Common causes for chesty coughs

We all cough. It’s perfectly normal. Coughing is a reflex action that your body uses to help keep your airways clear – that’s your nose, throat, windpipe (or trachea, if you want to be all scientific), and lungs. So coughing helps to protect your airways from things that could irritate them, such as accidentally inhaling bits of food or breathing in cigarette smoke. 

But you know that deep, hacking cough when you feel like you’ll cough up a lung? The kind that comes with a heavy, congested feeling in your chest and sometimes even produces some nasty gunk? That’s a chesty cough – this type of cough is your body’s way of trying to clear out mucus from your lower airways. A chesty cough can really slow you down and get in the way of living your best life.

So what causes a chesty cough? Chesty coughs develop when your body produces more mucus than normal. This often happens when you get a respiratory tract infection – you know, those pesky illnesses that cause the common cold and flu. These infections are usually caused by viruses that make your airways inflamed and increase mucus production, and – you guessed it – they can lead to a chesty cough as your body tries to get rid of all that extra mucus from your chest. This is why a chesty cough is often called a ‘productive’ cough.

DURO-TUSS for Chesty Cough

When you’re dealing with a chesty cough, it’s nice to know that you can find relief from your symptoms with over-the-counter medicines, helping you get on with your day. For chesty coughs, look for products that help to break down and loosen the mucus in your airways, making it easier to cough it up and clear it out.

To help relieve your cough, explore the DURO-TUSS® range for chesty coughs.

Always read the product label and follow the direction for use. Individual response varies. Should symptoms persist, please consult your healthcare professional.

Tips to manage Chesty Cough

Chesty coughs associated with respiratory tract infections can take a few weeks to clear up, so it’s important to take care of yourself while you get back to normal. Here’s some things you can try to help relieve your symptoms in the meantime:

  • Get plenty of rest
  • Drink adequate amounts of fluids to stay hydrated
  • Take a hot shower or bath – the steam may help loosen your mucus
  • Consider hot drinks with honey to help soothe your throat and cough

While most chesty coughs clear up on their own within 3 weeks, you should see a pharmacist or medical professional if:

  • Your cough lasts more than 3 weeks
  • Your cough gets worse or is troubling you
  • You have difficulty breathing, cough up blood or experience chest pain
  • You have any other worrying symptoms

Chesty cough FAQs

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You should see a doctor if your cough lasts for more than 3 weeks or gets worse, or if you experience any troubling symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or coughing up blood.

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Consider taking a cough medicine that contains a mucolytic (breaks down mucus) to help your body clear out the excess mucus in your airways.

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A chesty, or ‘productive’, cough is your body’s way of trying to clear excess mucus from your lower airways.

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Try propping your head up with an extra pillow or raising the head of your bed to help prevent mucus pooling in the back of your throat which can trigger coughing.