A dry cough (lat. t. sicca) is a cough in which there is no sputum or it is poorly expectorated. A dry cough can also be caused by an infection, allergy, or irritation of the throat and lining of the respiratory tract. As a rule, it accompanies bronchial diseases. With a dry cough, the lungs are not involved in the process of removing mucus and only make shallow inhalation and exhalation. This can lead to rapid lung fatigue and other symptoms.
A dry cough is often accompanied by pain or an unpleasant burning sensation, a feeling of severe irritation, and sometimes even shortness of breath. In many cases, a dry cough is simply one of the symptoms of the disease. For example, this can occur with a common cold, acute respiratory infections, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and so on.
Problems can arise when a sudden cough is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath or chest pain. In these cases, you need to seek medical help as soon as possible.
Complications of dry cough. A persistent cough, especially in children, can cause airway hyperresponsiveness and cause asthma.