough – this happens when mucus is lying in the lungs. A wet cough can be productive, i.e. it clears mucus from the lungs
- Dry cough or chronic cough – during coughing, nothing will be cleared out. This cough is the unproductive type
Causes
A dry cough can also be considered a chronic or persistent cough if it does not abate within three weeks. Usually, a dry cough follows a wet cough during the recovery from a cold or flu, but also it can happen for many other reasons, including:
- Smoking
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Dysfunction of the vocal cords
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
Signs and symptoms
A dry cough usually presents itself with a tickling feeling in the throat. Because of blocked airways, irritation causes a persistent cough that consequently leads to a sore throat. Cleveland Clinic also shows that, in some cases, a dry cough could be a symptom of other serious conditions:1
- Lung cancer
- Tuberculosis
- Heart failure
- Sleep apnea
- Cystic fibrosis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- COVID-19
If the dry cough persists longer than three weeks, it is best to seek the doctor's advice.
What does it feel when you’re having a dry cough?
According to Cleveland Clinic, a chronic and persistent dry cough can also lead to chest pain. Continual coughing can cause scratching and irritation of the throat and damage to the lungs and chest muscles as well. For this reason, in many cases, while we cough, we feel chest tightness with shortness of breath, and that irritating tickling sensation in our throat.
Ways to get rid of a dry cough
Home remedies
According to Verywellhealth, there are several cheap home remedies to get rid of a dry cough. Most of them are highly affordable and can be found in your kitchen:
- Liquorice root
- Hot water with lemon and honey
- Thyme tea
- Garlic
- Hot water and turmeric
Alongside the ingredients listed above, some actions are suggested as well. For example:
- Stay hydrated – a dry throat could only worsen the situation
- Daily steam inhalation – as this could moisturize nostrils, melt the mucus, and give the throat some relief
- Gargling with salty water could help to kill the bacteria and to relieve the sore throat
- Stop smoking
- Diet – dry cough can be caused by food allergies and acid reflux
- Keep the environment dust-free
Medication
Most of the shops can sell medicines to fight off the cough. However, the NHS explains that these can help but will not entirely cure the associated inflammation. Pharmacists and doctors can prescribe syrups, medicine, and suckable medicated lozenges that can give relief and open up the airways and allow you to breathe better. The fight against a dry cough may involve many different actions besides medicines in order for treatment to be effective.
As listed above, it is important to keep drinking fluids, to do daily steam inhalation, to stop smoking, and, in some cases, it is also suggested that you use a mist-humidifier containing essential oils like eucalyptus, mint and tea tree. These should help to open up and purify the airways, working against any bacteria and inflammation. 2,3
Lifestyle
In most cases, a healthy lifestyle is what is needed to prevent a cough, to recover from it, and to heal completely. It is important to establish some rules if the intention is to avoid diseases like a chronic cough.
- Stop smoking – already said, but smoking has a great portion of blame when it comes to cough, chronic or not
- Reduce alcohol consumption – it can slow down the healing process. Also, it can be deadly if mixed with certain cough medicines and it triggers a smoker to smoke more
- Check on your allergies – whether to pollen, certain foods or dust and mites, allergies can lead to a dry cough. Knowing about your allergies makes it easier to avoid a dry cough
How to prevent a dry cough
There is not really a way to completely prevent a dry cough. The best it can be done is to keep a healthy lifestyle, to keep track of allergies, to stop using tobacco products and to stop any medicine that can cause side effects like coughing, after seeking medical advice of course. Moreover, drinking fluids should be helpful to keep the throat moisturized; try to maintain a dust-free environment and avoid any food that causes acid reflux. If you are ill, take time to rest and recover properly, so as not to turn a wet cough into a dry one. But, mainly, as if it has not been said enough, stop smoking.
When to consult a doctor
If experiencing any of the symptoms below caused by a cough lasting longer than three weeks, it is best to seek a doctor’s help:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty when swallowing
- Short breath
- Swollen and sore throat
- Wheezing
Summary
This article has examined some remedies to get rid of a dry cough. There are two types of cough, and coughing is a natural defence mechanism our lungs use to clear the airways. Asthma, tobacco products, allergies and other serious conditions can cause a dry cough.
A dry cough causes irritated, tickling throat and chest pain. Home remedies like hot water with lemon and honey, liquorice root, thyme tea, steam inhalation and such can be beneficial to relieve the sore throat. Prescribed medicines like syrups or lozenges have the same relieving effect without curing the dry cough completely.
Keeping a healthy lifestyle is essential in order to prevent or recover from a dry cough. If a persistent cough lasts more than three weeks with other concerning symptoms like chest pain, wheezing, swollen throat, and difficulty in swallowing, then it is best to contact a doctor.
References
- Mahashur A. Chronic dry cough: Diagnostic and management approaches. Lung India [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2023 Apr 20]; 32(1):44–9.
- Padma L. Current drugs for the treatment of dry cough. J Assoc Physicians India. 2013; 61(5 Suppl):9–13.
- Dicpinigaitis PV. Currently available antitussives. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2023 Apr 20]; 22(2):148–51.
