The heating season is a time when our homes are filled with warmth, but along with it often comes an unpleasant companion—a dry cough. This persistent symptom can significantly spoil your mood and well-being, especially when it seems to linger for weeks. Gastroenterologist Elena Pavlova helped to understand why this happens and what can be done to alleviate this condition.
The Main Cause of Dry Cough
The cause of cough is not always viruses; it is rather the circumstances that arise, as our mucous membranes find it harder to adapt when humidity decreases. "Heating devices and cold outdoor air, which is dry in itself, sharply reduce the relative humidity indoors to 20–30% or lower, while the norm for comfortable breathing is 40–60%. Mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and trachea dry out at such humidity, and their protective function, namely mucociliary clearance, is disrupted," explains the expert.
Thus, the mucous membranes become irritated and hypersensitive, responding with a cough reflex to the slightest irritants: dust, their own movements, deep breaths. This results in a dry, unproductive, harsh cough, often worsening at night and in the morning.
Additional Factors That Intensify Cough
Firstly, there is dust. The air from the radiators rises and enhances the circulation of dust, which may contain allergens—dust mite particles, pet hair, and dust itself. There are also chemical irritants, such as fumes from cleaning agents, air fresheners, and building materials. Temperature fluctuations, frost outside, or heat inside the house can exacerbate the spasm of the nasopharyngeal vessels, disrupting blood supply and regeneration of the mucous membranes.
When to Sound the Alarm and See a Doctor
It is important to monitor when a protective dry cough has turned into a symptom indicating the development of a disease. In this case, the cough lasts more than 7 days without improvement from humidifying the air indoors. "If mucus appears, especially greenish, yellow, or with blood, if there is a fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, or severe weakness, this indicates that an infection is developing and bronchitis is forming," emphasizes the doctor.
The heating season can exacerbate such dangerous conditions as allergies, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Action Algorithm: Treating the Environment, Not the Symptom
To minimize the occurrence of dry cough, it is important to start humidifying the air from the beginning of the heating season. Maintain indoor temperatures at 20–22°C, and if the air temperature is higher, ventilate the rooms by opening windows. Elena says: "Use humidifiers, both steam and ultrasonic, to maintain humidity at 40–60%. Measure humidity with a hygrometer and clean the humidifiers well so they do not become a source of infection. If there is no humidifier, use wet towels that can be hung on radiators. You can also place containers of water, houseplants, and conduct regular wet cleaning."
Washing the nose and gargling with isotonic saline solutions 2–3 times a day will help mechanically wash away irritants and moisturize the mucous membranes; inhalations with saline through a nebulizer or steam inhalations can also be used. Sucking on lozenges to stimulate saliva production and soothe the throat will also help.
It is important to consume warm liquids throughout the day in sufficient quantities, such as water, compotes, herbal teas, to keep the mucous membranes hydrated from the inside. Remove irritants—try not to use aerosols during this period, replace feather pillows with hypoallergenic ones, and wash bed linens more often.
Common Self-Treatment Mistakes
There is no need to use central cough suppressants based on codeine without a doctor's prescription, as suppressing the cough reflex during dryness may block the cleansing of the airways, worsening the condition.
"Expectorants like mucolytics for absolutely dry cough without mucus can increase irritation. Do not overuse vasoconstrictor nasal sprays, as they further dry the mucosa, causing medication-induced rhinitis. And do not ignore symptoms, attributing everything to 'dry air'; it is better to monitor them to consult a doctor in time," emphasizes the specialist.
A dry cough during the heating season is a signal for help from the mucous membranes to change the microclimate indoors through humidification, proper temperature, and cleanliness. If, despite all measures, the cough persists or changes character, this is a direct indication for a visit to the doctor.
