Generally speaking coughs can be divided into two categories: dry cough and productive cough. It is not always easy to distinguish a dry cough from a productive cough and it even becomes more difficult during the overlapping periods.
Dry cough is tickling and irritating, due to an irritation of the throat caused by foreign particles, dust or a throat infection. In this kind of cough no mucus or phlegm is produced. Dry cough is usually treated with antitussives.
Productive (Chesty) cough is characterized by the formation of mucus or phlegm in the lungs. The cough reflex is a mechanism to expel all phlegm in order to clear the lungs. Chesty cough is usually treated with expectorants.
