Dry Cough at Night

Dry cough, also known as nonproductive cough mostly occurs at night; usually, after the person has fallen off to sleep. This illness does not have any specific causes in particular, nor it is a different condition than a normal dry cough. What happens in most cases is, a dry cough becomes worse and persistent at night and that is why it may be referred to as dry cough at night. However in some cases it has been studied that the cough suddenly occurs about 2 - 3 hours after the person has fallen asleep. The cough continues for a few minutes and then subsides by itself, only to recur after 2 - 3 hours.

Dry cough at night does not seem to have any kind of symptoms during the day, and the major ill effect it has on the affected person is sleep deprivation. Dry cough may progress into a wet cough at a later stage wherein, there is a formation of sputum in the lungs. Dry cough at night in children has similar causes as in adults, however, the treatment may be different as the age factor comes into the picture.

Dry Cough Causes

The conditions which follow, are considered to be the most probable factors which may trigger the cough at night. They include sinus infection, common cold, asthma, emphysema and whooping-cough. Common cold has always been associated with coughing at night, and asthma is also considered to contribute to the same. Other than these, emphysema (an abnormal condition of the lungs marked by decreased respiratory function) and whooping-cough (a respiratory tract infection), which is most common in children, are the most prominent causes of dry cough at night.

Other Dry Cough Causes

While the above are the common and most possible causes of dry cough at night, other responsible factors may include post nasal drip, asbestosis (lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos particles), habitual cough, laryngitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx; characterized by hoarseness or loss of voice and coughing), tracheitis (inflammation of the trachea), lung cancer, larynx disease and certain types of allergies. Bronchospasm or blockage of the airway could also trigger the condition.

Some more causes may be aftereffects of a chronic dry cough, airborne infections, seasonal weather changes, chain-smoking, low humidity, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Apart from all such diseases, there are certain kinds of medicines or drugs which may also contribute to dry cough.

In some people, the cause may be solely environmental. In certain work environment, exposure to fumes, dust or chemicals may be usual thus, leading to ailments such as dry cough.

Dry Cough Remedy

As said earlier, dry cough at night may deprive the affected person from getting a good night sleep and in general may be painful, and annoying to him/her and for people around him. The following tips can be put to use at home, apart from administering medicines which may be prescribed by a doctor.

# Garlic is one natural medicine which has its uses in the treatment of several diseases in the human body. It is well-known for its abilities to improve digestion, and it helps prevent mild cold and flu. There are multiple ways of taking garlic to get relief from dry cough. Although chewing one or two cloves at a time greatly helps, some people prefer to take it in the form of a paste. Make a thick paste of the garlic and mix with honey. Whenever you feel the urge to cough, help yourself with a tablespoon of the paste. This will cut the pain and the frequency of coughing.

# Every morning after brushing your teeth, take a glass of warm water (not hot but warm) and mix the water with one or two teaspoons of salt and stir well. Thereafter, gargle with the water for 5 minutes or so. Take your time and gargle well. This method also helps in reducing the pain and in subsiding the cough to some extent. This method is also does great for sore throat.

# For dry cough at night, ginger root works miracles! Every night before you go to bed, put a small piece in your mouth and chew it slowly and swallow the juice. You may feel uncomfortable in swallowing the juice, but then you can sleep peacefully with less coughing than normal. Similar to garlic, you can also prepare a paste of ginger and honey and use it when need arises.

# Herbal tea also helps in treating ailment. It not only rids your body of several antioxidants, but soothes a lingering cough as well. Add a few drops of lemon juice and honey instead of sugar and take it hot.

To conclude, it is important to take note of the fact that dry cough at night is an illness which is not common in children only. This ailment has been known to affect people of all ages. So, one should be aware of its different causes, and some beneficial methods to counter its onset when medicines may not be a choice.