Cough – Dry or Wet? How to tell them apart? [WE EXPLAIN]

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It can be a symptom of an ordinary cold, a serious illness, but also a previous infection. It can be dry, tiring, present both during the day and at night, as well as wet, not so intense, but with a discharge that peels off. It sounds scary, although it is the body’s natural defense reflex. Cough – when does it occur, how to distinguish its types and what should be of particular concern to us?

1. Identifying the cause of cough depends on its nature, time of day when it gets worse, age and duration of cough.
2. If the cough is dry, persistent, hoarse or barking, it is a non-productive (dry) cough.
3. A cough that produces phlegm is a productive cough
4. Expert: They should be alarming, among others haemoptysis, severe dyspnoea, chest pain, hoarseness, fever, weight loss, peripheral edema, dysphagia, recurrent pneumonia. Tobacco smokers also require in-depth diagnostics
5. You can find more up-to-date information on the TvoiLokony home page

The causes of the cough

Cough is the result of stimulation of areas located in the organs of the respiratory system – the larynx, trachea, bronchi and nasopharynx, and sometimes also the lung or pleura tissue and the diaphragm. We most often associate it with infection, but the cough reflex is much more common than viral or bacterial infection. It is the body’s physiological defense reaction, helping to clear the respiratory tract of impurities, mucus and foreign bodies.

Coughing when an intense, pungent smell, a fragment of an object (e.g. pollen or dust), or even excess saliva enters our respiratory system, but also when the mucosa of the respiratory tract or organs is irritated, e.g. by the action of pathogenic microorganisms or allergens. Coughing can also be associated with a very serious, life-threatening condition.

Diagnosing the cause of cough depends on many factors, including his character, the time of day when the reflex increases, or the age of the patient. The duration of the ailments is of key importance. On this basis, cough is conventionally divided into acute, lasting up to three weeks, subacute – lasting from three to eight weeks, and chronic, accompanying the patient for up to eight weeks.

– An acute cough is usually a symptom of a mostly viral respiratory infection or allergy. It is also a physiological reaction to the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract, irritating dusts and gases. Subacute cough is most often caused by a previous viral infection. There are many causes of chronic cough and they usually coexist. They can be associated with certain medications for high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic lung diseases such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), interstitial diseases, or with cancer, explains the drug. med. Michał Silber, a specialist in lung diseases, running a pulmonology practice in Wrocław.

Further part under the video.

Zobacz: Cough with coronavirus infection – what is it characterized by?

Dry and wet cough – differences

For the diagnosis of the cause of the cough and the selection of the appropriate treatment, it is most important to determine whether the cough is acute or chronic. However, its type is also important information. When it is dry, persistent, hoarse or barking in sound, it is called a non-productive cough. The cough reflex then starts in the pharynx, larynx or bronchi.

The epithelium, damaged by multiplication of microorganisms, becomes very sensitive to stimuli, such as air flow, but also to the sound of speech, laughter and even breathing. The constant scratching sensation in the throat stimulates the cough reflex both during the day and at night, making it difficult to sleep well.

On the other hand, when the cough comes from the lower respiratory tract and phlegm enters the mouth, it is a productive cough. The discharge can be thick, purulent, yellow or green in color, but also mucous, white or transparent. Its expectoration allows you to cleanse the respiratory tract and significantly supports the fight against the ailment.

For patients, the distinction between non-productive (dry) and productive (wet) cough is not always obvious. It is commonly believed that the only difference between these types of cough is that there is a detachable discharge when wet cough. Meanwhile, the presence of sputum is the main differentiating factor, but not the only one.

– A wet cough, apart from expectoration, is deeper and less tiring than a dry cough. Additionally, its intensity is greatest after waking up, because the secretion accumulated overnight stays in the respiratory tract. On the other hand, dry cough is most often paroxysmal, tiring, accompanied by a feeling of tickling and scratching around the trachea. It occurs both during the day and at night – indicates the pulmonologist.

Although productive cough often follows a dry cough, and in the case of infection, it is a sign of the body’s next stage in the fight against microbes, both types of cough can be intertwined.

This situation occurs most often with an acute infection, which is usually started by a non-productive cough – a sign of the action of microorganisms on the mucosa of the respiratory tract. The body then tries to get rid of pathogens with the help of the cough reflex. On the other hand, wet cough occurs when bacteria or viruses manage to survive in the respiratory tract and begin to multiply there intensively.

– This triggers another defensive reaction in the body and local inflammation develops. This in turn leads to the production of an increased amount of mucus that begins to build up in the airways. Then a productive cough appears – its task is to remove sputum along with pathogenic microorganisms. On the other hand, the subsequent dry cough is the result of bronchial hypersensitivity, caused by damage to the respiratory epithelial cells and the exposure of cough receptors. In the case of excessive reactivity, the bronchi contract under the influence of stimuli that in a healthy person do not cause contractile reactions – explains the drug. Michał Silber, MD, adding that such post-infection cough occurs most often after viral infections and may persist for several weeks until the epithelium is fully regenerated.

Check: Home remedies for cough – how to relieve this persistent ailment in children and adults?

Cough – when to see a doctor?

In the case of common infections (e.g. colds), coughing is one of the few harmless symptoms of developing inflammation, and sometimes it even occurs alone. If a dry cough lasts for several days (three on average) and is followed by mucus detachment, it is likely that home remedies for coughing or over-the-counter medications will suffice.

To soothe dry cough, antitussive preparations with plant extracts such as thyme or coltsfoot, sage decoction or linseed are usually used. Natural antibiotics, such as ginger, garlic, raspberry juice and onion syrup, work well, as well as moisturizing the room where the patient is staying, as well as inhalations, soothing inflammation and supporting the regeneration of the epithelium.

However, it is good to be vigilant and react to the unusual course of cough, especially the accompanying ailments.

As an auxiliary in the treatment of cough, use Cough – herbal-fruit tea with marshmallow root, plantain leaf, mallow leaf, fennel fruit and thyme herb.

– Cough-related alarm symptoms that require urgent investigation include haemoptysis, severe dyspnoeachest pain, hoarseness, fever, weight loss, peripheral edema, dysphagia, recurrent pneumonia, especially at rest or at night. Tobacco smokers with a recent cough or with a change in its nature also require in-depth diagnostics, as it may be the first symptom of a developing lung cancer – emphasizes the pulmonologist.

Any disturbing ailment, especially if it is chronic, should be consulted with a specialist, e.g. during online advice. Treating a cough on your own can not only be ineffective but also harmful.

bow. med. Michał Silber

– It is very important to establish the nature of the cough so that appropriate treatment can be started. In the case of dry cough, antitussive treatment is rarely implemented, only in the case of a very strong, tiring cough. In a productive cough, expectoration of mucus is beneficial because it allows the airway to be cleared. Therefore, it should be supported with the use of mucolytic drugs, diluting secretions and expectorants, and inhalation of a saline solution. In the case of chronic cough, it is necessary to implement permanently medications that may interact with other medications taken by the patient. In such a situation, the physician’s role is to ensure the appropriate combinations of medicinal products and their dosage.

If the situation is not sudden, we can consult a doctor without leaving home, using telemedicine. For this purpose, the patient can make an appointment with the doctor for a television visit.

Could coughing be a symptom of COVID-19?

Due to the high risk of contracting the coronavirus, many of us scrupulously analyze any unusual symptom on the part of the body. The same applies to cough, which is considered to be one of the most common symptoms of infection, although not all types of cough are indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coughing with COVID-19 is dry, persistent, and is often accompanied by shallow breathing and muscle pain. COVID-19 cough is rarely an isolated symptom.

– Most often it coexists with symptoms similar to a cold, such as increased or decreased body temperature, sore throat, rhinitis, malaise, headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, changes in smell and taste, skin changes. In the case of a mild course, these symptoms may be mild and a COVID-19 patient may consider them as signs of a cold, where coughing is also a very common symptom, explains the drug. med. Michał Silber.

In any case, however, be careful and discuss your doubts with your doctor. During the interview with the patient, the specialist can determine the potential cause of cough, classify its type and nature, and select the appropriate treatment.

This may interest you:

1. The most effective expectorant syrup. Which one to choose for a tiresome cough?
2. The most common symptom of COVID-19. It’s not about coughing
3. Cough inhalations – how to perform them?

Substantive support: lek. med. Michał Silber, MD med. Magdalena Orzeł