Are you feeling sick? Being sick can bring a variety of uncomfortable symptoms depending on the underlying cause. Coughing is a very common symptom of many different illnesses, but did you know that there are different kinds of coughs? Understanding the kind of cough you have can help diagnose your illness so that you can treat it effectively. There are two major kinds of coughs - productive and dry coughs. If you’re coughing up mucus, you have a productive cough. Keep reading to learn more about the difference between dry coughs and productive coughs.
If you’re feeling sick and are in search of rapid illness symptom diagnosis and treatment, look no further than AFC Urgent Care Edgewater. Our board-certified medical providers are available daily to provide cough diagnosis and treatment for patients near Edgewater, MD. Simply walk into the clinic for same-day care!
The Difference Between a Dry and Productive Cough
Coughing can be caused by a variety of illnesses. Coughing is a natural reflex our bodies use to clear the airways. This can happen due to irritation such as dryness, or it can also happen when the airways become inflamed from an illness. There are two major categories of coughs: dry coughs and productive coughs.
Dry Coughs: Dry coughs are any kind of cough that does not produce mucus. Dry coughs can vary greatly in severity from a mild cough due to a cold to a severe cough. Dry coughs can sometimes lead to coughing fits and other complications such as chest pain or wheezing.
Productive Coughs: Productive coughs are coughs that cause your to spit up mucus when you cough. This occurs due to mucus building up in your airways from an infection. Productive coughs can happen from mild illnesses such as colds, however, if the mucus that you are coughing up is discolored, it is likely an indication of a more severe infection that requires medical care such as bronchitis.
Are Coughs Contagious?
If you’re suffering from a cough, it is important to monitor your symptoms. If your cough is caused by an illness, you may be exposing people around you to your illness. Coughs release tiny droplets into the air. This can cause your germs to spread to the people around you without you even realizing it. If someone near you breathes in the tiny droplets released by your cough and you’re sick, they will likely contract your illness. Self isolating when you have a cough is necessary to ensure you don’t spread your symptoms to others.
When to Seek Medical Treatment for Your Cough
Coughing is a natural reflex that your body uses to try to clear your airways. Coughing can also occur due to other conditions such as general irritation in the throat or allergies. However, if your cough is severe or you are coughing up discolored mucus, you should seek medical care. Ignoring a cough can cause complications and potentially even damage the lungs. Your medical provider will be able to diagnose the underlying cause of your cough and provide the necessary treatment to get it under control.
Visit AFC Edgewater for Same-Day Cough Treatment in Edgewater, MD
If you’re experiencing a cough, it is important to seek medical care. Ignoring your cough can result in it worsening. At AFC Urgent Care Edgewater, we offer same-day cough diagnosis and treatment to patients near Edgewater, MD. We never require that you schedule an appointment, simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient for you.
Our board-certified medical providers are trained to diagnose the underlying cause of your cough so that you can recover quickly. Should diagnostic testing be necessary, our clinic has a lab on-site for convenient diagnostic testing services. For more information about the services that we provide, contact the clinic directly by calling (410) 956-3394.
