A dry cough that is worse at night may due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, and post-nasal drip. GERD can worsen at night when you lie down as stomach contents, particularly stomach acid, can reflux out of the stomach and cause cough. Asthma can be due to cold, dry air often present at night.
Contrary to its presentation, a dry cough can have serious causes and can get worse. It is a protective reflex, in response to inflammation or irritants, and should not be ignored.
Chronic dry coughs are usually caused by irritation from cigarette smoke, environmental irritants, allergies, post-nasal drip, or asthma. Several chronic lung diseases also cause a dry, hacking cough. Some people cough out of habit for no clear reason. Gastric reflux may also cause a chronic dry cough.
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.
A: Acute coughs caused by infections or irritants will often improve within three weeks. Meanwhile, chronic coughs usually last longer than eight weeks for adults and four weeks for kids.
The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a cough. This is usually a dry cough at first, but it may later develop into a phlegmy cough, where you cough up mucus (sputum). Doctors call this a "productive" cough.
Some coughs stick around after a cold or flu resolves — for up to 2 weeks or more — because your bronchial nerves are recalibrating. They may have been sensitized by the initial infection to react to the slightest stimuli. So even a very minor irritant such as dust could set off a reaction, says Omid Mehdizadeh, MD.
Try a cough suppressant for a dry, hacking cough that keeps you awake. Use cough suppressants such as Benylin, Mucinex, or Robitussin wisely. Don't suppress a productive cough too much, unless it's keeping you from getting enough rest. Coughing is useful.
If your cough seems to worsen once you lie flat, try propping up your head and neck. Use a wedge pillow or multiple bed pillows to make yourself comfortable while lying in a position that keeps your head elevated above the rest of your body.
Common symptoms of pneumonia include: a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm) difficulty breathing – your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even when resting.
Symptoms: People with bacterial pneumonia usually experience a higher temperature and a wet cough, whereas people with viral pneumonia tend to experience a lower temperature and a dry cough.
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.
You should see a doctor if your cough brings up yellowish-green phlegm or blood. A cough that doesn't produce mucus is called a dry or nonproductive cough. Acute cough is the least serious type of cough. It only lasts for three weeks or less and will most likely clear up on its own.
Postnasal drip during the day can irritate your throat and vocal cords. But Dr. Buhr says nighttime makes it much worse. “When you're lying flat at night, mucus runs down the back of your throat and into your lungs,” he says. “It can cause chest congestion that needs to be coughed up.
Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale.
Your Sleep Environment Dry air can aggravate an already irritated nose and throat, making your nighttime cough worse. To relieve a dry air cough, you can try a humidifier to put moisture back into the air and make it easier to breathe, but be sure to take proper care of the unit.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
Share on Pinterest A tickle in the throat may be due to inflammation of the voice box, sinusitis, or a sore throat. A cough is a natural reaction to a foreign substance or irritation in the throat. However, the cough from a tickly throat can become chronic and linger.
Drinking tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat. But honey alone may be an effective cough suppressant, too.
"A cough is considered chronic if it persists longer than eight weeks," explains Dr. Safdar. "At that point, we start to worry whether the cause might be a chronic health condition that needs to be addressed."