Not all coughs are the same, and the right remedy depends on which kind you have. Most coughs fall into two groups: wet (also called productive) and dry. Here's how to tell them apart and what each one usually means.
The wet cough
A wet cough brings up mucus, or feels like it's trying to. Common signs include:
• A heavy, congested or rattly feeling in the chest
• Phlegm you can feel moving, or that you cough up
• Coughing that's worse in the morning, after mucus collects overnight
• A cough that comes with a cold or other upper-respiratory infection
A wet cough is your body clearing mucus from the airways. That's a useful job, so the goal is usually to help the cough work better, not to shut it down. That's what an expectorant like guaifenesin is for: it thins and loosens mucus so each cough clears more of it.
The dry cough
A dry cough brings nothing up. It often feels like:
• A tickle or scratch in the throat
• Short, hacking bursts that don't relieve anything
• Coughing triggered by talking, laughing, cold air or lying down
Dry coughs can come from the tail end of a cold, allergies, dry indoor air, smoke or other irritants. Some prescription blood pressure medicines, called ACE inhibitors, are a well-known cause of a persistent dry cough. If you started a new medicine and then developed a nagging dry cough, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.
Because there's no mucus to clear, a cough suppressant may help with a dry cough, especially at night.
Coughs can change
A cough doesn't always stay one type. A cold often starts with a dry, scratchy throat, turns into a congested, wet cough, and ends with a lingering dry tickle. It's fine to match your remedy to the cough you have today.
What about the color of mucus?
Many people believe yellow or green mucus means a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics. In fact, color alone doesn't tell you that. Mucus often changes color during an ordinary viral cold. What matters more is how long the illness lasts and how you feel overall.
When a cough needs a doctor
See a doctor promptly if a cough comes with any of these:
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• A high or persistent fever
• A cough that lasts more than 3 weeks
If you're using a nonprescription cough medicine, the label adds its own rule: stop use and ask a doctor if a cough lasts more than 7 days, comes back, or occurs with a fever, rash or persistent headache.
The bottom line
Wet cough: help it work. Dry cough: help it rest. For a chesty, congested cough, Guai-Aid® Ultra Pure Expectorant gives you guaifenesin and nothing extra: no dyes and no extra fillers, made in the USA. Shop Guai-Aid or view the Drug Facts.
Still deciding between products? Read Expectorant vs. Cough Suppressant: Which Do You Need?
Read and follow the Drug Facts label. Ask a pharmacist or doctor if you have questions.