Postnasal drip When the mucus drips into the throat, it can trigger a cough. Although this cough is often productive, it can sometimes also be dry. This will depend on how much mucus there is and how fast it is draining. Postnasal drip may occur with a sinus infection, GERD, or a nasal allergy, such as hay fever.
Cough during a sinus infection is mainly caused by postnasal drip, often accompanied by severe throat irritation. Cough associated with a sinus infection is usually wet and persistent and may tickle your throat.
Yes — a sinus infection can definitely lead to coughing. This particular situation has everything to do with excess mucus and how your sinuses attempt to drain that mucus.
While it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the problem that's triggering a chronic cough, the most common causes are tobacco use, postnasal drip, asthma and acid reflux. Fortunately, chronic cough typically disappears once the underlying problem is treated.
A cough may also be a symptom of a sinus infection. As mucus drips down into your throat, it can trigger a cough. Coughing up phlegm should be a sign that this condition is more than a common cold.
Sinus conditions, such as sinusitis, can produce postnasal drip. This drip sometimes feels like a tickle in the back of your throat, and drainage can lead to chronic cough. This tickle happens when the amount of draining mucus is more than usual.
Most tickly coughs don't require medical attention and will usually clear up on their own within three to four weeks. However, take care and seek the help of a pharmacist or your GP if your cough persists for longer than this or gets worse, as asthma, heartburn or heart failure can be indicated by a tickly cough.
A tickle in the throat can have many causes including sinusitis, dehydration, and inflammation. Treatment will depend on the cause. Everyone has experienced it at some point — a sensation in the throat, somewhere between a tickle and an itch, frequently accompanied by a dry cough.
How long does a cough after a sinus infection last? Most coughs after a sinus infection clear up within a couple of weeks as you continue to feel better and your sinus inflammation resolves, but some people can develop a cough that lasts weeks or even months.
How does it work? Sudafed dry coughs with congestion liquid (previously called Sudafed non-drowsy linctus) contains two active ingredients, dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine. Dextromethorphan is a type of medicine called a cough suppressant. It is used to suppress a dry, tickly, unproductive cough.
See a doctor if you have: Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain. Symptoms that get worse after improving. Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better.
If you have a sinus infection, you will have coughing fits at night when you are trying to sleep.
In the case of sinusitis, mucus often drains down the back of the throat leading to the dreaded symptom of post-nasal drip which can also make your throat sore and cause a persistent cough. If you develop bronchitis, mucus collects in swollen bronchial tubes which makes you cough -- a lot.
Research into Antibiotics and Sinus Infections
About 60% to 70% of people with sinus infections recover without antibiotics, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. In one study of symptom relief, patients given antibiotics generally did no better than patients not given antibiotics.
Sinus pressure without mucus requires evaluation by a healthcare provider for allergies, acute infection, irritant exposure, or headache—notably migraine. Sinus pressure without mucus becomes concerning when persistent, despite treatment for common diagnoses like allergies or headaches.
Acute sinusitis is an infection in your sinuses that typically lasts seven to 10 days. Symptoms include stuffy (congested) nose, facial pain and fatigue. Acute sinusitis often goes away with home care, but you may need medication for acute sinusitis that lasts longer than 10 days.
Although it is rare, a chronic dry cough can be caused by some serious and even fatal conditions, such as: Heart Failure: It may come as a surprise that a dry cough can be a sign of heart failure.
What is a heart cough? In heart failure, your heart muscle has dysfunction that might be due to weak contraction or stiffness. This can allow fluid to back up in yout lungs, creating a condition called pulmonary edema. Your body coughs persistently in an effort to eliminate the excess fluid.
"A cough is considered chronic if it persists longer than eight weeks," explains Dr. Safdar. "At that point, we start to worry whether the cause might be a chronic health condition that needs to be addressed."