What to Do for a Dry Cough

Those of you who are reading this article may think, "What's the big deal about a cough?" "What's there to know about it"? These are very logical questions. However, if you have a dry, hacking cough, which can be very irritating to some of us, then you will want to find out how you can help this type of cough from lingering on for days and days.

After reading the information about dry coughs in the book, "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook," I learned a great deal as to what to do if I get another cough like this again.

According to "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise, Handbook," coughing is the body's way of removing foreign material or mucus from the lungs. This kind of cough, where there is a lot of mucous, should not be suppressed because it is needed to clear mucus from the lungs. This type of cough is considered to be productive.

However, a dry cough is considered to be nonproductive because it does not produce mucus and therefore does not remove foreign material from the lungs. A dry hacking cough may develop towards the end of a cold or after exposure to an irritant, such as dust or smoke.

Dry, hacking coughs respond to honey in hot water, tea, or lemon juice. It is suggested to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water everyday. ( Do not give honey to children who are under one year of age). Cough drops can soothe irritated throats, but most do not prevent a person from coughing. Expensive medicine-flavored cough drops are not any better than inexpensive candy-flavored ones or hard candy.

It is also suggested in "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook," that it is a good idea to use an over-the-counter cough suppressant containing dextromethorphan to help quiet a dry, hacking cough so you and those around you can sleep better. Robitussin-DM is also suggested. It is important to remember that if you have mucous in your cough, don't suppress it. Remember, this is the type of cough where you are getting rid of mucus from your lung.

Cough preparations can cause problems for people who have certain types of health problems. They may also interact with certain drugs such as sedatives and certain antidepressants. For this reason, it is important to read the package carefully and ask your pharmacist or doctor to advice you.

Source: Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook