How to treat dry cough?

[Sneha]

Hi, my sister is a 48-year-old woman who is suffering from dry cough. She has been coughing nonstop and it is interfering with her work as an actress. She says she is auditioning for a new musical video and needs to stop coughing prior to her next audition, which is scheduled for next week. She claims her audition today went horribly because she kept coughing while she performed. Her symptoms include nasal congestion and a sore throat. She says she has no fever. She has no medical conditions and is not taking any medication. Please recommend something for her cough.

[Harish]

@Sneha Your sister is eligible to self-treat her cold. Because she has no medical conditions and has tried no treatment so far, you can recommend a decongestant such as phenylephrine for her nasal congestion (However, any nasal decongestant would be acceptable). It is also important to educate her to use nonpharmacologic approaches, such as using saline drops and a humidifier to help with her congestion, staying hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day, and getting plenty of rest. For the postnasal drip that appears to be causing her sore throat and cough, you can recommend a first-generation antihistamine such as diphenhydramine. Because she is auditioning for a musical video, it is important to educate her about the drowsiness that first-generation antihistamines can cause and advise her not to take antihistamines just before her audition.