Itchy throat and cough only at night: possible causes

Allergic rhinitis can cause drainage from the nose into the throat after you lie down. Dust mites, pet dander, and dry air may be concentrated in the sleeping environment. Reflux can irritate the throat when lying down, sometimes with a sour taste or hoarse voice. Asthma may cause night cough, wheeze, chest tightness, or breathlessness, while a recent cold can leave sensitive airways after other symptoms settle. A night-only pattern points to timing and exposure, not to one certain diagnosis.

Write down when the cough starts, whether opening a window or leaving the room changes it, what you ate before bed, and whether you snore or wheeze. This can make a clinical review more useful.

Keep the bedroom free from smoke, incense, sprays, and strong fragrances. Reduce dust, wash bedding regularly, and consider whether pets should stay outside the sleeping area. Drink water, try saline nasal care for congestion, and keep the air comfortably humid without allowing dampness or mould to build up. Leave time between dinner and lying down if reflux is suspected. If you have prescribed asthma treatment, follow your written plan rather than changing doses yourself.

Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, faintness, sudden throat swelling, or inability to swallow. Arrange medical review when night cough is recurring, sleep is repeatedly broken, wheeze or chest tightness appears, or symptoms persist after a cold. Prompt advice is also sensible if a new food or medicine preceded throat symptoms.

Ask whether the pattern fits nasal allergy, asthma, reflux, or post-infectious irritation; whether your bedroom needs an allergen plan; and which treatment should be tried or avoided.