A cough is a spontaneous reflex. When things such as mucus, germs or dust irritate your throat and airways, your body automatically responds by coughing. Similar to other reflexes such as sneezing or blinking, coughing helps protect your body.
While a cough itself isn't contagious, the germs that a cough spreads may be. Whether visible or not, each time someone coughs, very small particles are spread into the air. Sometimes these particles spread just a few inches, sometimes several feet.
Dry cough causes vary; most are the result of a recent cold or flu, which is often called a post-viral cough. However, they may also be caused by an allergy, asthma or chronic acid reflux. Less common dry cough causes include environmental factors like a dry atmosphere, air pollution or a sudden change in temperature.
Common causes of these types of extreme coughing fits include cough-variant asthma, lung disease such as COPD, acid reflux (GERD), and post-nasal drip.
Coughing often worsens at night because a person is lying flat in bed. Mucus can pool in the back of the throat and cause coughing. Sleeping with the head elevated can reduce the symptoms of postnasal drip and GERD. Both can cause coughing at night.
Most coughs clear up within 3 weeks and don't require any treatment. A dry cough means it's tickly and doesn't produce any phlegm (thick mucus). A chesty cough means phlegm is produced to help clear your airways.
Tickly coughs are most often caused by a recent cold or flu, known as a post-viral cough. If this is the case, you will likely experience other cold and flu-like symptoms too. Other tickly cough causes include allergies, air pollution or a sudden change in temperature.
Dozens of conditions can cause a recurrent, lingering cough, but the lion's share are caused by just five: postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic bronchitis, and treatment with ACE inhibitors, used for high blood pressure and heart failure.
While it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the problem that's triggering a chronic cough, the most common causes are tobacco use, postnasal drip, asthma and acid reflux. Fortunately, chronic cough typically disappears once the underlying problem is treated.
You can spread the common cold from a few days before your symptoms appear until all of the symptoms are gone. Most people will be contagious for up to 2 weeks. Symptoms are usually worse during the first 2 to 3 days, and this is when you're most likely to spread the virus.
About whooping cough
Whooping cough is spread in the droplets of the coughs or sneezes of someone with the infection.
The CDC advises you to get plenty of rest. Sleep can help your body recover from a cold. It also can help prevent you from getting sick in the first place. The CDC also suggests using a clean humidifier when you have a cough.
Don't suppress a productive cough too much, unless it's keeping you from getting enough rest. Coughing is useful. It brings up mucus from the lungs and helps prevent bacterial infections. People with asthma and other lung diseases need to cough.
It interacts with cold receptors in the nose and throat, helping to stop coughing. Vicks VapoRub contains 2.6% menthol to help stop constant coughing fast. Vicks VapoDrops are also an effective remedy for coughs. Allow 2 drops to dissolve slowly in your mouth to help stop constant coughing.
Irritation to the upper airway due to infectious, allergic, or environmental factors cause a tickling or dripping sensation in the back of the throat leading to cough. Some of the most common causes of upper airway irritation are viral infections, allergies, or environmental irritants.