What Causes Coughing?

Why You Cough at Night, After Eating, and When You Are or Are Not Sick

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A cough is an involuntary bodily response (reflex) to an irritant. Receptors (sensors) in your throat can sense a tickle, dryness, or obstructions that trigger a cough. During a cough, your lungs push air out quickly and forcefully–usually around 100 miles per hour–to force the irritant out of your airway.

Your body could trigger a cough for many reasons, including illness, infections, chronic conditions, indigestion, and certain medications. This article will explore the most common causes of cough and what treatment might help.

Person sitting on a sofa covered in a blanket, coughing into their elbow while looking at their phone.

Johner Images / Getty Images

What Causes Coughing: Acute and Chronic Conditions

Irritants from viruses, chronic illnesses, or pollution cause coughing. Your body knows what to do once an irritant activates sensors that trigger the cough. A healthcare provider needs to determine the underlying cause of a cough to ensure a proper diagnosis and effective treatment.

Infections

Viral and bacterial infections impacting the respiratory tract can cause a cough. A cough is a frequent symptom of infections like the common cold, influenza (the flu), and acute bronchitis. If you cough up mucus, a healthcare provider may ask to take a sputum (mucus) sample to analyze and identify the cause of your infection.

Postnasal Drip

Postnasal drip occurs when drainage from your nose and sinuses flows down the back of your throat, triggering the cough reflex. It is especially noticeable when lying down. Aside from taking medications to dry up your postnasal drip, sleeping propped up on pillows or using a humidifier can help.

Acid Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition that causes indigestion, acid reflux, and sometimes a cough. The reason that GERD causes a chronic cough isn't apparent, but researchers believe it occurs due to gastric secretions (stomach acid) irritating the lining of the esophagus (the food tube, which connects the throat to the stomach).

Heart Conditions

Some heart conditions can cause fluid and pressure buildup in your chest, leading to a persistent cough often accompanied by white or blood-tinged mucus. Congestive heart failure can trigger a persistent cough due to fluid buildup in the lungs (pulmonary edema).

Chronic Respiratory Problems

Various chronic respiratory conditions can cause a persistent cough, including:

With any of these conditions, your cough could worsen during flare-ups (times when symptoms intensify) or as the disease progresses.

Pollution and Smoking

Air pollution, toxins, allergens, cigarette smoke, and other airborne particles can lead to coughing. Cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke (being around someone who is smoking) and thirdhand smoke (smoke that remains in a room or on clothing after smoking) can expose you to long-term irritation.

Breathing in smoke from a fire is short-term but also dangerous. Toxic fumes, heat, and other materials can trigger a cough, depending on the irritants you are most sensitive to.

Can Medication Cause My Cough?

While some medications can treat a cough, certain other medications can cause a cough. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are used to treat high blood pressure, of which coughing is a common side effect. If you are new to using an ACE inhibitor and develop a cough, contact the healthcare provider that prescribed the medication for advice.

What Causes Coughing When You're Not Sick

The duration of your cough can give a healthcare provider clues about what is causing your cough. A healthcare provider may ask you how long you've had your cough. Depending on your answer, they will categorize it as one of the following:

  • Acute cough: Short-term, lasting no longer than three weeks
  • Subacute cough: Lasting between three and eight weeks
  • Chronic cough: Lasting longer than eight weeks

Coughing caused by illness, allergies, or infection usually comes in quickly and lasts between a few days and several weeks, landing it in the acute or subacute categories.

Coughing that continues for eight weeks or more (chronic) often indicates long-term health conditions like GERD, COPD, or heart disease.

If you have a cold or illness that goes away, but a cough remains, make an appointment to see a healthcare provider to diagnose or rule out any long-term medical conditions.

Types of Coughing

There are various causes of coughing when you're not sick. The primary types of cough include the following:

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following with a cough:

Treatment for What's Causing Your Coughing

A healthcare provider may recommend home remedies like using a humidifier or drinking warm fluids for a cough. Various over-the-counter (OTC) medications are available to treat acute coughing in adults.

These medications dry up mucus or block the receptors that cause the urge to cough. In cases of a severe, chronic cough from illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia, you may need an antibiotic or steroid prescription to treat the cough.

When your cough is caused by a chronic medical condition like heart failure or COPD, you must work with your healthcare provider to develop ongoing strategies to control the condition. Flare-ups usually increase symptoms like coughing and can lead to disease progression.

Summary

A cough can develop for various reasons. Colds, allergies, the flu, and other infections are the most common causes, but you can also develop a cough from long-term medical problems involving your heart, lungs, and digestive system. If you have a severe cough or a cough lasting more than eight weeks, see your healthcare provider for additional testing and treatment.

13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Rachael Zimlich

By Rachael Zimlich, BSN, RN
Zimlich is a critical care nurse who has been writing about health care and clinical developments for over 10 years.