8 possible causes and treatments

A morning cough can occur due to an illness or another health condition, such as allergies or asthma. But if the cough lingers, you may need medical treatment.

Many things can cause a morning cough. Coughing is your body’s way of clearing irritants from your respiratory system. Often, it isn’t a sign of a serious medical condition.

Let’s examine eight potential causes of your morning coughing fits and look at how you can treat them.

While you sleep, phlegm and other irritants can pool in your lungs and throat. When you become active in the morning, the phlegm starts to break up and may trigger a coughing fit.

A cough that produces phlegm is known as a wet cough or productive cough. If it doesn’t produce phlegm, it’s called a dry cough or unproductive cough. Knowing which type you have can help you narrow down the cause.

If you have a cough in the morning, the common cold is a likely cause. The average American has two to three colds per year, and children usually have more. A persistent wet cough is one of the most common symptoms.

Many people find their cough is worse in the morning from phlegm that accumulates overnight.

Other symptoms of the common cold include:

• sore throat
• body aches
• fatigue
• headache
• sneezing
• runny nose

Treatment

Treatments for a cough caused by the common cold may include:

• drinking warm tea with honey
• decongestants or antihistamines
• cough suppressants or expectorants
• using a saline nasal spray or breathing in warm vapor to clear mucus that may cause a cough

As your doctor whether these medications, especially those available over the counter, are safe for a child.

Learn more about treatments for the common cold.

Respiratory infections are a group of infections that target either your upper or lower respiratory tracts.

The common cold is a type of respiratory infection, but there are many other types that can also cause a cough, such as COVID-19, the flu (influenza), and pneumonia.

Bronchitis is another type of respiratory infection that causes inflammation of the bronchial tubes in your lungs. It can be either acute or chronic.

Acute bronchitis is usually caused by an infection such as the common cold. Respiratory infections like bronchitis can potentially increase phlegm buildup overnight, leading to coughing fits in the morning.

Along with cold-like symptoms, respiratory infections can cause:

• fever
• general malaise
• wheezing
• chest tightness
• nasal congestion
• gastrointestinal symptoms

Treatment

The treatment for a cough caused by respiratory infection that is not the common cold can depend on the type of infection and whether it affects the upper or lower airway.

In most cases, you can turn to many of the same treatments that you would use for the common cold, as the symptoms can be similar.

If you also have a fever, you may also take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Speak to your doctor before giving your child an NSAID or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Other treatments may include:

• antiviral therapy
• antibiotics for bacterial infections

Learn more about respiratory infections.

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is an immune reaction to airborne allergens such as pollen, pet dander, or dust mites.

Symptoms can include:

• runny nose
• nasal congestion
• dry cough
• headaches
• watery eyes
• wheezing
• shortness of breath

Because dust mites tend to live in bedding, people with dust mite allergies usually experience worse symptoms at night and in the morning.

Pollen counts are generally highest in the morning and may worsen your cough in the morning if you have a pollen allergy.

Treatment

Potential treatments for a cough caused by allergies include:

• antihistamines
• corticosteroids
• decongestants

Learn more about treatments for allergies.

A postnasal drip is one of the reasons allergic rhinitis or a respiratory infection can lead to a cough. This is when your body produces excess mucus that builds up in the back of your nose and drips into your throat. It’s often a symptom of colds, allergies, or eating spicy foods.

Symptoms include:

• a constant feeling of needing to clear your throat
• a wet cough that’s worse at night or in the morning
• nausea
• sore or scratchy throat
• bad breath

Postnasal drip tends to cause the most discomfort at night when you are sleeping. You may still feel the urge to clear your throat when you wake up.

Treatment

You can relieve postnatal drip by:

• using a saline spray or netipot to rinse out your sinuses
• decongestants
• antihistamines
• staying hydrated, which can help thin the mucous

Learn more on how to treat postnasal drip.

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes the airways to your lungs to swell. This swelling can make it difficult to breathe. Asthma severity can range from barely noticeable to life threatening.

The most common symptoms of asthma include:

• dry or wet coughing
• wheezing
• trouble breathing
• chest tightness
• fatigue

Many people with asthma have a cough that’s worse at night or in the early morning. If you have cough-variant asthma (CPA), your symptoms may be entirely confined to a cough that doesn’t seem to go away.

Treatment

If you have asthma, you can control your symptoms using short-acting and long-acting medications. These include:

• inhaled corticosteroids
• bronchodilators
• nebulizers

For more severe asthma, other treatment options are available. Learn more about asthma treatments.

COPD is a group of progressive pulmonary diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

The most common cause of COPD is smoking tobacco. The primary symptoms of COPD are a wet cough and trouble breathing.

Other symptoms include:

• wheezing
• chest tightness
• frequent sickness
• fatigue

Late-stage COPD may cause emergency symptoms, such as:

• bluish lips or gray fingernails from low oxygen levels
• confusion
• inability to catch your breath or talk
• rapid heart rate

Symptoms can appear at any time of day, but in general, people with COPD experience the worst symptoms in the morning.

Treatment

COPD treatment options include:

• quitting smoking (quitting can be difficult, but a doctor can help create a plan that works for you)
• bronchodilators
• oxygen therapy
• surgery

Learn more about treatments for COPD.

Recent research has shown that as much as 85% of chronic cough cases may be caused by GERD. GERD occurs when your stomach acid frequently flows back into your esophagus from your stomach.

Symptoms include:

• chronic cough
• burning in your chest, often after eating
• chest pain
• swallowing difficulty
• feeling of a lump in your throat

GERD commonly causes a cough after eating and when lying down. Some people with GERD may notice their cough is worse in the morning after spending the night lying in bed.

Treatment

Treatment options for GERD include:

• antacids
• medications to reduce stomach acid production
• prescription-strength proton pump inhibitors
• prescription-strength h3 receptor blockers
• surgery

Learn more about treatments for GERD.

If you find you are congested and coughing for a long time, you may have a sinus infection (sinusitis). The congestion in your nose can accumulate overnight, making you cough more when you wake up.

Other symptoms of a sinus infection include:

• postnatal drip
• sore throat
• headache
• bad breath
• pain in your face

Treatment

If your sinus infection is bacterial, you will need to take antibiotics. However, in many cases, a sinus infection can go away on its own.

In the meantime, you can use many of the same treatments that you would use for the common cold, other respiratory infections, allergies, or postnasal drip.

In addition, you can also place a warm compress on your nose and forehead to reduce your sinus pressure and help thin out mucus.

Learn more about treatments for a sinus infection.

If your morning cough doesn’t go away after several weeks, you should visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

A morning cough is also frequently paired with other symptoms. If you experience these symptoms, you should speak to a doctor:

• fever of 39°C (102.2°F) or higher in children, 38°C (100.4°F) or higher in a baby under 3 months old, or 39.4°C (103 degrees°F) in an adult
• greenish-yellow phlegm
• wheezing
• unexplained weight loss
• ankle swelling

Other symptoms may be more serious. Seek emergency help if you experience:

• trouble breathing
• severe headache
• dehydration
• fainting
• drowsiness or fatigue lasting longer than 2 weeks
• choking
• confusion
• coughing up blood or phlegm with a pink tint
• trouble swallowing
• chest pain

Medical emergency

Coughing up blood may be a sign of a serious medical issue. You should see a doctor if you see blood in your phlegm. Possible causes include:

• COPD
• lung cancer
• throat irritation
• respiratory infections
• asthma
• bronchitis
• pneumonia

Read on for answers to common questions about morning cough.

How do I stop coughing in the morning?

The best treatment option for your cough depends on the underlying cause. There isn’t a cure for the common cold or for respiratory infections. Getting plenty of rest will help your body fight the infection faster. Cough medication can help suppress your urge to cough, while decongestants can help manage postnasal drip.

How do I know what’s causing my morning cough?

The best way to know the cause of your morning cough is to see a doctor, especially if you also have other symptoms. The doctor will likely listen to your breathing with a stethoscope. They may send a sample of your mucus to a lab to search for a viral infection or measure your lung function with a spirometry test. If this is not enough to identify the cause, they may order imaging tests like an X-ray or a CT scan, or a scope test called a bronchoscopy to look inside your lungs with a small camera.

What’s causing my baby to cough in the morning?

Babies can experience morning coughs for many of the same reasons as adults and older children. When coughing in babies and children is caused by a respiratory infection, it appears in 46%-56% of children. Specific infections that can occur in young children include croup and whooping cough (pertussis).

There are many potential causes of a morning cough. Often, a morning cough isn’t a need for concern.

However, if it persists for more than 2 weeks or if you’re having trouble breathing, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Morning Coughs

What is my morning cough all about?

We all know that tickly throats and mucus moments can occur any time and any place (e.g., a crowded airplane, your kiddo’s piano recital or during a classroom lecture). But coughing spells often happen first thing in the morning. And they can happen for a variety of reasons.

Why are coughs worse in the morning?

Coughing is the body’s natural defense mechanism to clear out mucus, microorganisms and foreign particles from your respiratory system. When you sleep at night, phlegm and other irritants can settle in your lungs and throat. When the body wakes and becomes active, the phlegm begins to break up and can trigger a coughing spell.

Normal reflexes also slow down when you sleep—including the need to cough.

What causes morning coughs?

Morning coughs are a common health issue and can happen for a variety of reasons. Here are the most common causes of a nagging morning cough:

• Post-nasal drip or congestion. When excess mucus from the nose builds up, it needs to go somewhere. When it drains down the back of the throat, it can cause an upper airway cough. Post-nasal drip is probably the most common cause of morning coughs and is often a biproduct of a cold or flu or allergies.
• Dry mouth. Your mouth and throat can become parched at night, especially if you don’t drink enough fluids, sleep in a dry room or snooze with your mouth open. In the morning, it’s not unusual to wake up with a hoarse voice and burning feeling in your throat.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, it can cause a burning, painful sensation and frequent heartburn. Some people experience symptoms at night if they eat shortly before heading to bed, which may lead to hoarseness or coughing in the morning.
• Asthma. Wheezing and breathlessness are typical symptoms of asthma. But this chronic condition can also cause coughing and excess mucus production.
• Chronic bronchitis. Inflammation of the bronchial tubes can narrow airways and increase the production of mucus. This usually occurs when someone is a smoker or is exposed to high levels of air pollutants.
• Smoking. Toxins in the lungs accumulate when people take a break from smoking at night. The body’s natural response is to cough them out in the morning

Less common causes may cause a linger morning cough, including:

• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), a chronic and progressive inflammatory disease that causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.
• Lung infections
• Lung cancer
• Heart disease
• Pneumonia
• Environmental irritants

Morning coughs may also be an indicator of COVID-19, especially if you have other symptoms, including fever, headache, and loss of taste or smell. Even when you no longer test positive for the virus, it’s not unusual to continue coughing up phlegm.

How can I treat a morning cough at home?

If your cough is caused by postnasal drip, home remedies can offer relief, including:

• Nonprescription decongestants or antihistamines
• Saline nose spray
• A humidifier to add moisture to the air and lessen the chance of drying out airways 

A few lifestyle changes can also ease or prevent morning cough attacks:

• Opt for lighters meals and eat at least two hours before bedtime to ease the chance of reflux of stomach acid.
• Declutter your bedroom. Dust and dust mites around your room and in the bedding might contribute to your morning cough. They can also aggravate asthma.
• If you smoke, it might be time to quit. Talk with a Indigo Health provider about how to kick the habit.

When should I see a doctor for my cough?

Coughs are bothersome, but they don’t often require treatment. However, if your morning cough doesn’t go away within two or three weeks, it’s a good idea to talk with an Indigo Health provider about what might be going on.

It’s also important to seek medical care if you have any of the following symptoms with your cough:

• Greenish-yellow phlegm
• Wheezing
• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Excess fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss

If you have any of the following symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek emergency medical care. They may be a sign of a serious medical condition.

• Vomiting
• Coughing up blood or phlegm with a pink tint
• Choking
• Trouble breathing
• Chest pain
• Trouble swallowing

Indigo Health can ease your morning cough (and peace of mind)

Don’t let a morning cough be a part of your daily wake-up routine. Visit one of our convenient Indigo Health locations or book a video visit from the convenience of home – or wherever you are. We’re here from 8 am to 8 pm every day, even on holidays and weekends.

An Indigo provider will assess your symptoms, go over your medical history, order lab tests, and recommend treatment options or prescribe medication, if necessary.

If you have a chronic condition that’s causing your cough, we will work with you to create a treatment plan to help manage your symptoms. And we’ll follow up with you within a couple of weeks to see how you’re doing.

If your cough indicates something else might be going on and you need a higher level of care, our Indigo team will streamline a referral to a specialist.

We’re here for you 

Health care that’s friendly, easy, and centered around you.

Find my Indigo

The doctor listed the unexpected causes of morning cough

https://ria.ru/20210702/kashel-1739514539.html

The doctor listed the unexpected causes of morning cough

The doctor listed the unexpected causes of morning cough – RIA Novosti, 18. 10.2 021

Doctor listed unexpected causes of morning cough

Inflammation of the respiratory tract, smoking and allergies – this is not the whole list of reasons that can lead to coughing in the morning. Dryness and irritation in the throat … RIA Novosti, 10/18/2021

2021-07-02T02:22

2021-07-02T02:22

2021-10-18T12:14

society

health – society

9 0002 all over the world

andrey calls

/html/head/ meta[@name=’og:title’]/@content

/html/head/meta[@name=’og:description’]/@content

https://cdnn21.img.ria.ru/images /07e4/08/12/1575926241_0:322:3068:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_ed511b57d60009704d54c6f10bc2f09c.jpg

MOSCOW, July 2 – RIA Novosti. Inflammation of the respiratory tract, smoking and allergies – this is not the whole list of reasons that can lead to coughing in the morning. Dryness and irritation in the throat can be a sign of a variety of diseases, Andrey Zvonkov, a general practitioner and author of the book “While the ambulance is driving,” said in an interview with Sputnik radio. “If a person is not a smoker, not allergic and does not suffer from chronic bronchitis and inflammatory processes , the cause of the morning cough may be problems with the thyroid gland, with the gastrointestinal tract. This may be chronic gastritis, because the increased acidity, excess gastric juice, cause a feeling of dryness and sore throat. This may be due to diabetes, because due to increased sugar, the mucous membranes dry out, a cough appears, ”explained Andrei Zvonkov. Sometimes a cough can appear as a reaction to some dish, for example, sushi, or to alcohol abuse, the doctor continued. therapist.” A dry cough can occur, for example, due to too dry rice: it irritates the throat like emery, there is a feeling of irritation and itching. Alcohol drunk the day before, as a rule, also dries the throat very much in the morning, and a dry cough appears , tickling and nausea,” he said. A working air conditioner can also be the cause of coughing, the doctor said. “Air conditioners often dry the air too much, and because of this, a dry cough begins,” Andrey Zvonkov specified.

https://radiosputnik.ria.ru/20210114/kashel-1592877960.html

all over the world

RIA Novosti

1

5

4.7 9 0003

96

[email protected]

7 495 645-6601

FSUE MIA Rossiya Segodnya

https://xn--c1acbl2abdlkab1og.xn--p1ai/awards/

2021

RIA Novosti

1

5

4.7

96

[email protected]

7 495 645-6601

Rossiya Segodnya

3

https://ria.ru /docs/about/copyright.html

https://xn--c1acbl2abdlkab1og.xn--p1ai/

RIA Novosti

1

5

4.7

9 6

[email protected]

7 495 645-6601

Rossiya Segodnya

https://xn--c1acbl2abdlkab1og.xn--p1ai/awards/

1920

1080

true

1920

1440

true

https://cdnn21.img.ria.ru/images /07e4/08/12/1575926241_81:0:2812:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2492ce245e9d5cae663447faf0975d03.jpg

true

RIA Novosti

1

5

4. 7

96

[email protected]

7 495 645-6601

Rossiya Segodnya

https://xn--c1acbl2abdlkab1og.xn--p1ai/awards/

RIA Novosti

1

5

4.7

96

9 0002 [email protected]

7 495 645-6601

Federal State Unitary Enterprise MIA “Russia Today”

https://xn--c1acbl2abdlkab1og.xn--p1ai/awards/

society, health – society, the whole world, andrey calls

Society, Health – Society, the whole world, Andrey Zvonkov

MOSCOW, July 2 – RIA Novosti. Inflammation of the respiratory tract, smoking and allergies – this is not the whole list of reasons that can lead to coughing in the morning. Dryness and irritation in the throat can be a sign of a variety of diseases, Andrey Zvonkov, a general practitioner and author of the book “While the ambulance is driving,” said in an interview with Sputnik radio.

«

“If a person is not a smoker, not allergic and does not suffer from chronic bronchitis and inflammatory processes, the cause of morning cough may be problems with the thyroid gland, with the gastrointestinal tract. This may be chronic gastritis, because increased acidity, excess gastric juice, cause a feeling of dryness and sore throat. This may be due to diabetes, because due to high sugar, the mucous membranes dry out, a cough appears, “explained Andrey Zvonkov.

Sometimes a cough can appear as a reaction to a dish, such as sushi, or to alcohol abuse, the therapist continued. “Dry cough can occur, for example, due to too dry rice: it irritates the throat like there is a feeling of irritation and tickling. Alcohol drunk the day before, as a rule, also dries the throat in the morning, and dry cough, tickling and nausea appear,” he said.

A running air conditioner can also cause coughing, says the doctor. “Air conditioners often dry the air too much, and because of this, a dry cough begins,” Andrey Zvonkov specified.

The doctor explained the difference between a COVID cough and a smoker’s cough

January 14, 2021, 02:00

Cough in children

Cough is one of the main symptoms of a number of inflammatory processes occurring both in the upper and lower parts of the system respiratory organs in the event of the onset of a cold.

It should be noted that doctors of different specialties face cough in their practice. It can be not only a symptom of pulmonological and ENT diseases, but also disturb patients with pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system.

From the point of view of physiology, a cough – voluntary or involuntary reflex – is nothing but a forced, sonorous exhalation. The significance of cough for the body of cough is to cleanse the respiratory tract from secretions and from various substances that have entered from the outside.

This is a very important reflex act that promotes the removal of not only pathological contents, microbes, but also foreign bodies from the respiratory tract.

On the other hand, coughing is an important transmission mechanism for acute respiratory infections (ARIs). In addition, it can exhaust, exhaust the patient, which leads to insomnia, muscle pain, hoarseness or aphonia, urinary incontinence and other undesirable consequences. Cough often provokes vomiting, is accompanied by anxiety of the child, worsens the course of the underlying disease.

There are many causes of cough in children. Most often, it is one of the symptoms of an infectious-inflammatory process in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Prolonged cough in children can be caused by passive smoking, disturbed psycho-emotional state, postnasal drip syndrome (PNDS).

In the latter case, in children, the inflammatory process affects the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses. At the same time, the discharge from the nasal cavity flows down the back wall of the pharynx into the laryngopharynx, enters the larynx, where mechanical stimulation of the cough reflex occurs, which causes coughing. The flow of nasal secretions into the pharynx and larynx mainly occurs at night, that is, in a horizontal position, thereby causing the so-called nocturnal cough. During the day, in the vertical position of the body, mucus also flows into the hypopharynx, but it is swallowed reflexively. That is why the syndrome of postnasal runoff, as the cause of a persistent cough, appears precisely at night.

However, chronic cough should never be associated with upper respiratory pathology alone. And chronic cough, even if it manifests itself only at night, always requires clarification of the origin, that is, a detailed examination.

The exact cause of a cough can only be identified through a sufficiently detailed diagnostic search. The highest percentage of coughing occurs in acute respiratory infections (ARIs). A common cause of cough in children, in addition to ARI, is inflammation of the ENT organs (rhinitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tosillitis, adenoiditis). Cough is one of the important clinical manifestations of bronchial asthma, it can be a symptom of the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. The reason for the development of a cough may be a high concentration of harmful substances in the air (tobacco smoke, gas pollution, dry or overheated air). However, it is important to know that the presence of a cough symptom, especially of a chronic nature, always requires the exclusion of a rather severe pulmonary pathology: tuberculosis, fungal infections, whooping cough.

There is a classification of cough.

So, cough in the form of separate cough shocks – coughing – is typical for laryngitis, tracheobronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis.

Another type of cough – pulmonary-bronchial – cough in the form of a series of successive cough shocks, repeated with some interval. The next type – paroxysmal cough – is often observed when a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, with whooping cough, with bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, with various lesions of the bronchial lymph nodes.

Also isolated, depending on the time of occurrence, morning cough – often occurs in chronic inflammation of the upper respiratory tract; evening – with bronchitis and pneumonia; nocturnal – associated with a nocturnal increase in the tone of the vagus nerve and an increase in its excitability – is noted with an increase in intrathoracic lymph nodes, with tuberculosis.

Cough can be wet – productive, or dry – depending on the intensity of secretion in the bronchi and its accumulation.

Dry cough is characteristic of inflammation of the larynx, trachea, whooping cough.

Diseases with dry or unproductive cough are the most difficult to diagnose. At the same time, it is very important to clarify whether the patient has had a viral infection or a respiratory disease, since post-infectious cough during the recovery period after acute tracheobronchitis can be observed for 8 weeks and even longer in case of whooping cough.

At the first sign of a cough, contact your pediatrician immediately! The doctor will carefully listen to the patient and his parents, detail the complaints, collect an anamnesis, assess the nature of sputum, perform auscultation and suggest the cause of such a seemingly banal symptom.

For the purpose of clarifying the diagnosis, a general blood test, a microbiological examination of discharge from the nasal mucosa will be prescribed, and the state of immunity will be assessed by laboratory data.