Coughing at Night

A person coughing at night can be quite irritating as it disrupts the sleep of the entire family. Anyone deprived of sleep are not able to perform their daily tasks efficiently. So it becomes essential to stop the cough of the concerned person. 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 of Coughing at Night

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. Read more on asthma.

Sinusitis: Most people suffering from sinus infection experience coughing at night. Sinusitis causes irritation to the throat which results into coughing. Read more on sinus infections.

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.

How to Stop Coughing at Night?

Coughing at night can be indeed annoying, but an easy way to stop it would to 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 Vapo Rub 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 coughing 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 night time coughing.

Medicines to Stop Coughing at Night

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 a 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.