Wet (productive) cough

A wet cough is a type of cough where excess phlegm or mucus is produced from your respiratory tract.¹ This means that when you cough, you will bring sticky fluid (mucus) up into your mouth.^1,2 Because of the phlegm or mucus that comes with this type of cough, we call it a productive cough.¹

Wet coughs are often caused by the common cold or flu.² The cough sounds “wet” because your body is pushing the excess mucus (fluid) out of your nose, throat and lungs.²

Colds and flu often cause congestion (a blocked feeling) in your airways, because of the extra mucus or phlegm that builds up.³ That’s why when you have a wet cough you’ll usually have other symptoms like a runny or snotty nose.^2,3 You may also feel a “dripping” sensation at the back of your throat (known as post-nasal drip).²

Find out more about colds and flu, coughs and congestion.

Dry (non-productive) cough

A dry cough is a type of cough where little or no mucus is produced from your respiratory tract.¹ It’s also known as a non-productive cough.¹

With a dry cough, you won’t bring up mucus into your mouth, but you will usually feel itching, scratching or tickling sensations in your throat, which can trigger coughing fits.^1,2,4

Dry coughs often happen because of inflammation or irritation in your respiratory tract.² This can be caused by an upper respiratory infection (like a cold or flu virus), or by breathing in irritants like dust and smoke.² Other possible causes of a dry cough include sinusitis, tonsilitis, allergies and asthma.²