Is your cough a symptom of cold or flu?
Our quick quiz helps you figure out if your symptoms point towards a cold or flu.
Check your symptomsA chesty cough occurs when our body expels any excess phlegm out of our respiratory system. This is often caused by an over-production of mucus due to viral infections such as the cold or flu. In this page, our immune system expert Dr. Jen Tan examines the symptoms and causes of a chesty cough, and recommends the best natural solutions to ease any discomfort.
Chesty coughs are triggered by an excessive amount of mucus in the chest. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as mucus coughs.
Doctors classify chesty coughs as ‘productive coughs’ as the act of coughing produces (or brings up) mucus from the chest. This is distinct from dry coughs and tickly coughs which are both ‘non-productive’ coughs resulting from irritation at the back of your throat or pharynx.
Oxygen is brought into our bloodstream via the lungs. The air we breathe moves firstly through the large and medium sized tubes known as the bronchi and bronchioles. These tubes are lined by mucous membranes, so-called because they produce a layer of mucus which covers the surfaces of the tubes.
This mucus lining has a purpose – it traps unwanted particles such as dust, bacteria and viruses entering the respiratory tract and in this way, helps protect the body.
When the common cold or flu viruses enter the respiratory system, more mucus is produced in an attempt to wash away the bugs and help fight off the infection. This increased mucus can gather in the respiratory system and a cough reflex is triggered to help remove the extra phlegm.
There are a number of health conditions where excessive mucus production is seen in the respiratory system. These include:
Your chesty cough will most probably be the result of infection by cold and flu viruses and if this is the case, it is likely you will experience other symptoms of the cold or flu such as a blocked nose or fever.
However, you may experience other symptoms associated with a chesty cough including:
In general, expectorants are used to treat chesty coughs. The word comes from the Latin verb expectorare meaning ‘to expel from the chest’. Sounds a bit like Harry Potter with a wand…
Expectorants work by thinning mucus making it easier for the body to expel it when coughing. This group of medicines is the main form of treatment for chesty coughs and available as both conventional medicines and herbal remedies.
Herbs such as ivy and thyme act as expectorants and have been used to treat chesty coughs for many years. These medicinal herbs can be found in the A.Vogel remedy Bronchoforce for chesty coughs.
Sometimes, mucus can feel ‘stuck’ in your chest and although you might feel like you might have a ‘chesty cough’, nothing comes up when you cough. In these situations, you need something to help break up or shift the mucus.
Chesty coughs can also be caused by conditions other than cold or flu infections. You should seek medical advice if you:
Echinacea is a traditional herb known to aid the body in its fight against colds and flu by supporting the immune system – but not all Echinacea is the same! Research shows that the fresher the herb, the more effective the remedy will be, which is why our Echinaforce cold and flu remedies are made using freshly harvested Echinacea.
Our quick quiz helps you figure out if your symptoms point towards a cold or flu.
Check your symptomsAs the A. Vogel Immune System expert, I recommend Bronchosan Pine Cough Syrup to help ease the symptoms of coughs.
Learn moreA tickly cough is technically termed as ‘non-productive.’ This is because, unlike a chesty cough, tickly or dry coughs typically bring up little to no phlegm.
What type of cough do you have?Discover the story of Alfred VogelNature is just about the best thing we’ve got!
33 Comments
Add your comments
Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.
16-

Sharon — 10.02.2018 15:24
I have horrible chesty cough and I hate phlegm as I can't cough it up as I am sick every time and swallow it because I have a weak stomach for phlegm. I just can't stand to see it ect .. What can I get to dry it up instead of coughing it up as I vomit always . Please help . Thank you .
show
-

Jen Tan — 12.02.2018 17:04
Hello Sharon. The herb Plantago can be very useful in helping the body get rid of mucus. At the same time, remove all forms of dairy produce from your diet as this class of foods encourages mucus production in our respiratory tract.
Here is a link that might be useful for you:
https://www.avogel.co.uk/herbal-remedies/plantago-lanceolata/
-

Lindsey — 16.12.2017 22:49
Hi I have been suffering with a chesty cough started from a cold when I cough it hurts and stuff comes up and feels like my chest is haevy and difficult to breath is this just an infection? Thanks
show
-

Dr Jen Tan — 20.12.2017 10:27
Hello Lindsay, This symptom can be a common one after having the cold. However, it is best to let the doctor know if you have any chest or breathing problems, in case you need some sort of treatment.
-

Lindsey — 23.12.2017 22:24
I have been and thay said it's a couple of chest infections at same tym but the cought don't seem to be going it seems to get worse on a night xx
-

Preeti — 09.11.2017 10:24
My daughter 5month + and she has chesty cough last2. Month I consult with doctor bt medicine didn't work what will I do.
show
-

Jen Tan — 09.11.2017 12:05
Hello Preeti. I am sorry to hear that your young child is unwell. You should go back to your doctor and let them know that your daughter is still unwell - it looks like she needs another type of medicine, but firstly they will need to work out why the cough is persisting.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply