A cough might also appear to get worse before it gets better.
Monitor the mucus: If it becomes clearer and thinner, your cough is likely improving.
Regardless, your cough should gradually improve, not get worse.
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The following signs indicate your cough is getting better.
Mucus Improves
Mucus plays an important role in your body’s healing process.
Even when you are not sick, your body normally produces around 1.5 liters of mucus every day.
Normal mucus is thin, clear, and mostly unnoticeable.
The mucus should also be getting thinner and clearer again.
Do Coughs Get Worse Before Getting Better?
Coughs due toupper respiratory infectionsand flus often start dry then produce mucus towards the end of the illness.
Increased mucus production can be a sign that your body is effectively expelling the virus or irritant.
You could have two different infections simultaneously, causing similar symptoms.
As the days and weeks pass, you should find yourself coughing less frequently throughout the day.
The coughs should be getting less forceful and causing fewer disruptions.
The inflammation in your throat should be improving, and the cough should feel less harsh on your throat.
Call your healthcare provider for an evaluation.
It’s a good sign your cough is getting better if it’s disrupting your sleep less.
As you begin to heal, you should find yourself sleeping more easily and waking up less.
Because you’re returning to a normal sleeping pattern, you should also feel a bit more energized again.
Inflammation in your airways can cause them to narrow and become more sensitive.
And a persistent cough reflex can strain the airways, worsening any breathing difficulties you may already be having.
One of the biggest signs that your cough is improving is if you start to breathe more comfortably.
You should feel less congested, and generally less fatigued now that youroxygen levelsare returning to normal.
Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for some coughs to linger a little beyond three weeks.
But you shouldn’t be needing or using medications for longer than that.
For example, oraldecongestantslike Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) should not be used for longer than seven days.
What About a COVID-19 cough?
A cough is a commonCOVID-19 symptomthat decreases over time, signaling the end of the illness.
However, some people with COVID-19 experience ongoing orlong-term symptoms.
Is Your Cough Normal?
What’s considered “normal” for a cough depends on what is causing it.
Your healthcare provider will determine if antibiotics are necessary for you.
However, there are clear signs that you will notice if your cough is getting worse.
Your cough is likely getting better if it becomes less frequent and intense.
If your cough is not improving or is worsening, follow up with a healthcare provider for additional treatment.
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My snot is green: A look at what your mucus says about your health.
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John’s Hopkins Medicine.Fever.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
Kaiser Permanente.Relieving a cough.
Harvard Health Publishing.That nagging cough.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of whooping cough.
