Wet Cough vs Dry Cough

shalackin

Joined: Mar 17, 2004

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If a cough is wet, or producing mucus, does that lean more towards a cold/allergies than covid? Are records showing that the coughs are really all dry?

Infection_Ag11

Joined: Dec 8, 2019

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11:39a, 4/13/20

The presence or appearance of sputum with a cough is very nonspecific. Certain conditions more often produce productive coughs compared to others, but overall you can't make a diagnosis or rule anything out on that basis alone.

Kool

Joined: Feb 2, 2015

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In reply to shalackin • 11:39a, 4/13/20

shalackin said:
If a cough is wet, or producing mucus, does that lean more towards a cold/allergies than covid? Are records showing that the coughs are really all dry?

Short answer, yes early on. But medicine doesn't have many absolutes in general

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Marcus Aurelius

Joined: Nov 5, 2002

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11:42a, 4/13/20

Yes the presence or absence of sputum production should not guide one's eval/treatment during this pandemic.

shalackin

Joined: Mar 17, 2004

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11:48a, 4/13/20

Thanks. Was just a general question. It is hard to cough these days and not think about it. There is so much talk about "dry" coughing that I thought I should ask. I get sick a lot this time of year due to allergies. And just started getting sick a couple days ago. This mess is freaky.