Dry Cough Causes

Contrary to what many people believe, dry coughing at night is not limited to young children alone. It is something that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. A person who works in an air-conditioned office is just as likely to develop dry coughing symptoms as someone working in an iron quarry. The thing is, many people tend to ignore dry cough as a seemingly harmless and common phenomenon, hence, the lack of awareness regarding dry cough symptoms, dry cough causes, and dry cough remedies. In the following sections of this article, we will explore the various possible causes of dry cough in children as well as adults, along with treatment options and dry coughing remedies.

Reasons Behind Dry Cough

Dry coughing is normally associated with many different causes. Enlisted below are a few of them.

• Direct exposure to atmospheric pollutants
• Inhalation of vehicle exhaust fumes, chemicals, and other particulate matter
• Airborne infections
• Common cold
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Seasonal weather changes
• Close exposure to pets
• Post nasal drip
• Respiratory tract infection
• Viral infection such as flu, etc.
• Chain smoking
• Extreme dryness (very low humidity) in the surroundings
• Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
• Side effects of certain medicines
• Rapid temperature changes due to faulty air-conditioning
• Laryngitis
• Tracheitis
• Asbestosis
• Chronic dry cough history

Many a time, a dry cough happens to be an early symptom of an oncoming bout of cold and flu, or any other sinus infection. However, that does not mean that you interpret each and every case of dry cough to be an approaching sign of a serious illness. Sometimes, a random case of dry cough at night can be a result of severe dryness in the air, or due to recent exposure to some harmful pollutant matter, etc.

Home Remedies For Dry Cough

The following are certain home remedies which are useful for curing dry coughing in children as well as adults.

• Often, something as simple and basic as a hot shower can help in lessening the irritation caused by dry cough. Standing under a hot water shower for a good 10 - 15 minutes and inhaling the steam can help in moistening your throat and reducing the inflammation.
• Gargling is another option for getting relief from a case of sore throat and dry cough. Mix a little bit of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle as many times as required. However, make sure that the water is not too hot, or else it may burn the inner lining of your throat and result in further soreness.
• Drink enough water. It helps in keeping your throat hydrated and reduces coughing significantly. For added measure, make sure that the water is slightly warm. Adding a spoonful of honey to your glass of water is also a good idea.
• Lozenges are a good household solution to the problem of dry coughing. Keep one in your mouth and suck it from time to time so that it keeps your throat moist and lubricated. As an alternative, you could also substitute it with some chewing gum or mint candy.
• Ginger root is extremely helpful as a dry cough remedy. You can make use of it in two ways. One way is to peel off the skin of a small piece of ginger and keep it in the corner of your mouth. Suck it from time to time and you will notice that its juice helps in relieving the soreness in your throat. The other alternative is to extract the juice from a couple of pieces of ginger and mix them with some honey and lemon. Mix the potion well and drink a spoonful as many as times a day as needed.
• Turmeric powder when mixed with a glass of hot milk, helps in soothing your throat and curbing the urge to cough. For best results, mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder to a large glass of milk and boil the mixture well so that the turmeric powder mixes thoroughly with the milk. This is an effective solution for treating dry cough in children.

Remember, even after you have determined your dry cough causes and tried to treat it, and your dry cough persists despite making use of the above-mentioned home remedies, it is recommended that you visit a doctor for further treatment. After all, health is wealth!