Overview: What does a dry cough feel like?
A dry cough does not produce any mucus or phlegm. Also called an unproductive cough, the only thing that comes out is noise and hot air. This differentiates between the various types of coughs, such as dry, wet, or productive coughs that produce mucus or phlegm. Productive coughs are commonly due to infections or serious lung diseases that produce secretions, mucus, or postnasal drip. The common cold, flu, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the common causes of wet coughs. On the other hand, occasional dry coughs are usually a response to irritation, like dry air or tickling at the back of the throat. Frequent dry coughing—hundreds per day—usually indicates something is wrong. Fortunately, dry coughing typically passes in a few weeks. When it doesn’t, visit a healthcare professional to figure out what the problem might be.
What causes a dry cough?
Some of the most common causes of dry cough include the following :
Dry air
Cold air
Irritants in the air, such as pollution, cigarette smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, or mold
Allergies or hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
Vocal cord stress (laryngitis)
Harsh chemicals in the air
Other common causes of dry cough include:
Some dry cough causes are less common or mainly affect specific groups of people. Some can have severe illnesses. These include:
Some of these listed conditions can produce either a productive, unproductive, persistent cough, or both in sequence. For instance, croup typically starts with a dry, barking cough lasting two to three days before evolving into a productive cough.
Another cause of dry cough is habitual coughing. Some people cough out of habit or anxiety, sometimes dozens or hundreds of times per day.
Should I be worried about a dry cough?
Most of the time, a dry cough is nothing to worry about. It is usually due to benign causes like throat irritation or transient problems, such as the after-effects of an upper respiratory tract infection.
However, there may be other signs that a dry cough is something more serious, such as:
Any dry cough that lasts longer than four to six weeks
Very forceful coughing or violent fits of coughing
Other symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, coughing up blood, or heartburn
In those cases, see a healthcare provider to determine if there’s a problem. Aside from a possibly serious illness, persistent or violent coughing can result in complications such as vomiting, sleeplessness, fatigue, and broken ribs.
How is the cause of a dry cough diagnosed?
Coughing is just one clue in arriving at a diagnosis —not a specific one. A healthcare provider will take a thorough medical history and perform a physical exam to start putting all the pieces into a diagnosis.
Here’s what the clinician will need to know from you:
Other symptoms
When the coughing started
What makes it worse
What makes it better
When the coughing happens (time of day)
Whether you or your family smoke
Any allergies
Any prescribed high blood pressure medications
The tests a doctor performs will depend on the history and exam results. The most critical diagnostic clue is how long the dry cough has lasted. The diagnosis usually does not require any tests for coughing that have lasted less than eight weeks. A diagnosis may not require any additional tests.
If coughing lasts for more than eight weeks, the clinician, in some cases, may be able to diagnose the possible cause from the history and physical exam. However, a chest X-ray is usually ordered just to be sure. Depending on the possible cause, the clinician may perform other tests, including:
A CT scan of the chest
An endoscopic examination of the airways (bronchoscopy)
A PET scan of the chest
An electrocardiogram or echocardiogram of the heart if heart problems are suspected
An endoscopic examination of the esophagus if GERD is suspected
An esophageal pH test
A sputum test (if a lung infection is suspected)
Patients with an unexplained chronic cough might consider trying inhaled corticosteroids to rule out asthma.
Is a dry cough contagious?
A cough is only contagious if caused by bacterial or viral infections. As most people know, coughing is one of the most effective ways to spread respiratory infections.
Sometimes, however, a dry cough is a lingering after-effect of infections that have already passed, so there’s no active virus to spread. Additionally, croup is not contagious but is highly contagious after the dry cough phase passes.
Still, it’s best to assume you’re contagious if you have other symptoms of an infection. Try to avoid spreading the disease by following a few simple rules:
Cover the mouth when coughing
Cough away from people rather than toward them
Wash or sanitize the hands after coughing
Keep a good distance away from other people
How long does a dry cough last?
Dry coughs are usually limited in their duration. A dry cough typically lasts a few seconds or minutes, but some possible causes can produce a dry cough for up to three weeks. Healthcare professionals call coughing that lasts three weeks or less an acute cough. It’s usually no cause for concern unless there are other problematic symptoms or the coughing is violent.
Coughs that last for three to eight weeks are called subacute coughs. The most common are post-infectious coughs due to lingering inflammation of airway tissues. Again, see a healthcare provider if you have concerns about other symptoms or if the coughing is severe.
Coughs that last for longer than eight weeks are called chronic coughs. Some chronic dry coughs are due to easily identified causes like smoking or ACE inhibitor medications used for high blood pressure. Coughing that lasts longer than eight weeks may be due to a treatable condition like GERD or a more serious condition that requires prompt treatment. Chronic coughs should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
How to stop a dry cough
Coughing is treated by addressing the underlying cause and using symptom relief treatments.
Most people can effectively treat dry cough in themselves or their children using home remedies. Over-the-counter cough suppressants (antitussives) may be able to help, but research has cast doubt on whether they do any good. The majority of antitussives contain dextromethorphan or codeine, along with antihistamines, expectorants, decongestants, and antipyretics. Expectorants or decongestants may not help with a dry cough. Pain relievers might help with other symptoms, such as a sore throat.
For severe or chronic coughing, a doctor may prescribe prescription cough medicines such as codeine, promethazine-dextromethorphan, or benzonatate. These drugs may relieve coughing, but not everyone seems to benefit.
RELATED: The best cough medicine for fast results
Living with a dry cough
Most over-the-counter cough suppressants have not been proven effective at relieving cough, though they may work in some people. Remember: coughing usually goes away in a week or so. During this time, home remedies may be more effective than medicines. These include:
Drinking plenty of fluids
Humidifying the air with a humidifier or vaporizer
Drinking warm drinks
Eating a spoonful of honey
Sucking on hard candy, cough drops, or throat lozenges
Using an air purifier
Avoiding cigarette smoke
RELATED: How to stop asthmatic cough: steps and symptoms
FAQs about the causes of a dry cough
What if I cough but have no other symptoms?
The most common reasons nonsmokers have a dry cough with no other symptoms are the lingering effects of an infection, asthma, GERD, ACE inhibitor treatment, and air problems (dry air, dust, etc.).
Why am I getting a dry cough at night?
Mouth breathing during sleep can dry out the throat because the mouth produces less saliva during the night. Dry or cold air dries out the throat even more. If nighttime coughing is an issue, try sleeping with a humidifier or a vaporizer. If that doesn’t work, try an air purifier to eliminate nasty irritants like dust and allergens. Talk to a healthcare professional if that or other home remedies don’t work.
Does a dry cough mean heart problems?
A dry, hacking cough can be a sign of heart failure. It’s caused by fluid backing up in the lungs, so lying down worsens the coughing and can result in shortness of breath (referred to as orthopnea). Keep in mind that coughing is not the main symptom of heart failure. There will be other more concerning symptoms of heart failure, such as swelling, shortness of breath, weakness, wheezing, and getting worn out easily. Also, a cough due to heart failure isn’t always dry. It can bring up mucus and sometimes even a little bit of blood.
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