Cough Relief Tips: Causes, Treatments & When to Seek Care

A pesky cough can quickly become a big bother. Annoying as it is, though, coughing is beneficial. It’s your body’s way of protecting you from circulating germs and other airborne irritants like secondhand smoke or allergens. At the same time, a chronic cough or bout of uncontrollable hacking can be annoying and even scary.

To sort through it all, we spoke with Shanna Dierker, a Nurse Practitioner with the ThedaCare Urgent Care virtual team. In her practice, she often helps people who are experiencing a cough.

“I meet a lot of people with cold symptoms in the winter and allergies in the warmer months,” she says. “I can answer questions about whether they need an in-person appointment or how to choose safe cough medicines if they have special circumstances such as pregnancy or high blood pressure.”

Cough Causes

If you experience a lingering cough or fits of uncontrollable coughing, it’s a good idea to investigate the root cause and consider your treatment options, Dierker says. Coughing can stem from:

Infections like colds, flu, whooping cough, bronchitis and pneumonia. If a cough worsens after a period of recovery, you may have a secondary sinus infection. This happens when cold symptoms trap mucus, and that leads to bacterial growth. Antibiotics can help in this situation.
“A dry cough from a cold or respiratory illness can linger for four to six weeks,” Dierker says. “If you feel good after recovering despite the lingering cough, it’s generally not a cause for concern.”
Acid reflux, sometimes called heartburn. This happens when stomach acid irritates the throat and airways and triggers a cough reflex or constant throat-clearing.
Asthma and allergens. Pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander or exposure to extremely cold air can cause coughing. These can trigger excess mucus as well as inflame and narrow the airway, which is a medical emergency.
Chronic lung disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an ongoing condition that results from lung damage.

Home Treatment Options

Oftentimes, home treatments offer ample cough care. By soothing your throat so you cough less, you’ll also be able to rest and better heal from a cold or other bug you might be experiencing. Dierker offers several recommendations.

Drink plenty of water to help thin out mucus that is causing post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip happens when mucus forms and drips down the back of your throat. Warm liquids such as soup and tea also work well. Adding a drop of honey to tea can offer extra soothing.
Sit in a steamy shower or use a humidifier to help loosen mucus and soothe your airways with moisture.
Use a neti pot or sinus rinse in the morning and evening to flush your sinuses. Make sure to use distilled water, not tap water.
Avoid irritants like cigarette smoke, vaping mist, strongly scented candles, and industrial odors and pollutants.
Take medicine, such as cough drops or sprays to soothe your throat from that tickly feeling. Over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine can help suppress your cough or loosen mucus. A pharmacist can help you choose a safe and appropriate OTC medicine.

When to Seek Care

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide if you have a cough that will go away in time, or one that needs treatment. Dierker says it’s a good idea to seek medical care if you have:

A cough that lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse over time
A cough that makes a barking or whooping sound
Vomiting from a cough
A cough that’s accompanied by a fever that lasts more than a day or two
Yellow, green or bloody mucus

Care Options

If you do need cough care, you have a couple of options. You may:

See your primary care provider or another member of their team.
Visit urgent or walk-in care for no-appointment-needed, in-person care.
Choose virtual care, which specializes in providing video visits for conditions like coughs and allows you to receive care from the comfort of home.
Seek emergency care if you have a severe or uncontrollable cough. Go to the emergency department or call 911 if you feel like you’re choking or can’t breathe, see a lot of blood when you cough, or have severe chest pain.

“A cough can be persistent and bothersome, but with time, it will often clear up on its own,” Dierker says. “If you’re concerned about your cough or have severe symptoms, our teams are always here for you.”