Coughing at Night

Cough is a mechanism by which the body is able to throw away unwanted particles that have entered the throat and the lungs. One may experience intermittent bouts of coughing any time during the day, and is considered to be a protective response of the body that drives away all the undesirable debris from the respiratory system. However, coughing frequently everyday during nighttime is not normal and demands prompt medical attention. Be it children or adults, persistent night coughing gives a feeling of chest discomfort and sore throat. A person coughing at night can be quite irritating as it disrupts the sleep of the entire family. Anyone deprived of sleep is not able to perform their daily tasks efficiently. The incidence and the severity of coughing increases particularly at night. In some cases, cough manifests during the night and surprisingly stops in the morning.

Causes

Some people are fine during the day but as soon as they lie down at night, they experience an unusual feeling in the throat which ends up in the form of cough. This may occur due to the following reasons:

Asthma
This medical condition is often considered the cause of cough that appears only at night. Coughing, especially at night, is a warning sign of asthma. Inflammation of the air passages is the hallmark of asthma.

Sinusitis
Sinusitis is a viral or bacterial infection that makes the sinuses swollen. Most people suffering from sinus infection often cough at night. Sinusitis causes irritation to the throat which results into coughing.

Medications
Intake of certain medicines can cause nasty side effects that includes coughing at night. ACE inhibitors prescribed for high blood pressure patients are notorious for causing dry cough at night. Reducing the dosage can be beneficial to relieve cough.

Smoking
The habit of smoking is one of the main reasons why many cough at night. Years of smoking prompts the body to raise mucus production. This excessive mucus production along with the accumulation of toxic particles results in repetitive coughing that usually worsens at night.

Viral Infections
Viral infections affecting the upper respiratory tract such as common cold and seasonal flu too can trigger barking cough in adults at night. In addition to night cough, these medical conditions are typically marked by sore throat, fever and body aches. Even after the viral infection associated with common cold has gone away, the patient may continue to experience dry cough that aggravates during nighttime and may last for quite a few weeks.

Heart Problems
Coughing at night could also suggest that the heart is not functioning properly. To be precise, it might indicate the presence of congestive heart failure (CHF). People with CHF suffer from mucus producing cough. The mucus that is coughed up during heart problems is pinkish in color. Besides coughing up mucus, the patient may complain about trouble breathing, racing or pounding heart.

Lung Infection
Lung infections that include bronchitis or pneumonia can also be responsible for causing night cough. Bronchitis, a viral infection, typically brings swelling of the bronchi, tubes that transport air to and from the lungs. The inflammation narrows the air passages, making it difficult to breathe properly. Occurrence of dry or phlegm producing cough will depend on how far the infection has affected the respiratory tract. In case the colonization of the virus remains restricted to the lower respiratory tract, persistent dry cough is the lightly outcome. Mucus generating cough lasting for a minimum period of 3 months point towards chronic bronchitis.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Forceful coughing at night has also been attributed to acid reflux disease, a condition in which stomach acid travels in the backward direction and reaches the food pipe and the throat. This happens because the food pipe shows its inability to close properly. This abnormal back flow of stomach acid triggers a burning sensation in the chest and dry or mucus generating cough. Acid reflux coughing may begin soon after a heavy meal. In some cases, stomach acid that has accessed the throat may gain entry to the lungs. So, the coughing action associated with acid reflux is the body's mechanism of eliminating the trapped corrosive acid in the lungs.

Allergic Reaction
Exposure to allergens, which can be air borne particles such as dust and pet dander during nighttime can also lead to sudden bouts of coughing. The immune system considers allergens as harmful substances, and so when they are inhaled, they irritate the respiratory tract. The irritation causes accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract. To get rid of this mucus buildup, the person may excessively cough temporarily. Apart from forceful coughing, contact with allergens can also cause itchy watery eyes and congested nose.

Low Iron Diet
When the diet is poor in iron, it is obvious that the person will be sooner or later be diagnosed with deficiency of this dietary mineral. People who are iron deficient often whine about sore throat, which eventually causes forceful coughing. Increasing the intake of dietary iron will reduce irritation in throat and subsequently reduce the cough.

Treatment

Coughing at night can be indeed annoying, but an easy way to stop it would be to use Vicks VapoRub (Grease-less). A small of bottle of Vicks VapoRub is not at all costly, and is available at various drugstores. Firstly, soak a cloth in warm water and then use it to clean the bottom of the feet. Take some amount of VapoRub from the bottle and apply it evenly to the soles of the patient's feet. Applying it in excessive amounts will make it wet and cause discomfort to the patient. After applying it carefully, ask the patient to wear thick woolen socks.

This procedure prescribed by many doctors works like a magic wand to stop coughing. You will notice the difference within minutes. Vicks VapoRub when used this way can stop coughing fits within 5-7 minutes, thus allowing the patient to have a good night's sleep. People experiencing persistent bouts of cough at night have found relief for quite some time after covering feet soles with Vicks VapoRub.

Gargling With Salt Water
One can also get considerable relief from a bad, noisy cough that keeps everyone awake, by gargling several times with warm salt water. Mix half a teaspoon of salt properly into a cup of warm water and then gargle to reduce cough.

Honey
Research has show that honey is an effective approach towards decreasing frequent bouts of cough that happen at night. Honey is completely safe and is often prescribed for children having coughing fits. A single dose, as recommended by the doctor, before bedtime can provide immense relief from persistent cough, and allow the child to sleep happily.

Use of steam can also help in a great way to stop coughing. Steam soothes the irritated throat and airways to ease cough. Massaging a chest rub in which eucalyptus is an active ingredient can provide relief for many hours. Keeping indoors clean, free from dust mites and other allergens can also stop episodes of nighttime coughing.

Medicines
Tessalon Perles (Benzonatate) is a drug that is prescribed for people suffering from persistent coughing at night. This oral medication can suppress and even stop cough caused due to allergies and colds. Tessalon Perles is a great remedy for chronic dry cough. This drug has been very effective to relieve cough, however, consultation with a doctor is essential before taking this medicine. This is because the drug is not suitable for certain medical conditions like asthma. Even pregnant women and children less than 10 years old are advised to stay away from this drug.

Many times, usage of cough suppressants is not recommended if it is a phlegm producing cough. In such cases, coughing actually expels the phlegm and reduces irritation. However, using these drugs would prevent this stuff from coming out of the body and cause further health complications. A better option would be to drink plenty of water so as to keep the body well hydrated. This will liquefy the phlegm so that it easily comes up while coughing.

Over-the-counter medications such as cough syrups, if used judiciously, can help to get rid of nagging cough at night. In case asthma is the cause of cough, then asthma inhalers can be used to subside cough. Cough syrup that has natural ingredients like honey have also proved extremely useful to relieve cough. In case the aforementioned remedies provide temporary relief, with night cough resuming again, then it is indicative of a serious health issue, and so the first priority should be to consult a competent doctor and take the necessary treatment as per the diagnosis.