Wet Cough: Causes and Treatment

A wet cough is one that produces mucus or phlegm. It’s also sometimes called a productive or chesty cough.

“A wet cough is usually what we call a productive cough, where one produces [a buildup of] mucus or phlegm because of the body’s inability to clear it,” says Barbara Bawer, MD, a family medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Westerville.

Mucus comes from the mucous membranes, such as those lining the nose, throat, and lungs. Although people may find it unpleasant, mucus has several important roles. It moisturizes structures of the body and acts like a shield to protect the body from germs and harmful particles.

A wet cough may feel as if you have something stuck in your throat you need to expel, and it may be worse at night, since mucus can collect in your throat when you’re lying down.

A wet cough can be caused by mucus in the lower respiratory tract (lungs or bronchi) needing to be expectorated (coughed up), or it can be due to mucus from the nose or sinuses that drips down into the throat. In this discussion, we focus on wet coughs that stem from infection in the lower respiratory tract.

People often compare a wet cough to a dry cough, which is a cough that doesn’t produce any mucus or phlegm. When you’re sick, you may have a dry cough that later becomes a wet cough. Neither is inherently worse than the other, but they can have different causes and therefore treatments.

Causes of wet cough range from relatively mild viral infections to chronic health conditions and environmental irritants.

Infection

• Colds
• Acute (short-term) bronchitis
• Flu
• Tuberculosis
• Pneumonia

Chronic Respiratory Diseases

The following long-term illnesses may cause a wet cough:

• Asthma
• Bronchiectasis (an uncommon condition in which the airways widen and develop pouches)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially if complicated by chronic bronchitis
• Cystic fibrosis

Other Underlying Health Conditions

Wet cough could be an indication or symptom of a chronic condition, such as:

• Congestive heart failure
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Lung cancer
• Pulmonary edema

Environmental Issues

The following external factors may trigger a wet cough:

• Allergens and symptoms of allergies, such as postnasal drip (an example of productive cough coming from the upper respiratory tract)
• Exposure to pollutants
• Smoking
• Secondhand smoke

A healthcare professional can diagnose a wet cough and prescribe the recommended treatment. If your wet cough is mild and improving, you may not need to seek medical care — you can try home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. For a persistent wet cough, you may need to see a doctor for prescription medication.

Home Remedies

You can also try the following to alleviate an acute wet cough:

• Avoid allergens.
• Drink herbal teas.
• Mix honey into tea or water (except for babies younger than 1 year old).
• Turn on a humidifier.
• Keep your head elevated.
• Take steamy showers.

OTC Medications

When home remedies aren’t enough, you may need to head to the drugstore for OTC treatments, such as cough syrup for wet cough. These are appropriate for a temporary cough.

Prescription Treatments

For a severe wet cough or one caused by an underlying condition, you may need prescription medication.

Antibiotics generally aren’t needed to treat a wet cough, especially if it’s caused by a viral infection. Your healthcare provider may prescribe them if a bacterial infection is causing your symptoms.

You may also need prescription medication for chronic conditions causing a wet cough, such as asthma or GERD (acid reflux). Asthma treatments typically include inhalers, while proton pump inhibitors may be useful for treating GERD.

One way to prevent wet cough is to avoid getting sick with a contagious illness or, if you have a chronic condition, prevent flare-ups.

Ways to avoid contagious illnesses, Dr. Bawer notes, include:

• Vaccination (for contagious respiratory infections such as flu and pneumonia)
• Handwashing
• Wearing masks
• Avoiding exposure to people who are sick

Take steps to keep your immune system strong to avoid or reduce the impact of respiratory infections, Bawer notes, such as:

• Staying hydrated.
• Eating a balanced diet.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Exercising regularly.
• Managing stress.

If a wet cough is due to an underlying chronic condition, you may be able to prevent it by avoiding flare-ups. For example, if you have an allergy that leads to wet cough, avoid known allergens (triggers) and use allergy treatments like antihistamines, Bawer says.

Or, if asthma or COPD flare-ups lead to wet cough, avoid triggers like smoking, she adds.

If a wet cough persists for several weeks, you should see a doctor. You also consult a healthcare professional if your wet cough involves the following symptoms:

• Thick, greenish-yellow phlegm
• Wheezing
• Fever
• Fainting
• Shortness of breath
• Ankle swelling
• Weight loss

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If your cough is accompanied by the following symptoms, seek emergency care:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Choking or vomiting
• Chest pain
• Coughing up pink or bloody phlegm

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You may also consider seeing a doctor if your wet cough worsens over the course of a few days, as this could mean your condition is more concerning, Bawer adds.

• A wet cough is any cough that produces mucus or phlegm, and it can come from either the upper or lower respiratory tract.
• A wet cough is your body’s way of getting rid of irritants or harmful particles, and may be a sign of infection.
• A wet cough is usually treatable with home remedies and over-the-counter drugs, but a severe wet cough or one caused by an underlying condition may require prescription medications.
• Seek out medical care if your wet cough persists for several weeks or head to the emergency room if you cough up bloody phlegm or have difficulty breathing or swallowing.