2023-06-16 10:58:22
Causes of chronic dry cough at night
If the cough lasts longer than four weeks, it is classified as chronic. There are many reasons for a chronic dry cough at night. Below you will find a list of the most typical diseases that occur in connection with a nocturnal dry cough:
- lung infection
- Asthma (also allergic)
- Chronic bronchitis
- COPD
- Tuberculosis
- Destruction of the alveoli
- cystic fibrosis
- side effect of medication
- whooping cough
- lung cancer
- reflux disease (heartburn)
- Heart attack
- heart muscle inflammation
Also read: These home remedies help against cough >>
If you would like to learn more about the various diseases, we recommend that you “Lungologists on the Net” website to visit. There you will receive information on almost all lung diseases.
Difference: unproductive and productive cough
In order to effectively combat a non-productive cough, it is important to distinguish between a dry cough (nonproductive cough) and a cough with phlegm or phlegm (productive cough). The therapeutic approaches for these two types of cough can differ significantly from each other.
Causes of a dry cough at night
1. Laryngitis: Coughing fits, especially at night, can occur during laryngitis. The cough caused by laryngitis is always dry. Additional symptoms may include:
- hoarseness
- Scratchy throat
- difficulties swallowing
Inflammation of the epiglottis also causes the following symptoms:
- Fever
- difficulty breathing
- shortness of breath (rare)
The likelihood that you will only suffer from a nocturnal cough with laryngitis is extremely low.
2. Inflamed Trachea: The so-called tracheitis is a disease that occurs mainly in children, but can also affect adults. There are two forms of tracheitis: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation of the tracheal mucous membranes causes coughing, hoarseness, fever and a burning sensation below the breastbone. Chronic tracheitis often results from damage caused by inhaling harmful substances, such as from smoking or narrowing of the trachea. A relaxed trachea can also contribute to the development of tracheitis.
3. Bronchitis: Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes in the bronchi, the air tubes in the lungs. A distinction is made between acute and chronic bronchitis. The acute form is one of the most widespread diseases and occurs together with a cold in about 50 percent of cases. In addition to a dry cough, typical signs of acute bronchitis include the following symptoms:
- hoarseness
- Fever
- Sore throat, headache and body aches
- night sweats
- burning sensation under the breastbone
After a few days, the dry cough of bronchitis turns into a mucous cough with sputum. Chronic bronchitis is present when it lasts at least three months. Possible causes are smoking, air pollution, emphysema, asthma or inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. The cough in chronic bronchitis is almost always accompanied by expectoration of mucus. Unlike the acute form, chronic bronchitis is not contagious unless there are additional respiratory infections. Regardless of whether the bronchitis is acute or chronic, a doctor should be consulted.
4. Pollutants: If the cough only occurs at night and in the bedroom, this could be due to pollutants in the air in the room. For example, mold in the bedroom can cause a dry cough at night. Dust or exhaust fumes can also lead to coughing fits at night. For people with allergies, there is a possibility that allergy symptoms are more pronounced at night. One reason for this could be that, for example, pollen accumulates in the hair during the day and causes discomfort during the night. Especially with long hair, this can lead to practically lying in an allergy trigger at night.
Causes of cough with sputum
Coughing with sputum (phlegm) can also have various reasons and disturb the night’s sleep:
1. Pneumonia: Pneumonia, also known as pneumonia, is an inflammation of the air sacs in the lungs, which swell due to increased blood flow. As a result, fluid builds up that needs to be coughed up. Viruses or bacteria can cause pneumonia. In Germany, around 400,000 people contract this disease every year, which often occurs together with the flu.
2. Cold: As mentioned earlier, the common cold is the most common trigger for a non-productive cough at night. In such cases, it is usually a productive cough.
3. Bronchitis: If acute bronchitis lasts longer than four weeks, it develops into chronic bronchitis. The type of cough often also changes, from dry to wet with mucus and sputum over the course of the disease. It is important not to confuse chronic bronchitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which we will discuss in more detail below.
COPD as a cause of nocturnal cough
Also known as chronic obstructive bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that is present during the day but increases significantly at night. COPD does not appear suddenly, but develops slowly over several years. In most cases, smoking is the main trigger for this disease. In fact, about 80 to 90 percent of all COPD cases are due to smoking.
What exactly is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease causes narrowing of the airways, either with or without emphysema (damage and overexpansion of the air sacs in the lungs).
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What symptoms are typical of COPD?
In everyday life, we only use about ten percent of the total lung volume. With low physical exertion, such as not exercising or doing heavy work, we only use a small part of our lung capacity. As a result, lung function can decline unnoticed for years without us consulting a doctor. Often the first signs of COPD do not appear until much of the volume has already been lost. Symptoms include:
- breath sounds when breathing (hum or whistling)
- sputum
- daily cough for a long period of time
- shortness of breath during physical activity
- increased symptoms of cold or flu
What are the causes behind COPD?
COPD can develop when our airways are repeatedly exposed to harmful substances such as tobacco smoke, gases or dust. As a result, the bronchi become inflamed and the air sacs in the lungs over-expand, damaging the cilia in the lungs.
Under normal circumstances, the cilia are mobile and transport dust and pathogens out of the lungs. However, when they are destroyed, as in COPD, they can no longer perform this self-cleaning function. This causes the bronchi to become blocked and oxygen uptake is reduced.
What helps against a dry cough at night?
First of all, it is important to consult a doctor in the case of serious illnesses. Most lung diseases can be successfully treated if they are detected early. In addition, there are of course also measures that you can take yourself to alleviate your symptoms:
- Creating a good indoor climate: Ensure a pleasant room climate. Is the air in the bedroom too dry? Ideally, the humidity should be between 50 and 70 percent. Many thermometers also have a humidity measurement function. A bowl of water can help increase the humidity in the room.
- Change sleeping position: Be sure to elevate your sleeping position. This not only improves breathing, but also promotes the drainage of mucus. It also makes it more difficult for stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus.
- Home remedies: Try various home remedies to relieve the urge to cough. Honey, for example, is an effective remedy for a hacking cough at night. Teas can not only help you fall asleep, but also help with coughs – for example those with thyme, ivy or primrose root. Inhaling saline steam before bed can also relieve a nighttime cough by moistening the airways. A steam bath with chamomile can also provide relief.
- Natural Medicines: If the previous tips against nocturnal cough are not effective, you can also resort to medication. However, before taking any medication yourself, it is advisable to consult a doctor. They can then prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
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