Dry Cough

Did you have a recent viral fever or influenza? If yes, chances are that you may get a persistent dry cough also called post-viral cough. That may be due to the infection not healing completely or may be because of other underlying problems such as medicine induced cough, gastroesophageal reflux or asthma. Inflammation of the upper airways and the throat, are other reasons of dry cough and unlike the other type of cough, there is no production of phlegm or mucus. Being dry, it's quite irritating, but other than the cough, the chest does not remain congested after a viral fever.

Dry cough may also occur due to change in atmospheric temperature, air pollutants or dry atmosphere. Usually this type of cough appear suddenly and lasts for about a couple of weeks.

Dry Cough Causes

Usually dry cough at night is a common problem most people face. Other than infections like flu and cold, it may be due to sinus infections. Moreover, if a person has been exposed to chemical fumes, dust or smoke, the chances of this condition appearing are high. Other common dry cough causes include allergies and smoking cigarettes. By coughing the body tries to remove outside bodies, but usually it's of no help, rather it becomes uncomfortable.

In some instances, cough may be a symptom of some serious medical conditions of the lungs like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute bronchitis or pneumonia. So if the cough goes on for more than a couple of weeks, you need to go to a medical practitioner so as to diagnose the exact cause of cough. If you have been on drugs to reduce blood pressure, there may be chances that you can get cough which is dry. In such a case, it's recommended that you talk to your doctor and change the medicine which you have been using for reducing blood pressure.

Dry Cough Symptoms

It's hard to miss the dry cough symptoms. No mucus would be formed and you would get a ticklish sensation in your throat. At times it would be so irritating that there would be intense bouts of coughing, thereby, resulting in redness of the face and fatigue. Moreover, you may also find it difficult to breathe or talk.

Dry Cough Remedies

This condition is usually nothing serious and goes away after a few weeks. There are several dry cough treatment options which you can try out at home before going to a doctor. Try drinking warm water instead of cold water during the day so as to ease cough. One of the best dry cough home remedy is to mix some lemon juice and honey in warm water and drink it at least three times every day. Another effective measure is to mix some salt in warm water and gargle at least thrice a day. You can also opt to add warm spinach juice instead of salt with warm water and gargle with it.

Besides the above mentioned options, chewing small pieces of fresh ginger mixed with salt is another excellent dry cough remedy. In case you find chewing raw ginger troublesome, you can chop them into small pieces and boil them in a cup of water. Boil till about half the water remains in the cup and before drinking this water strain it. If you want to improve its taste, you can add some honey in it.

Eating a few balls of black pepper would also do the trick, but make sure that you add caraway seeds in it. Keep sucking it for sometime so as to relieve irritation. For dry cough in children, an excellent remedy is to add some honey in hot milk and have it before sleeping at night. This method can also be adopted by adults and it provides instant relief. Mixing honey with grape juice is another effective remedy for treating it. Mixing coconut milk (about 3 tbs) with half a spoon of Cuscus grass can also be useful. The natural antiseptic properties of turmeric, make it an excellent option for treating it. You just need to add a spoon of honey to some turmeric and drink it.

Thus, there are several remedies for dry cough, but if coughing does not stop even after applying these above mentioned home remedies you need to see a doctor immediately. If the cough persists it may be a sign that there is some other condition which effects your body.