What should you know about cause of dry cough?

A common cold or acute bronchitis may leave a tickly cough after other symptoms improve. Smoke, dust, fragrance, dry air, and throat irritation can trigger coughing without mucus. Allergic rhinitis may add sneezing, a blocked nose, or mucus running down the throat. Asthma can cause cough with wheeze, chest tightness, or symptoms after exercise or at night. Acid reflux may cause cough after meals, a sour taste, hoarseness, or throat clearing. A cough that continues or keeps returning may need assessment for chronic cough, bronchiectasis, or another airway problem. The cough pattern helps guide testing.

Avoid smoke and other known irritants, drink fluids, and use warm drinks to soothe an irritated throat. Note triggers, timing, fever, breathlessness, wheeze, reflux symptoms, and medicines, including any new treatment. Do not start antibiotics or suppressants without advice; antibiotics do not treat every cause of cough. A clinician may listen to your chest and decide whether testing or an inhaler review is appropriate.

Get urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, blue lips, chest pain, confusion, coughing blood, or sudden worsening. Arrange medical review for a cough that persists, disrupts sleep, comes with fever or weight loss, or occurs with repeated chest infections, wheeze, or breathlessness.

Could reflux, allergy, asthma, infection, or a medicine explain my cough? How long should I monitor it? Do I need chest or breathing tests?