Cough (dry)
Synopsis of Cough (dry)
A dry cough is a nonproductive cough that does not bring up mucus or phlegm. It often feels like a persistent tickle or irritation in the throat and can result from a wide range of causes — including viral infections, allergies, asthma, GERD (acid reflux), air dryness, or medication side effects (especially ACE inhibitors). While it may begin as a residual symptom after an infection, it can persist for weeks if the airway remains sensitive or inflamed.
Unlike a damp or productive cough, a dry cough is typically caused by inflammation or irritation of the throat and airways, rather than mucus buildup. It can be worse at night, especially when lying down, and may interfere with sleep, concentration, or daily functioning.
Types of Dry Cough:
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Post-viral Dry Cough: Common after colds or flu.
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Allergic Dry Cough: Triggered by allergens like dust or pollen.
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Reflux-related Dry Cough: From acid irritating the throat and airways.
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Asthmatic Dry Cough: Associated with airway hyperreactivity, especially at night.
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Medication-Induced Dry Cough: Often from ACE inhibitors (e.g., lisinopril).
Common Causes:
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Viral infections (lingering cough post-recovery)
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Asthma or reactive airway disease
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Allergies or environmental irritants
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GERD (acid reflux)
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Air dryness (especially in winter or heated environments)
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Smoking or exposure to smoke
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Postnasal drip (can feel dry even if mucus isn’t expectorated)
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Certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors)
Severity Factors:
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Persistent dry cough lasting more than 3 weeks may require investigation
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Noisy, wheezing dry cough may indicate airway obstruction
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Severe or disruptive cough can lead to headaches, sore muscles, or insomnia
When to See a Doctor:
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Dry cough lasting more than 3–4 weeks
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Cough accompanied by shortness of breath, weight loss, fever, or chest pain
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Blood in sputum (even without mucus)
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Worsening of known asthma or reflux symptoms
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New onset dry cough after starting medication
Natural remedies for Cough (dry)
Honey in warm water or tea: Coats throat and calms irritation (not for children under 1 year)
Steam inhalation or humidifier: Moistens airways to reduce dryness and coughing
Herbal teas: Ginger, licorice root, and marshmallow root soothe inflamed tissues
Hydration: Keep throat moist to reduce irritation
Avoid irritants: Smoke, fragrances, cold air
Elevate head while sleeping: Helps if cough is due to postnasal drip or reflux
Lozenges or throat sprays: Temporarily numb and calm the urge to cough
Ingredients
These raw ingredients are often used in alternative medicine to treat Cough (dry)
aloe vera
alpha-pinene
anthocyanins
apple
astaxanthin
waterhyssop
benegut perilla (proprietary)
berry flavor
beta-pinene
bilberry
bio ecolian (proprietary)
black currant
black pepper
radish
blueberry
Indian frankincense
caffeine
cat's claw
Chinese salvia root
cinnamon
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
d-sorbitol
elderberry
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
greek mountain tea
onion
green tea
heartwood
Indian tinospora
jujube
lemon
licorice root
marshmallow
natural flavor
nettle
ophiopogon root
oregano
parsley
pear
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
plum fruit
polygala root
pomegranate
quercetin
resveratrol
spirulina
thyme
vitamin C
vitamin D
wasabia japonica
zhejiang fritillary
zinc
sarsaparilla
boneset
mullein
tangerine
gastrodia
hyssop
atractylodes
Indian bael
malabar nut
alpinia galangal
hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
fumaria parviflora
fritillaria
yerba santa
elecampane
dodder
sweet flag
menthol oil
1,3,7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione
Alcohol
Aster tataricus
Angelica archanglica
Asafetida
Aroma
Alpinia katsumadai
Aerva Lanta
Alpinia
African Ginger
Agastache
Anamarrhena
Angel's Trumpet
Average Herb Strength
Aldimine
Ambergris
acacia
Allium tuberosum Rottl.
Ajowan
Ammonium chloride
Asarum heterotropoides
Aconite
Asafoetida
Artemisia
Andrographis paniculata
Asian Bayberry
Aerva lanata
Allium (unspecified)
Alpinia (unspecified)
Asam gelugor
Apricot
Alkaloids
Amomum (unspecified)
Arecoline Hydrobromide
Aromatic acid (unspecified)
Arabinogalactans
Adenophora
Anise
Avian (unspecified)
Arabinogalactan
Ammonium carbonate
Allium tuberosum
Amomum subulatum
Aniseed myrtle
Asarum sieboldii
Asparagus adscendens
Alantolactone
Atractylone
Belladonna
Black Seed
Blend (Combination)
Bermuda Grass
Botanical Blend
Bengal Fig
Bryonia
benzenoid (unspecified)
Batavia cinnamon
Bayleaf
Bioflavonoid
Bioflavonoids (mixed)
Beta-pinene
Bael
Butternut
Basil
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Balloon-Flower
Black cardamom
Black willow
Bicarbonate (mixed)
Brown's Lily
Beadlets
black salt
Buchu (unspecified)
Bee products
Berries (unspecified)
Brassica (unspecified)
Buddha's Hand
Boneset
banana
Black Pepper and White Pepper
Black Pepper
Bupleurum (unspecified)
Black Mustard
Bassia scoparia
Burning Bush
Balloon Flower
Balsam pear
Belamcanda
Bergenia
bitartrate
Blend (combination)
Cubebs
Cyperus (unspecified)
Curcuma wenyujin
Cinnamomum loureirii
Cinnamic aldehyde
Cactus
Citrus (unspecified)
Cream
Cayenne Pepper
Chinese mugwort
Citron
Coltsfoot
Citrus
Cineole
Capsaicin
Cardamom
Capsicum
Chinese Quince
Chinese Chive
Carrot fiber
Complex
Color (Natural & Artificial)
Curcuminoids
Calamus rhizome
Cinnamaldehydes
Centidepa (unspecified)
Chinese orchid
Chinese peony
Chrysanthemum (unspecified)
Cistus
Common madia
Cubeb
Capsaicinoid
Chinese Club Moss
Cowslip
Clove
Chaenomeles lagenaria
chrysanthemum
Calamus
Chinese Pine
Citrus (mixed)
Cinnamaldehyde
Ceylon Ginger
Capsaisin
Clam
Clerodendrum indicum
Cambodium Cardamom
Chinese Cabbage
Color
Conehead Thyme
Dihydrocapsaicin
Dendrobium fimbriatum
Dragonhead
Dioscorea nipponica
Diterpenes
Dichrostachys glomerata
Exphedrine HCl
Echinacea
Elder
Essential oil (unspecified)
Ephedrine
elderberry
esters (unspecified)
Fruit (unspecified)
Fenuside
Fritillaria (unspecified)
Fritillary
Flavonoid glycosides
Filler
Flowering quince
Fatty Acid (unspecified)
Fernbush
Finger Leaf Morning Glory
Flesh-Finger Citron
Fritillaria biflora
Flavoglycosides
Flavor (Natural & Artificial)
Fringed Pink
Fruit Blend
Fritillary (unspecified)
Fennel
Goldenrod
Glehnia littoralis
Gelcap
Gastrodia
Garlic pear
Guava
Gingerol
Glycoside
gum (unspecified)
Glycyrrhiza (unspecified)
glycyrrhizic acid
Greater galangal
Gallesia
Glehnia root
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Gecko
Ginger oleoresin
Glycyrrhizinic acid
Galanga
Ginger
Ginger phenols (unspecified)
Hedychium Spicatum
Halitum
Hyssop
Honey
Hoenelen
Honey loquat syrup
Holy Basil
Hempnettle
Indigo pulchra
Ilex (unspecified)
Indian Long Pepper
Iceland Moss
Ignatius Bean
Iceland Moss
Japanese Apricot
Juice (unspecified)
Japanese Kadsura
Japanese Mint
Javanese Long Pepper
Jujube
Khella
Korean Pine
Loquat
Lindera aggregata
Leek
Lactucarium
Licorice (unspecified)
Lilium polyphyllum
Linden
Licorice
Lemon mint (unspecified)
Licorice (various)
Lilyturf
Ligustilides
Luffa
Lesser Galangal
Lindera (unspecified)
Lingustilides
Lemon
Large-Leaved Linden
Loranthus
Lungwort
Ligusticum
Malabar Nut
Mentha haplocalyx
Mugo Pine
Myristicin
Menthol
Malt (Barley)
Mucilage
Mandarin
Melia (unspecified)
Mace
Magnolia biondii
Molluscs
Marshmallow
Marshmallow
Mint (unspecified)
Maidenhair Fern
Malabar Nut Tree Leaf Extract
Marine colloids
Ma Huang
milk
Mullein
Maple (unspecified)
Notopterygium
Nigella Seed
Natural flavor(s)
Nutmeg & Mace
Nutmeg
Ophiopogon
onion
Oxyephedrine
Osha
Osmanthus
Pear
phenyl alkyl ketones
Pleurisy
Phellodendron
Palmyra
Piper chaba
Polymorpha (unspecified)
Piperoylpiperidine
Prepared Aconite Tuber
Pimpinella (unspecified)
Polygonatum (unspecified)
Platycodon
Pepper (unspecified)
Paris polyphylla
Pelargonium (unspecified)
Pearl
Pareira
Pimpinella
Pubescent Angelica
Poppy
Phleum Pratense
Pungent compounds (unspecified)
Polygala
phenolics (various)
Red Spruce
Rice
Rosemary antioxidant S-32
Raspberry
Red Raspberry
Rose Hip
Ravinsara
Reed Herb
Red Sage
Rhododendron (unspecified)
Ricinoleic acid
Sabadilla
Stephania root
Savory (unspecified)
Sete sangrias
Solanaceae (unspecified)
Salicylate (unspecified)
Sweet Orange
Stemona
Skunk Cabbage
Stabilizers
Spanish Oregano
Syrup
Syrup (unspecified)
Sweet Almond
scallion
Sage-leaf alangium
Sweet Violet
Shogaol
Squash (unspecified)
Sugarcane
Star Anise
Sundew
Southern Elder
Sedanenolide
Terpenoids
Theobromine
Tea (unspecified)
Terpene
Tea (mixed)
Turnip
Thymoquinone
Trachea
Turtle
Trichosanthis
Taraxacin
Tonka Bean
Tea (not specified)
Thymol
Turtle
Terminalia (unspecified)
Trichosanthes
Tragacanth
Tamarind
Trachea
Terpinolene
Tree (unspecified)
Varuna
Vasicine
Vladimiria souliei
Vasicinol
Vasicinone
White Pepper
Wax Gourd
White Rice
White Lily
White Pear
Wild Thyme
Wild Cherry
William's Elder
Wine (unspecified)
Yerba Santa
Zedoary
Zingerone
