{"id":57364,"date":"2023-03-01T09:30:16","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T14:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=57364"},"modified":"2025-10-21T14:17:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T18:17:43","slug":"how-to-stop-asthmatic-cough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-asthmatic-cough\/","title":{"rendered":"How to stop an asthmatic cough"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you have asthma? If so, you may cough while working up a sweat on the treadmill. Maybe being outdoors among allergens like ragweed and pollen gives you an asthmatic cough. Or maybe your cough is triggered by indoor allergens like pet dander, dust, or mold, chemical irritants such as perfumes and cleaning products, cold air or air pollution. No matter what the cause, it is often uncomfortable and inconvenient.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Asthmatic cough treatment often includes two prescriptions.\u00a0 These asthma medicines include fast-acting bronchodilator inhalers, which open constricted airways to relieve your coughing attack, and\/or daily corticosteroid inhalers, which keep inflammation in the airways at bay. Certain lifestyle changes can help too. Here\u2019s how to stop an asthmatic cough in its tracks, according to experts.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>RELATED: <\/b>How common is asthma?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is an asthmatic cough?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

As opposed to a viral infection (like a cold or the flu), asthma is a long-term lung condition, says <\/span>Casey Kelley, MD<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified family medicine physician, founder and medical director at <\/span>Case Integrative Health<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>It causes your airways to narrow, making breathing more difficult and can trigger coughing or wheezing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While most might associate asthma with gasping for air, there is a type called cough-variant asthma that produces a chronic cough, Dr. Kelley explains. \u201cThis is generally what we refer to as a non-productive cough in that it is dry and doesn\u2019t produce mucus or phlegm,\u201d she says, adding it\u2019s usually triggered by airway swelling from exercise or exertion; it may also be accompanied by wheezing.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Dr. Kelley, an asthmatic cough is usually chronic, lasting longer than six weeks. Typically, asthmatic coughs don\u2019t respond to traditional OTC cough medicine, and instead requires treatment with prescription asthma medication, she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can an asthmatic cough cause damage to the lungs?<\/span><\/h3>\n

In short, yes. When not treated and managed appropriately, an asthmatic cough (and asthma in general) can damage your lungs, Dr. Kelley says. \u201cLong-term inflammation is never good, and the chronic inflammation of the bronchial passages can cause damage, and permanently narrow the airways,\u201d she says. What\u2019s more, inflammation can cause your bronchial muscles to become enlarged, which can reduce overall lung function.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, because an asthmatic cough can make movement difficult, it may increase your likelihood of health conditions like <\/span>obesity<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>high-blood pressure<\/span><\/a>, explains Dr. Kelley. That\u2019s why it’s so important to form a treatment plan with your medical team and\u00a0 take any prescribed medications as directed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does an asthmatic cough sound like?<\/span><\/h3>\n

An asthmatic cough is usually dry, meaning that it doesn\u2019t produce any mucus or phlegm says Dr. Kelley. It may also be accompanied by shortness of breath and\/or high-pitched whistling or wheezing sound in the chest, but an asthma cough can occur as a standalone symptom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms associated with asthma cough<\/span><\/h2>\n

In addition to causing the airways in the lungs to become inflamed and swollen, <\/span>asthma<\/span><\/a> causes breathing tubes to constrict and tighten, making the lungs more reactive to allergens or irritants. Coughing is the body\u2019s way of clearing irritants from the lung. Along with a dry cough, you may experience:<\/span><\/p>\n