Causes for Dry Cough

There are many different causes for dry cough including allergies, illness and certain medications. Coughing is what the body does when it is trying to remove mucus or a foreign material from the upper airway passages or lungs. A person may also cough if their airway is irritated. A dry cough, also sometimes referred to as a nonproductive cough, does not result in any sputum coming up.

Viral Illnesses

After a common cold, you may have a dry cough that can persist for several weeks and often outlasts the other symptoms. It also tends to be worst at night. The common cold can be caused by more than 200 viruses. In addition to a dry cough, patients may experience nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, and sore throat. Most colds go away in about a week and usually resolve on their own. Patients should get plenty of rest and fluids, and use over-the-counter cold products if their doctor suggests them.

Bronchospasm

Bronchospasms, also referred to as bronchial spasms, occur when the bronchiole wall muscles suddenly contract. These can make breathing difficult and may occur due to asthma, anaphylaxis, bronchitis or as a side effect of certain medications or herbs. Medications are used to treat bronchospasms. The type used will depend on the cause and severity. The cause of the bronchospasm will also be addressed and treated as necessary. The dry cough related to bronchospasms often occurs at night.

Allergic Rhinitis

Also referred to as hay fever, allergic rhinitis occurs when the immune system overreacts to particles in the air when they are breathed in. Patients may experience a dry cough, watery and/or itchy eyes, and a runny, itchy, stuffy nose. This condition cannot be cured, but avoiding the allergens getting allergy shots, and using certain medications, such as antihistamines, can help to keep symptoms under control.

Medications

A class of medications known as ACE inhibitors may cause dry cough. This type of medication is primarily used to control high blood pressure. Commonly prescribed ACE inhibitors include:

• Captopril
• Lisinopril
• Enalapril

Asthma

Asthma is a disorder of the airways in which inflammation occurs. This condition is characterized by attacks of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and dry cough. An asthma attack can be triggered by a variety of factors, such as emotional stress, animals, chemicals, allergens, mold or pollen, smoke, dust, exercise, weather changes (cold weather most commonly), and respiratory infections. Controlling airway inflammation and anything that triggers a patient’s symptoms are the most common ways to treat asthma. Drugs can help to control asthma, such as long-acting beta-agonist inhalers, inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene inhibitors, cromolyn sodium, omalizumab, and theophylline or aminophylline.

Resources

WebMD. (2010). Coughs – Topic Overview. Retrieved on October 10, 2010 from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/coughs-topic-overview

MedlinePlus. (2009). Cough. Retrieved on October 10, 2010 from MedlinePlus: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003072.htm