A nonproductive cough is when a cough becomes inflamed but is not caused from respiratory tract infections. There are other things that do cause the nonproductive cough.

List of things the nonproductive cough:

- common cold
- asthma
- airway occlusion
- Laryngeal tumor
- Esophageal achalasia
- Atelectasis
- Post-nasal Drip
- Bronchoscopy
- Pleural effusion
- Sarcoidosis

Your doctor will have to determine the cause of you having a nonproductive cough before treatment is given. Sometimes cough drops, medications or over the counter drugs are usually the common treatment for ones that have a nonproductive cough. Sometimes you might have to change your diet and the way you are eating because it might put you at a high risk factor for other sickness and delay the healing of nonproductive coughs. Another thing that might be looked at is how much stress you are under and if there should be any therapy.