Why You Can’t Stop Coughing and What To Do

Common Causes of a Acute Cough
An acute cough appears suddenly and usually goes away after three weeks.1 You may develop an acute cough from an infection, such as a cold, COVID, the flu, or sinusitis.

Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies) is a reaction to allergens. Common allergens include dust, pet dander, and pollen. Your immune system overreacts to these harmless substances and releases chemicals called histamines. This reaction causes symptoms like coughing and sneezing. You may have a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and watery eyes.2

A healthcare provider may administer an allergy skin test to figure out what’s causing your symptoms. Avoiding allergens is one of the most effective ways to prevent allergy-related coughing. You might also take antihistamines. These oral medications block the effects of histamines and reduce symptoms.2

COVID
COVID is a respiratory illness caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. Common symptoms include a cough, fever, sore throat, and shortness of breath. Some people develop asymptomatic COVID, meaning they do not have symptoms.3

The only way to confirm COVID is to get tested. These tests usually involve swabbing the back or front of the nose or the throat. Mild COVID infections typically go away on their own. A healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral medications if you develop moderate to severe illness.3

Flu
Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. Symptoms typically include a cough, body aches, fever, and runny or stuffy nose. Children are more likely to develop diarrhea and vomiting than adults.4

A healthcare provider can administer tests to diagnose the flu. Many people recover at home by drinking plenty of fluids and getting rest. You may require antiviral medications if you are at risk for moderate to severe illness.4

Pneumonia
A cough may sometimes signal a more severe illness. Pneumonia can develop when a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection spreads to your lungs. The infection causes the air sacs to fill with pus, making breathing hard. Your cough may produce mucus that’s green or yellow or contains blood.5

A healthcare provider may diagnose pneumonia by listening to your lungs with a stethoscope or taking a chest X-ray. Treatment depends on the cause. Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia, while antivirals can help with viral pneumonia.6

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)
An upper respiratory infection (URI) affects the upper airways. Some of the most common URIs include colds and sinusitis.7 One of several viruses may cause a cold, which is very contagious. You may experience a mild hacking cough with a cold.8

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi may cause sinusitis. This is inflammation of the sinuses (air-filled spaces behind your cheeks, eyes, forehead, and nose). A cough that’s worse at night is a sign of sinusitis.9

Cold symptoms, including a cough, typically go away on their own. You may use an over-the-counter (OTC) cough suppressant to ease your symptoms.8 You can also treat sinusitis at home. Applying a warm compress to your face and drinking plenty of fluid helps relieve congestion.9

Whooping Cough
You can get whooping cough (pertussis), even if you have been vaccinated. The vaccine’s efficacy wanes over time. Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by bacteria. You are most contagious two weeks after your cough starts.10

Antibiotics may shorten the time you are contagious and keep you from spreading the bacteria to others. Infection can lead to severe illness and may be fatal, especially in infants and young children.11

Common Causes of a Chronic Cough
A chronic (long-lasting) cough, in contrast, persists for more than eight weeks.1 You may have flares of uncontrollable coughing due to chronic illnesses. These include acid reflux, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Acid Reflux
Coughing that occurs after a meal when you lay down at night or get up in the morning may be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or acid reflux. GERD causes stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus (the tube connecting the throat to the stomach). This may cause a reflex that triggers a persistent cough.12 Most cases of GERD are relatively easy to remedy with antacids.13

Asthma
Asthma usually causes trouble breathing, wheezing, and sometimes chronic coughing.14 Symptoms are often worse at night, in the early morning, and during or shortly after exercise. Exposure to cold air and allergens (e.g., pet dander and pollen) may also trigger symptoms.

A healthcare provider may give you breathing tests to diagnose asthma. They might recommend using a medicated inhaler to see if your cough subsides.14

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD is a group of lung diseases that make it difficult to breathe. These include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A cough, which may or may not produce mucus, is one of the most common symptoms. Other symptoms include trouble breathing and wheezing, which worsens with activity.15

A healthcare provider can diagnose COPD using spirometry. This lung function test measures how well your lungs function. There’s no cure for COPD, but certain medications and lifestyle changes can help alleviate uncontrollable coughing.

Medications
Certain medications may cause a chronic cough. These include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) medicines.1

Both drugs treat heart and kidney disease. A dry cough is one of the most common side effects of ACE inhibitors. A healthcare provider may change your prescription if coughing persists.16 ARB medicines less commonly cause a cough.1

Post-Nasal Drip
You might have post-nasal drip if you have a wet or dry cough that’s lasted eight weeks or longer.17 Post-nasal drip happens when mucus gathers in the sinuses and drips down the back of your throat. This creates a tickling sensation that triggers a cough.18

There’s no test for post-nasal drip. You may have other symptoms like a runny or stuffy nose (from allergies or a lingering cold) and frequent throat clearing. Pay attention to the color of your mucus: Coughing up yellow or green mucus may signal a bacterial or viral infection.19

A nasal spray may clear up symptoms. A healthcare provider may advise antihistamines or prescribe steroids to reduce inflammation.18

Less Common Coughing Causes
Although less common, other coughing causes include:

Aspiration: Breathing in a foreign object (e.g., food)20
Bronchiectasis: Damage of the large airways, which causes coughing up mucus that smells foul or is bloody21
Bronchiolitis: Swelling of the small airways, which causes coughing and wheezing22
Cystic fibrosis: A disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, liver, intestines, and more23
MedlinePlus. Cystic fibrosis.

Lung cancer: Cancer that develops in the cells that line the air passages and causes a worsening cough24
Pulmonary fibrosis: Scarring of the lung tissue, which causes a dry, hacking cough25
Sarcoidosis: A disease that causes small, inflamed, red lumps (granulomas) to form on immune cells26
How To Stop Coughing
Some home remedies may help provide relief from uncontrollable coughing. It’s important to continue with treatments prescribed by a healthcare provider if you have a health condition like asthma or COPD.1

Try using some of these home remedies to stop coughing:1

Coffee: Caffeine is a bronchodilator, meaning it helps open your airways.27 More research is needed to know whether coffee can help treat a cough. Do not use coffee in place of treatments for chronic coughing, such as a medicated inhaler.
Cough drops: These can help with a cough that is dry or tickling.
Hydrate: Drinking plenty of water helps thin out mucus in your throat, which makes it easy to cough up.
Medicines: Cough medicine, such as Mucinex (guaifenesin), and decongestants help get rid of a runny or stuffy nose and postnasal drip.
Steamy showers: Taking a hot shower or inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water helps loosen mucus, making it easy to cough up.