After eating or drinking something cold, a mysterious cough affects many people. It could happen occasionally or right after every meal. Several conditions, such as acid reflux, asthma, food allergies, dysphagia, and a swallowing disorder, could bring this on. Coughing is your body’s way of keeping toxins out of your respiratory system, so work along your doctor to determine the cause of the irritation. Most causes can be treated with drugs or dietary modifications. So If you are searching for answers to why do I cough when I drink something cold, this blog is for you. So without further ado, let’s get started.

A sore throat

A drinking cold may cause you to cough since it irritates the tissues in your throat. The lining of your oesophagus and larynx may get irritated by the passage of cold water down your throat. You’ll feel irritated and want to cough and clear your throat to feel better.

Throat Illness

The “Respiratory Mucosa,” a protective layer covering our respiratory system, serves as the body’s first line of defence against numerous pathogens like viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

However, this membrane constricts or shrinks when you consume cold foods and beverages, allowing bacteria to enter the respiratory system. As a result, once the throat has been inflamed, you may experience aching throat muscles and a cough.

Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a medical term for trouble swallowing. When you have dysphagia, it takes your body longer and more energy to transfer food and liquid into your stomach, making swallowing difficult or even painful. Coughing or gagging when swallowing may result from this. Dysphagia can also give you the impression that food is lodged in your throat, which makes you cough.

Pneumonia from aspiration

You may occasionally breathe in tiny food fragments or liquid drips that can introduce bacteria to your lungs. This typically occurs when something you swallow “goes down the wrong hole.” If healthy lungs don’t naturally clear out the bacteria, it can lead to aspiration pneumonia, a dangerous condition. If you have acid reflux disease or swallowing difficulties, your risk of aspiration increases.

Asthma

Cold is a recognized asthma trigger, and drinking cold beverages or eating cold foods (like ice cream) may exacerbate asthma symptoms like a cough. In addition, after drinking something cold, people with asthma are more likely to experience a cough.

According to popular belief, the body’s natural reaction to ingesting cold water is to quicken breathing and tighten airways because of the temperature inside the lungs changes. Unfortunately, this can cause coughing fits because the airway is already constricted.

GERD

Drinking cold beverages can also make people cough if they have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Heartburn and coughing are frequently brought on by this condition, which happens when stomach acid runs back up into the oesophagus. A cold drink may worsen these symptoms by causing the stomach acids to flow back into the oesophagus.

Bronchospasm

An individual with bronchospasm coughs due to a constriction of the airway. The airways in the throat automatically narrow due to swallowing cold water. As soon as these airways constrict, the cough reflex is triggered, which results in the induction of coughing.

After a brief time, the airways will typically relax and widen once more (in about 10 minutes). Cold water consumption regularly might exacerbate bronchospasm and cause chronic bronchitis.

Allergy

Cold drinks can cause allergies in certain people. When it’s hot outside, it’s tempting to go for a cold beverage to quench thirsty mouths. However, cold beverages may make coughing an annoyance for those who have allergies because cold water can irritate the throat and cause an allergic reaction.

Our throats tighten when we swallow cold liquids. As a result, swallowing becomes more difficult for us, leading to muscle spasms and a hacking cough. Coughing frequently starts before swallowing or when liquids are brought close to the lips.

Additionally, some cold liquids have ingredients that aggravate allergy symptoms.

Hardening of Mucus

One argument for why I cough when I drink something cold is that the chilly beverage may cause mucus to accumulate in my throat. Therefore, it’s crucial to cough to clear your throat of mucus and other items. You may experience a coughing fit as you attempt to clear your airways when this mucus builds up.

Nasal post-drip

A post-drip nasal The mucus from your nose runs down the back of your throat as a result of postnasal drip. As a result of the mucus irritating your throat’s lining, you could feel the need to cough or clear your throat.

Who is more susceptible to getting a cough?

Coughs can happen to everyone. The most frequent symptom reported at doctors’ offices is a cough. Coughs are more common in certain people than others, though. These consist of those who

1. substance smoke (like tobacco or marijuana).
2. Vape.
3. Have ongoing conditions, particularly respiratory or neurological system diseases.
4. possess allergies
5. are youngsters. Children frequently get sick, especially if they attend daycare or school.

What causes people to cough most frequently?

Numerous factors can cause you to cough. Some of them consist of the following:

1. allergies or irritants
2. Smoke.
3. Strong odours (like cleaners and perfumes).
4. Mould.
5. Dust.
6. Pollen.
7. Pet hair.
8. Mucus.
9. Some drugs, including ACE inhibitors, treat high blood pressure.

How may a cough be stopped or diminished?

What is causing the cough will determine how it should be treated. For example, your doctor may recommend an antibiotic or antiviral medication if you have an infection, but most viral coughs don’t need antiviral medication. As an alternative, they could suggest dietary changes for GERD or give a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor or an H2 blocker.

Water can help with coughing but hot water. Nevertheless, its consumption might lessen coughs brought on by dryness or irritation of the throat. Water also soothes a cough when added to the air via a vaporizer or when taken in a steamy shower.

Quitting smoking and avoiding other irritants are additional methods for getting rid of a cough. Medication, odours (like perfume or candles), smoke, or allergies are some of these irritants.

What cough medications are available over the counter?

For adults, there are many over-the-counter cough syrups and treatments available. However, they have generally been proven to be less effective than a spoonful of honey. Your sore throat might be soothed with cough medicines and hard butterscotch candies. Hot drinks like tea, especially if you add honey to them, may also provide relief.

You shouldn’t offer cough medicines to children under the age of six without a prescription from a doctor.

What does it signify when I cough after eating?

 It’s possible that anything “went down the wrong way” or toward your lungs rather than your stomach if you cough shortly after eating. Our upper airways are typically constructed to limit the amount of food or fluids that can enter our lungs.

Aspiration causes this, which can occur if you have swallowing difficulties or other digestive or respiratory problems. You should let your doctor know if you frequently have trouble eating and coughing.

Final Words

Above are a few reasons why you could cough after consuming anything cold. Stop drinking cold beverages and try drinking those that are room temperature if you have this issue. Talk to a doctor if your cough is severe. While cold beverages can be enjoyed in hot weather, there may be better options for your health. We hope this blog post about why I cough when I drink something cold has cleared all your answers.