What Is a Dry Cough? What are The Causes, Symptoms & Treatments?

Struggling with a persistent dry cough? It’s time to fight back with the best dry cough treatments and advice. 

Brought to you by Covonia, we’ve sought extra advice from a specialist doctor on the common dry cough causes, the symptoms, and how to get rid of a dry cough. 

Ready to grab life by the horns? It’s time to get bullish with your dry cough and cold…

Note: The doctor involved does not endorse any medical brands or products.

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• What is a dry cough?

• Dry cough symptoms / how to tell if you have a dry cough?

• How does a dry cough sound and feel?

• What causes a dry cough?

• How long does a dry cough last?

• How to get rid of a dry cough?

• The best medicines for dry cough treatment

A dry cough is a type of cough that is caused by inflammation in your throat and upper airways. It can also be referred to as an unproductive cough or a non-productive cough, as no mucus or phlegm is released while coughing (unlike a wet or productive cough).

A dry cough can feel different depending on your immune response. For instance, you may have a deep, barking cough that produces no mucus, or a tickly cough in the back of your throat.

You may experience a sore throat with a dry cough, as your body is trying to cough up mucus that is not actually there.

When suffering from a dry cough, your airways and lungs aren’t congested or blocked up – instead, they become irritated and cause a tickling sensation which results in a persistent dry cough. This constant coughing can lead to a sore throat. Hear a doctor explain more about cough symptoms, here.

The main tell tale signs that you have a dry cough are:

• A tickly or hacking cough that produces no mucus

• Your chest feels clear, but you still feel an urge to cough

• A sore throat from coughing irritation

• Your throat or airways feel inflamed rather than congested with mucus

If you start to cough up mucus or phlegm, you are experiencing symptoms of a wet or productive cough (visit our advice for wet / chesty coughs)

If you start to cough up blood, feel short of breath, faint, have a temperature or experience severe pain when coughing, please see your GP or pharmacist.

Because of the lack of mucus, your chest won’t feel heavy or sound congested if you have a dry cough. 

Your breathing can be normal, and you may feel well, apart from the cough. However, due to the constant coughing, you may suffer from a sore throat.

Dry coughs can vary in severity depending on your infection. A dry tickly cough can prove persistent and irritating, and won’t clear when clearing your throat. Equally, a hacking or barking cough can prove painful, and you may break out into coughing fits.

The causes of a dry cough can vary significantly. If you’re experiencing a dry cough, it’s worthwhile to pin down the exact causes of your cough so you can treat it and respond to your cough effectively.

Non-viral causes of dry coughs

For instance, a dry cough can be caused by an allergy or environmental factors. 

Dusty environments, such as construction sites and the outdoors in Summer months, can lead to irritation in your airways, triggering a cough to clear irritants. A dry atmosphere, air pollution, or a sudden temperature change may also trigger a dry cough. In these scenarios, dry coughs typically clear quickly.

A dry cough may also be caused by conditions such as asthma or chronic acid reflux.

In rare cases, a dry cough is a symptom of an underlying condition like lung cancer or heart failure, so it’s important to understand the true cause of your dry cough so you can treat it effectively.

Viral causes of dry coughs

Dry coughs are primarily associated with and caused by cases of the common cold, flu, or other respiratory infections.

Dry coughs typically develop towards the end of your respiratory infection, hence why you may hear them called a post-viral cough.

A dry cough will usually clear up on its own within three to four weeks. This may seem like a long time, but while your body is recovering, you can ease symptoms with a suitable dry cough treatment and remedies to relieve symptoms.

Please take care and contact your pharmacist or GP for more information if your cough persists or worsens; asthma, heartburn or heart failure can all be indicated by a dry cough. Equally, if you have another medical condition or are taking any other medicines, it’s best to see a medical professional.

While there is no single cure to get rid of a dry cough instantly, there are remedies and methods you can use to ease symptoms alongside your medicines and dry cough treatments.

Our recommended methods to ease a dry cough:

• Gargle with plain water up to three times a day to get rid of bacteria in your mouth and throat

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids each day

• Don’t try to suppress coughs as this can make them worse

• Try consuming hot drinks with honey and lemon to relieve coughing

• Stop a coughing fit by sipping on water or sucking on throat lozenges

• Avoid dry environments and highly polluted areas which can trigger dry coughs

Not all cough medicines are made the same and to treat the same symptoms. If you’re searching for the best medicines for dry cough treatment, it’s important to select the correct medicines for your cough for the most effective relief.

There are a range of over-the-counter dry cough treatments available to provide relief from persistent coughs. 

We recommend trying specialist cough medicines like our Dry Cough Sugar Free, Night Time Formula or Original Bronchial Balsam Syrup to help soothe the cough reflex. You can also try our Medicated Sore Throat Lozenges to get relief from a sore throat.

Dry cough treatments contain demulcents, which help to soothe the inflammation that triggers a dry and or tickly cough. 

Note: Using wet cough or chesty cough medicines for a dry cough will result in you coughing more; chesty cough medicines are designed to help loosen and cough up mucus to prevent further infection, but are not needed with an unproductive cough.

For more information on dry coughs, or if you think you have a different type of cough, visit our Articles & Advice hub to learn more. Check out our full list of products to fight back against cough and cold symptoms. Take life by the horns with Covonia.