Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy It’s Worse at NightCausesTreatmentSigns It’s Getting WorseChronic Dry Cough
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why It’s Worse at Night
Causes
Treatment
Signs It’s Getting Worse
Chronic Dry Cough
Acoughis a natural reflex that protects your body’s airways and lungs from damaging irritants likemucus, germs, dust, and smoke.
A dry cough does not produce or bring up mucus and has many possible causes, including a chest cold,asthma, andacid reflux. At night, a dry cough may worsen for many reasons, including gravity, exposure to dry air, or increased airway sensitivity.
This article will review what might bring on a dry cough and why it may worsen at night. It will also explore how to manage a dry cough and when to see a healthcare professional.
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Reasons a Dry Cough Is Worse at Night
There are a few possible reasons why your dry cough may worsen at night.
For many nighttime coughs,gravityis a pivotal contributor. When you lie flat to sleep at night, mucus and other fluids can pool together in the throat.
The mucus may be draining from the nose and sinuses (if you haveallergiesor acold), or stomach acid may move up theesophagus(the hollow tube that carries food to your stomach)and collect in the throat if you have acid reflux.Ultimately, the pooling of mucus and other fluids creates a tickling throat sensation that can trigger the cough reflex.
Also,exposure toallergens, namely dust mites in your bedding or pet dander (if you sleep with your pets), can irritate your airways, triggering a dry cough.
Hormone and lung function changesandincreased airway sensitivitymay also be behind a worsening cough at night. These nighttime changes have been reported in individuals with asthma.
What Brings on a Dry Cough at Night?
There are many potential causes of dry cough at night. Four common ones include:
Viral Bronchitis
Bronchitis develops when thebronchi(the tubes that transport air to the lungs) suddenly become irritated and inflamed, causing a persistent cough that may be dry or wet.
How Does COVID-19 Cause a Cough?ACOVID-19 infectioncan cause a dry cough, especially early on, as the virus inflames thevagus nerve, which regulates the cough reflex.An infection with COVID-19 can also progress into viral bronchitis, causing a dry or wet cough.
How Does COVID-19 Cause a Cough?
ACOVID-19 infectioncan cause a dry cough, especially early on, as the virus inflames thevagus nerve, which regulates the cough reflex.An infection with COVID-19 can also progress into viral bronchitis, causing a dry or wet cough.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung condition associated with inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It’s a prominent cause of chronic cough in adults and the most common cause in children.
Asthma symptoms include an intermittent cough,wheezing(a high-pitched whistling sound), trouble breathing, and chest tightness.
Some individuals with asthma only experience a cough, typically dry. This form of asthma is calledcough-variant asthma.
Various factors trigger asthma symptoms, such as viral infections, cold or dry air, dust, mold, cigarette smoke, perfumes, and air pollution.
GERD
GERD occurs when stomach contents move back up the esophagus. The main symptom isheartburn, a burning sensation behind the breast bone. A dry cough may also occur if stomach acid is inhaled into the lungs.
Postnasal Drip
Postnasal drip describes excess mucus from the nose and sinuses that drips down the back of the throat, causing an itchy sensation that can trigger a cough. Postnasal drip has many causes, includingallergiesand colds.
Allergies occur when your immune system mistakes a harmless substance for something foreign and harmful and reacts abnormally. Symptoms include runny nose, sneezing, and dry cough from airway inflammation.
Other
While not an exhaustive list, other possible, albeit less common, causes of a nighttime dry cough include:
What Causes Coughing?
How to Ease Dry Coughing at Night
Easing a dry cough at night depends on the underlying cause, which includes:
What About OTC Cough Medicine?Under the guidance of a healthcare provider, you might consider trying anover-the-counter (OTC) cough medicinefor viral bronchitis, such as thecough suppressantRobitussinortheexpectorantMucinex, both containing dextromethorphan and guaifenesin and either a pain or nasal decongestant. OTC cough medicines should not be given to children under age 6, as they can cause harmful side effects.
What About OTC Cough Medicine?
Under the guidance of a healthcare provider, you might consider trying anover-the-counter (OTC) cough medicinefor viral bronchitis, such as thecough suppressantRobitussinortheexpectorantMucinex, both containing dextromethorphan and guaifenesin and either a pain or nasal decongestant. OTC cough medicines should not be given to children under age 6, as they can cause harmful side effects.
16 Home Remedies for a Dry Cough
Signs of a Dry Cough Getting Worse
Most dry coughs from viral bronchitis clear up on their own and, therefore, can be managed at home.
Sometimes though, a case of viral bronchitis can turn intopneumonia(a lung infection) or resemble a more serious condition, like bacterial bronchitis, a pulmonary embolism, lung cancer, or heart failure.
With that, be sure to see a healthcare provider if your cough is not improving or is associated with concerning features, such as:
How to Diagnose and Treat a Cough
Dry Cough at Night for Weeks: What to Do
A dry cough at night for weeks could indicate chronic health problems like asthma, GERD, or allergies. These chronic health conditions cannot be treated at home.
They require guidance from a healthcare provider and a well-devised treatment plan that often includes a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication.
See a healthcare provider if your nighttime dry cough is lingering for more than three weeks or if you are experiencing recurrent episodes of dry cough.
It’s also essential to see a healthcare provider in the following scenarios:
Why Can’t I Stop Coughing, and How Do I Stop?
Summary
Dry cough is a common symptom and may worsen at night for many reasons, including the pooling of mucus or fluids in the throat and exposure to dry air or nighttime allergens. Stopping a dry cough at night involves addressing the root cause, whether that cause is a chest cold, asthma, acid reflux, or postnasal drip, among other conditions.
While many cases of dry cough can be treated at home, don’t delay seeing a healthcare provider if your cough is worsening, persisting for more than three weeks, or is associated with worrisome features like high fever or trouble breathing.
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15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding gastroesophageal reflux disease.Roda C, Guihenneuc-Jouyaux C, Momas I.Environmental triggers of nocturnal dry cough in infancy: new insights about chronic domestic exposure to formaldehyde in the PARIS birth cohort.Environ Res. 2013;123:46-51. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2013.03.001Pinyochotiwong C, Chirakalwasan N, Collop N.Nocturnal asthma.Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2021;39(2):78-88. doi:10.12932/AP-231020-0986Irwin RS, French CL, Chang AB, Altman KW; CHEST Expert Cough Panel*.Classification of cough as a symptom in adults and management aalgorithms: CHEST guideline and Expert Panel report.Chest. 2018;153(1):196-209. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2017.10.016Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.Donzella SM, Kohler LN, Crane TE, et al.COVID-19 infection, the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes in sleep.Front Public Health. 2022;9:795320. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.795320Morice AH, Millqvist E, Bieksiene K, et al.ERS guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in adults and children.Eur Respir J. 2020;55(1):1901136. doi:10.1183/13993003.01136-2019Amin KAM.Allergic respiratory inflammation and remodeling.Turk Thorac J. 2015;16(3):133-140. doi:10.5152/ttd.2015.4942Glashan E, Mahmoud SH.Cough.Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy. 2018 Dec 28:67–78. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11775-7_5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis).Niimi A.Narrative review: how long should patients with cough variant asthma or non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis be treated?J Thorac Dis. 2021;13(5):3197-3214. doi:10.21037/jtd-20-2026National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Small P, Keith PK, Kim H.Allergic rhinitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(Suppl 2):51. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0280-7Mashat GD, Hazique M, Khan KI, et al.Comparing the effectiveness of honey consumption with anti-cough medication in pediatric patients: a systematic review.Cureus. 2022;14(9):e29346. doi:10.7759/cureus.29346Glashan E, Mahmoud SH.Cough.Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy. 2018 Dec 28:67–78. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11775-7_5
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding gastroesophageal reflux disease.Roda C, Guihenneuc-Jouyaux C, Momas I.Environmental triggers of nocturnal dry cough in infancy: new insights about chronic domestic exposure to formaldehyde in the PARIS birth cohort.Environ Res. 2013;123:46-51. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2013.03.001Pinyochotiwong C, Chirakalwasan N, Collop N.Nocturnal asthma.Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2021;39(2):78-88. doi:10.12932/AP-231020-0986Irwin RS, French CL, Chang AB, Altman KW; CHEST Expert Cough Panel*.Classification of cough as a symptom in adults and management aalgorithms: CHEST guideline and Expert Panel report.Chest. 2018;153(1):196-209. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2017.10.016Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.Donzella SM, Kohler LN, Crane TE, et al.COVID-19 infection, the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes in sleep.Front Public Health. 2022;9:795320. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.795320Morice AH, Millqvist E, Bieksiene K, et al.ERS guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in adults and children.Eur Respir J. 2020;55(1):1901136. doi:10.1183/13993003.01136-2019Amin KAM.Allergic respiratory inflammation and remodeling.Turk Thorac J. 2015;16(3):133-140. doi:10.5152/ttd.2015.4942Glashan E, Mahmoud SH.Cough.Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy. 2018 Dec 28:67–78. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11775-7_5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis).Niimi A.Narrative review: how long should patients with cough variant asthma or non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis be treated?J Thorac Dis. 2021;13(5):3197-3214. doi:10.21037/jtd-20-2026National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Small P, Keith PK, Kim H.Allergic rhinitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(Suppl 2):51. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0280-7Mashat GD, Hazique M, Khan KI, et al.Comparing the effectiveness of honey consumption with anti-cough medication in pediatric patients: a systematic review.Cureus. 2022;14(9):e29346. doi:10.7759/cureus.29346Glashan E, Mahmoud SH.Cough.Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy. 2018 Dec 28:67–78. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11775-7_5
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Roda C, Guihenneuc-Jouyaux C, Momas I.Environmental triggers of nocturnal dry cough in infancy: new insights about chronic domestic exposure to formaldehyde in the PARIS birth cohort.Environ Res. 2013;123:46-51. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2013.03.001
Pinyochotiwong C, Chirakalwasan N, Collop N.Nocturnal asthma.Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2021;39(2):78-88. doi:10.12932/AP-231020-0986
Irwin RS, French CL, Chang AB, Altman KW; CHEST Expert Cough Panel*.Classification of cough as a symptom in adults and management aalgorithms: CHEST guideline and Expert Panel report.Chest. 2018;153(1):196-209. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2017.10.016
Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.
Donzella SM, Kohler LN, Crane TE, et al.COVID-19 infection, the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes in sleep.Front Public Health. 2022;9:795320. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.795320
Morice AH, Millqvist E, Bieksiene K, et al.ERS guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in adults and children.Eur Respir J. 2020;55(1):1901136. doi:10.1183/13993003.01136-2019
Amin KAM.Allergic respiratory inflammation and remodeling.Turk Thorac J. 2015;16(3):133-140. doi:10.5152/ttd.2015.4942
Glashan E, Mahmoud SH.Cough.Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy. 2018 Dec 28:67–78. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11775-7_5
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis).
Niimi A.Narrative review: how long should patients with cough variant asthma or non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis be treated?J Thorac Dis. 2021;13(5):3197-3214. doi:10.21037/jtd-20-2026
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.
Small P, Keith PK, Kim H.Allergic rhinitis.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018;14(Suppl 2):51. doi:10.1186/s13223-018-0280-7
Mashat GD, Hazique M, Khan KI, et al.Comparing the effectiveness of honey consumption with anti-cough medication in pediatric patients: a systematic review.Cureus. 2022;14(9):e29346. doi:10.7759/cureus.29346
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