What Causes a Dry Cough, and How Can You Treat It?

What Causes a Dry Cough, and How Can You Treat It?

Medically reviewed by Amelia MacIntyre, DObrizmaker / Getty ImagesA dry cough doesn't produce mucus or phlegm, unlike a wet (productive) cough. A tickling or scratchy sensation in the throat prompts a cough. A natural reflex, it helps protect your airways and lungs from irritants such as smoke, pollution, or infection-causing germs.Upper respiratory infections like the common cold are among the most common causes of acute (short-term) dry coughs…