How To Stop Coughing At Night

What Are The Causes Of A Night Cough?

The first step in determining how to stop coughing at night is identifying why it's happening. Some night cough causes are minor, but sometimes night coughing can be a symptom of a serious or dangerous medical problem. Here is a list of the most common causes of a night cough. 

Croup This condition causes an inflammation of the upper airways and often leads to a barking cough or hoarseness. Coughing comes most often at night because of to humidity of night air. See croup.

Asthma This often causes a dry, persistent night cough. Asthma is especially likely if the cough is accompanied by wheezing and lasts for weeks.

Allergies These sometimes get worse at night and result in coughing. For example, some people who are allergic to animal dander report attacks of coughing and wheezing during the night that doesn't take place during the day. You may need an allergist's help to sort this one out.

Breathing through the mouth This is not possible to control while you sleep, of course. Humans are meant to breathe through their noses because the air that passes through the sinus cavity is warmed and moistened on it's way to the lungs. Air that comes through the mouth tends to be cold and dry - and irritating to the throat.

However, mouth breathing is usually caused by an airway obstruction, which of course means you have no choice but to breathe through your mouth. Your doctor can help you clear the obstruction, which usually also cures the night coughing.

Congestive heart failure In this situation, the heart isn't functioning properly and blood isn't carrying enough oxygen to the organs and tissues. Your body compensates by trying to force more air into the lungs, which can result in gasping or coughing.

Acid reflux, also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or more commonly as heartburn. Acid from the stomach seeps through the valve that's supposed to keep it from backing up into the esophagus. Since tissue in the esophagus isn't designed to handle the corrosive strength of stomach acid, tissues in the throat become raw. This can trigger coughing.

Acid reflux tends to happen more at night because you're horizontal when you sleep, which makes it easier for stomach acid to work its way into your esophagus.

Medications Certain prescription medications often cause a dry, persistent cough. The so called ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, which are often used to control blood pressure, are known to cause of a long-lasting dry cough in certain people. Common ACE inhibitor medications include Capoten, Vasotec, and Lisinopril.

Patients taking ACE inhibitors sometimes report that their throat feels slightly raw and sensitive to touch. The coughing can be bad enough to wake them up at night, and they may start coughing just because they rub their throat against a pillow.

Pertussis or Whooping Cough  This is a dangerous, infectious disease featuring spasmodic, uncontrollable coughing that continues until the patient literally runs out of breath. Whooping cough gets its name from a spasm in the throat. This spasm is what causes a "whooping" sound. These coughing "fits," as some people call them, may be followed by vomiting.
 
Post-nasal drip Mucus produced by your sinuses during a cold or flu can irritate your throat and cause a cough--especially at night when you're sleeping and can't clear your nasal passages. Post-nasal drip is common in those who have chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.

Finding a night cough remedy When night coughing begins, many people immediately ask their doctor for antibiotics, thinking that they may be catching a cold or the flu. Such is not always the case though. So don't be surprised if your doctor asks you a number of questions about your night cough before he or she writes a prescription.

Determining the best night cough remedy depends on identifying the underlying cause. There are dozens of products available at your pharmacy, grocery store or online that relieve night coughing caused by colds, the flu, or even post-nasal drip. Click here for more information on such products. But obviously, such remedies won't help if the cause is GERD or a heart problem. This is why it's important to talk to your doctor if your night cough becomes persistent or chronic.