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Coughs can be very confusing but what you might not know is they can be divided into just two types: dry coughs, felt in the throat, and chesty coughs, felt in the lungs. It is not always easy to distinguish a dry cough from a chesty cough and it becomes even more difficult if your cough changes over time.
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Dry coughs are caused by an irritation of the upper airways due to foreign particles, dust or a throat infection. This type of cough is non-productive: no mucus or phlegm is produced. A dry cough is also synonymous with a tickly, or irritating cough.
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Chesty coughs are characterised by the formation of mucus or phlegm in the lungs, and are classified as a productive cough. The cough reflex is triggered to help raise the phlegm, in order to clear the lungs. A chesty cough is also known as a mucus or phlegm cough.
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