What should you know about dry painful cough?

A cough may feel painful when repeated force strains the throat or chest muscles, or when the airway lining is inflamed. A Common Cold and Acute Bronchitis can cause a dry cough during or after an infection. Allergic Rhinitis may cause mucus dripping into the throat. Acid Reflux can irritate the throat, often with a sour taste or symptoms after meals. Asthma may cause cough, wheeze or chest tightness. Bronchiolitis mainly affects young children, while Bronchiectasis and Chronic Cough need clinical assessment when symptoms persist. The presence of a cough does not establish any one diagnosis.

Rest your voice, drink warm fluids and avoid smoke, vaping, dust and strong scents. Honey may soothe a cough for adults and children over one year; never give honey to an infant. Keep the air comfortably humid, and raise your head slightly if reflux worsens symptoms at night. Follow label directions for any medicine and check with a pharmacist if you take regular medicines, are pregnant or are treating a child. Antibiotics do not treat every cough, so do not start leftover tablets.

Get urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, blue or grey lips, sudden confusion, chest pain, coughing blood or a rapidly worsening illness. Arrange a medical review if the cough persists, repeatedly disrupts sleep, causes vomiting, comes with fever or wheeze, or follows choking. A clinician may listen to your chest and decide whether tests or an inhaler assessment are needed.

Could reflux, allergy, infection or asthma explain this cough? What signs should prompt urgent care? Do I need a chest examination, breathing test or a different treatment?