A dry cough (a cough with little or no mucus) is usually caused by irritation or inflammation of your airways and can range from mild and temporary to a sign of something more serious. Common triggers include viral infections, allergies, reflux, asthma, medications, and environmental irritants.

Common everyday causes

These are frequent, usually less serious reasons people notice a new or nagging dry cough:

  • Recent or current viral infection (cold, flu, COVID): A dry “tickly” cough often lingers for weeks after other symptoms improve because your airways stay irritated even once the infection is gone.
  • Allergies and postnasal drip: Pollen, dust, pet dander, or mold can cause mucus to drip down the back of your throat, giving a constant urge to cough that feels dry or scratchy.
  • Environmental irritants: Cigarette smoke, vaping, air pollution, perfumes, cleaning sprays, or cold/dry air can inflame the throat and airways and trigger a dry, hacking cough.
  • Acid reflux/GERD: Stomach acid traveling up toward the throat—often worse when lying down—can cause a chronic dry cough, a sour taste, hoarseness, or a “lump in the throat” feeling.

Medical conditions that can cause dry cough

Some health problems specifically show up as a persistent dry cough:

  • Asthma: Can appear mainly as a dry cough, often worse at night, with exercise, or with cold air; may be accompanied by wheezing or chest tightness.
  • Long‑lasting infections: Whooping cough, tuberculosis, or post‑viral bronchitis can cause a dry or minimally productive cough that sticks around for weeks.
  • Medication side effects: ACE inhibitors used for blood pressure (names often ending in “-pril,” like lisinopril) famously cause a persistent dry cough in some people.
  • Less common but serious causes: Heart failure, pulmonary embolism (clot in the lungs), interstitial lung disease, and lung cancer can all present with a new or worsening dry cough, especially with red‑flag symptoms (see below).

Simple things you can try at home

These do not replace medical care but can make a mild dry cough feel better:

  • Keep the airways moist: Drink plenty of fluids and consider warm teas or broths; using a humidifier can help if your home air is very dry.
  • Soothe the throat: Honey in warm water or tea (not for children under 1 year), sugar‑free lozenges, and avoiding smoking or vaping can reduce irritation.

-Avoid known triggers: Stay away from smoke, strong fragrances, and dusty or moldy environments when possible; consider a mask in poor air quality.

When to seek urgent help

A dry cough absolutely can be a warning sign, especially if it is new, severe, or changing quickly.

Get emergency care or call local emergency services if a cough is accompanied by:

  • Trouble breathing, fast or labored breathing, or chest pain.
  • Coughing up blood, blue lips/face, or sudden severe chest pain.

See a doctor as soon as possible if:

  • The cough lasts longer than 3–4 weeks, is getting worse, or is unexplained.
  • You have weight loss, night sweats, fevers, or feel very run down.
  • You have known heart or lung disease or take a medicine that can cause cough.

Why a doctor visit matters

Only a clinician who can examine you, review your history, and possibly run tests (like a chest X‑ray, lung function tests, or labs) can sort out exactly why you have a dry cough and whether it is something simple (like post‑viral irritation) or something requiring specific treatment. If your cough is new, persistent, severe, or worrying you, the safest step is to get evaluated in person or through a telehealth visit.