How to Get Rid of a Wheezing Cough
Medically reviewed by Renee Nilan, MD
Wheezing—a high-pitched whistling sound that can be heard during breathing—occurs when the breathing tubes in the lungs are narrowed. Wheezing or a wheezing cough could have a number of causes, including a viral infection, asthma, or allergies.
Depending on the cause, a wheezing cough can often be treated at home with hydration, rest, and other home remedies. Medications such as inhalers may be needed in some cases.
This article will discuss possible causes of a wheezing cough, home treatments and prescription medications for a wheezing cough, signs a wheezing cough is getting worse, when to go to the hospital for a wheezing cough, managing a chronic wheezing cough, and ways to support lung health.
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Why Do I Have a Wheezing Cough?
A wheezing cough can be caused by several factors, including:
Learn More: Heart Failure and Cough: What’s the Connection?
Triggers for a Wheezing Cough
A wheezing cough can be caused by allergies. Common allergy triggers include:
Pollen
Cigarette smoke
Perfume, car exhaust, and other irritants
Insect bites or stings
Animal hair/fur/dander
Dust mites
Foods, such as peanuts, milk products, and eggs
Asthma symptoms can also be linked to allergies and exposure to allergy triggers. Other triggers for asthma symptoms, such as wheezing and coughing, include:
Illness
Extreme weather conditions
Emotions
Actions such as laughing, crying, or shouting
Pregnancy
Wheezing Cough Home Treatment
Treatment for a wheezing cough depends on the cause and the severity, but it can often be managed at home. Below are examples of at-home treatments.
Honey
Taking 1.5 teaspoons of honey before bed can ease a cough in people over 1 year of age.
Don't give honey to children younger than 12 months old because of the risk of botulism, a rare yet serious condition caused by a toxin that attacks the nerves. Only use honey as a short-term treatment as prolonged use at bedtime may lead to dental caries (cavities).
Drinking Fluids
Drinking fluids, such as warm tea with honey, can be soothing. And getting plenty of clear liquids with illnesses such as RSV and bronchitis can prevent dehydration and thin mucus in the lungs.
Drinking smaller amounts more frequently might be easier to manage, especially for children who have nasal congestion.
Warm clear fluids, such as apple juice, can help with coughing fits. Babies 6 to 12 months old can have 1–2 teaspoons each time, up to four times a day. Children over 12 months can have as much as needed. Infants under 6 months should be given breast milk or formula only.
Rest
Get plenty of rest, and try to keep your child calm. Breathing can be more difficult when they are upset.
Sitting or lying in an upright position can help with breathing.
Humidifier
A cool mist humidifier in the room can help with congestion and make it easier to sleep. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's directions, and keep it out of reach of children.
If your child has a "barky" cough such as with croup, you can try sitting in the bathroom with your child for about 20 minutes, with a hot shower running and the door closed.
You can also try dressing your child appropriately for the weather and exposing them to cool, outdoor air for 10 to 15 minutes.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
Cough drops and lozenges may be soothing for older children and adults but can be a choking hazard for younger children. Check with your child's healthcare provider before giving them to your child.
OTC medications containing dextromethorphan or guaifenesin may help loosen mucus or relieve cough symptoms. However, there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of OTC cough medications.
OTC cough medicine can be harmful or dangerous for young children, too, and should not be given to children under 6 years of age.
Talk to your healthcare provider before taking or giving your child OTC cough medications or remedies.
Asthma Action Plan
If you or your child has asthma, discuss developing an asthma action plan with your healthcare provider. This helps ensure you and others caring for your child know what to do to keep asthma symptoms managed and how to handle an asthma attack. This should include what medications to give and when.
Signs a Wheezing Cough Is Getting Worse
For bronchitis, see your healthcare provider if your cough has not gone away after two weeks or if it is worsening or more frequent. This could be a sign of another condition developing, such as pneumonia. Getting medical care is particularly important if you have other symptoms, such as fever, blood in mucus that you bring up, or shortness of breath.
An asthma attack is when asthma symptoms get worse for a short time, either suddenly or gradually over a few hours or days. Symptoms of an asthma attack can include:
Worsening symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, or chest tightness
Feeling too breathless to speak, eat, or sleep
Breathing getting faster/feeling like you can't catch your breath
Reliever inhaler isn't helping
Lower than normal peak flow score (measurement of your ability to push air out of your lungs)
Tummy or chest ache (especially in children)
Fast heartbeat
Drowsiness, exhaustion, confusion, or dizziness
Blue lips or fingers
Fainting
Wheezing Cough Prescription Treatment
Depending on the cause, some medications that may be prescribed when a wheezing cough is a symptom include:
Antibiotics: Prescribed for a bacterial infection or if you are at an increased risk of developing complications such as pneumonia
Rescue inhalers: Used to treat asthma symptoms as they occur; typically work within a few minutes
Inhalers for prevention and control: Contain a steroid medication; used daily, even when symptoms aren't present; reduce inflammation and sensitivity of the airways; include Flovent (fluticasone) and Pulmicort (budesonide)
Combination inhalers: Combines reliever and preventer inhaler medications to help prevent symptoms and provide long-lasting relief if symptoms occur
Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs): Oral medications used to help breathing problems related to conditions such as asthma
Theophylline: Oral medication that relaxes and opens air passages in the lungs; used to prevent and treat wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness caused by lung diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis
Oral steroid medications: Used if other treatments are ineffective in controlling asthma symptoms
Tessalon (benzonatate): Prescription cough suppressant; may be used if OTC cough suppressants are ineffective
When to Go to Hospital With Wheezing Cough
A wheezing cough can become a severe respiratory attack that requires immediate medical attention.
Call 911 or your local emergency number if the child or adult:
Is having severe trouble breathing (struggling for each breath, can barely speak or cry)
Has lost consciousness or stopped breathing
Has bluish lips or face when not coughing
May be choking
May be experiencing a life-threatening emergency
Seek immediate medical help if the child or adult:
Is having difficulty breathing (particularly pulling of the skin around the neck and between the ribs or more wheezing while breathing)
Has rapid or irregular breathing
Has noisy breathing when not crying (including stridor, a noisy or musical sound, when breathing in)
Seems unusually tired, or is difficult to wake up
Shows signs of dehydration (such as peeing less often, fewer wet diapers, dark urine, crying with few or no tears, dizziness, drowsiness, sunken eyes, dry or sticky mouth)
Has lips, face, or tongue that has a blue or dusky color, or are very pale
Has a high fever (especially with coughing but without a runny nose or nasal congestion)
Is under 3 months old and has any fever or has been coughing for more than a few hours
Makes a whooping sound (as they breathe in after coughing)
Begins wheezing after a potential allergy trigger such as an insect bite, medication, or food
Is under 6 months old and is worse in any way
Is considered high-risk (such as chronic lung disease) and is getting worse
Looks or acts very sick
Is in need of urgent medical attention
Managing a Chronic Wheezing Cough
Chronic bronchitis can't be cured but may be managed in ways such as:
Quitting smoking
Inhaled medications that help widen the airways and decrease inflammation
Oxygen therapy (in severe cases)
Mucolytics (medication used to make mucus easier to cough up)
Pulmonary rehabilitation (Breathing techniques to help prevent symptoms from getting worse)
For chronic cough that other treatments haven't helped, a healthcare provider may suggest prescription medications like:
Codeine or hydrocodone (opioid medications)
Gabapentin or pregabalin (medications that block nerve impulses, usually used for chronic pain)
These medications can have significant side effects and should only be taken under the advice of a healthcare provider.
How to Support Lung Health
Ways you can help keep your lungs healthy include:
Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, and harmful fumes.
Stay up-to-date on vaccines, including the pneumonia vaccine, annual flu shots, RSV vaccines (for older adults), and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
Talk to your healthcare provider about monoclonal antibody products to protect infants and young children from severe RSV.
Practice good handwashing.
Limit exposure to cold, damp environments.
Avoid people who are sick, or wear a mask if contact can't be avoided.
Don't share items that come in contact with someone's mouth.
Eat a nutritious diet.
Get regular exercise.
Get enough quality sleep.
Summary
A wheezing cough can be caused by several factors. Home treatment for a mild wheezing cough includes honey (in people over 1 year old), fluids, rest, a humidifier, OTC medications, and an asthma action plan.
Seek immediate medical attention if serious symptoms arise, such as difficulty breathing, bluish lips or face, or signs of dehydration.
Inhalers or oral medications may be prescribed to help control symptoms from respiratory conditions such as asthma. Treatments such as medications, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation also may be recommended to help manage a chronic wheezing cough.
Practices, like not smoking, staying up-to-date on vaccines, avoiding exposure to sick people, and practicing healthy lifestyle habits, can help support lung health.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
