6 Reasons Why Ice Cream Makes You Cough & What to Do About It

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Exploring the underlying conditions that may cause your cough

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• Reasons Why Ice Cream Makes You Cough
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• Ways to Stop Coughing
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• Ways to Prevent Coughing
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• Expert Interview

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You just finished eating delicious ice cream, only to end up in a coughing fit. How are the two things related? In this article, we’ll explain several factors that might be contributing to your cough. Plus, we'll cover how to soothe your throat and prevent ice cream from triggering a cough in the future.

Things You Should Know

• The coldness of ice cream can irritate the nerves in your digestive tract and prompt coughing. To avoid this, wait 5-10 minutes before eating ice cream from the freezer.
• Ice cream may also make you cough if you’re allergic to dairy, so switch to a dairy-free alternative instead.
• If you start to cough after eating ice cream, drink warm herbal tea to open up your airways and minimize irritation in your throat.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Reasons Why Ice Cream Makes You Cough

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   Eating cold foods can irritate the nerves in your digestive tract. When you eat cold foods like ice cream, it may activate your vagus nerve, which is responsible for regulating your digestion, heart rate, and respiratory system. By cooling down this nerve, you could trigger certain defensive responses in your body, such as coughing or sneezing.
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   You may have allergies. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system overreacts to a certain food, triggering symptoms like coughing, itching, or tingling in the mouth. If you always cough after eating ice cream, it could be a sign that you’re allergic to dairy or another ingredient in the product.

   • Other symptoms of a food allergy include: hives or eczema, swelling of the lips or other parts of the body, nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, or anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening reaction that can send your body into shock).
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   You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Also known as chronic acid reflux, this condition occurs when stomach acid keeps flowing back into the tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus). This backwash can upset your esophagus lining and cause an irritating cough, especially if you lie down right after eating ice cream.

   • Other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease include: non-burning chest pain, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, increased salivation, shortness of breath, or feeling a lump in your throat.
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   You might have asthma. Although various allergens can trigger this chronic condition, eating ice cream may cause asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath. This can happen if your airways become narrowed and inflamed, due to the sharp contrast in temperature between your body and the ice cream, or because of a food allergy.

   • Food allergies are less likely to prompt coughing than temperature changes, but some people have found that sulfite, a preservative found in most processed foods (including ice cream), can trigger their asthma symptoms.
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   You could have a respiratory tract infection (RTI). While ice cream itself doesn’t cause this condition, it may explain why you keep coughing after eating. A respiratory tract infection is usually caused by viruses or bacteria, and it affects the parts of your body responsible for breathing, such as your sinuses, throat, airways, and lungs. If you have an infection, it can cause coughing or other discomfort after eating food, whether it’s cold, hot, or room temperature.

   • You can get a respiratory tract infection by touching an infected surface or shaking hands with someone who’s sick. Once the virus or bacteria enters your mouth, nose, or eyes, it can infect your body.
   • This infection is especially common in children and those who are immunocompromised.
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   There might be mucus hardening in your throat. If you cough up mucus (or phlegm) after eating, it could be a sign that you have an infection, allergy, asthma, or GERD. However, it might also mean the ice cream is cooling your trachea and thickening the mucus in your throat. This thickened mucus can make it increasingly difficult to clear the airway, so you might cough more to relieve the blocked, stuffy feeling in your throat.

   • If you’re coughing up clear mucus, it usually means your body is trying to flush out an allergen, like pollen or dust.
   • If you’re coughing up yellow or green mucus, your body is probably fighting off some type of infection, such as sinusitis or bronchitis.
   • If you’re coughing up white mucus, it might mean you have GERD, COPD, viral bronchitis, or congestive heart failure (if you develop other symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, or leg weakness, call your doctor ASAP).
   • Red, pink, or bloody mucus indicates a more serious condition, so contact your doctor immediately or head to your nearest emergency room.
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   You may have a swallowing problem (dysphagia). If you feel a sensation of food getting stuck in your throat, you might cough after eating ice cream because you have difficulty swallowing food. Since your muscles and nerves can’t move food from your mouth to your stomach, you could experience other symptoms like coughing, pain, or gagging while swallowing. This condition can occur at any age, but it’s more common in older adults (especially those who are stroke survivors).

   • Other symptoms of dysphagia include: drooling, hoarseness, regurgitation, frequent heartburn, GERD, or weight loss.
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Section 2 of 3:

How can I stop coughing after eating ice cream?

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   Drink herbal tea. To soothe your cough after eating ice cream, make yourself a cup of warm herbal tea to calm your throat. Turmeric and honey, peppermint, and ginger tea can reduce swelling in the mucous membranes in your throat and help open up your airways.
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   Take a steamy shower. If you have a dry or productive cough, step into a hot shower to help open and hydrate your airways. Add some fresh or dry eucalyptus leaves in your shower to open up your lungs further and reduce coughing. Or, splash in a few drops of eucalyptus oil onto your shower floor; the steam from the shower helps the oil evaporate so you can reap all the aromatherapy benefits.

   • Alternatively, inhale steam over a pot of warm water to clear your throat and sinuses.
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   Use a humidifier. If your dry cough persists after eating ice cream, place a humidifier in your room to hydrate your throat, lungs and other nasal passageways. A humidifier helps you breathe more easily, which can reduce the frequency and intensity of your cough.
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   Consult a doctor if your cough keeps bothering you. If your cough lasts for more than 2 weeks or it’s accompanied by other symptoms like wheezing, fever, fainting, swelling or difficulty breathing, contact your healthcare provider. It could be a sign of a more serious condition that requires professional treatment and medication.
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Section 3 of 3:

How can I prevent coughing when eating ice cream?

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   Wait to eat ice cream so it isn’t too cold. If you cough after eating other cold foods (and you don’t have any other symptoms), the temperature of your ice cream could be triggering your cough. To avoid irritating your throat, take your ice cream out of the freezer and wait 5-10 minutes before eating it.

   • If your cough doesn’t improve within 2 weeks, visit your doctor to see if they can run an allergy test on you or prescribe you something to alleviate your cough.
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   Eat dairy-free ice cream. If you take a skin test that confirms you have a dairy allergy, switch to a dairy-free alternative to prevent coughing and other allergy symptoms. Many companies offer alternatives made of cashew milk, almond milk, or coconut milk that are just as creamy and delicious as normal ice cream. Or, you can make your own dairy-free chocolate ice cream.

   • If you suspect you have a dairy allergy, pay attention to your body’s response after consuming milk, cheese, or yogurt. If your stomach hurts after eating any of these foods, limit your dairy intake, and take an antihistamine to relieve any minor discomfort.
   • If your symptoms persist or get worse, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider as soon as possible. They can order a skin test to see if you’re allergic to dairy, which involves pricking your skin with a probe filled with dairy. If a bump develops at the site, it means you’re allergic to it.
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   Stay awake for at least an hour after eating ice cream. If you experience heartburn, a burning sensation in your chest, or a bitter taste in your mouth after eating ice cream, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). To prevent your food from coming up (and causing a cough), chew slowly and avoid taking a nap after eating.

   • Mint, chocolate, and coffee are more likely than other foods to trigger acid reflux, so eliminate these flavors to see if it helps control your reflux. Instead, choose vanilla, strawberry, or butter pecan ice cream.
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   Make your own ice cream if you’re sensitive to processed foods. If you frequently cough after eating chips, cereal, or other processed foods, you might have a sulfite sensitivity (which is common for people with asthma). To check if that’s the reason behind your cough, visit your doctor to take a sulfite test. They will give you small doses of sulfite to see if you have a reaction to it.

   • Almost all store-bought ice creams contain sulfites, so consider making ice cream at home to avoid this trigger.
   • If your doctor confirms sulfites trigger your cough, carefully look at the ingredient label on your foods, and choose products that do not include potassium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite.
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   Avoid eating ice cream if you’re coughing up mucus. Dairy increases the thickness of mucus, which may worsen your cough if you have a respiratory infection or postnasal drip. Instead of eating ice cream, drink plenty of fluids, and wait to eat dairy products until you’re recovered.

   • In the meantime, fill your sink with hot water and place your face over the steam for 5-10 minutes. This can loosen the mucus in your throat to stop a cough from postnasal drip.
   • Respiratory infections usually pass in 1-2 weeks, so you can just treat your symptoms at home. Get plenty of rest, take painkillers to bring down a fever, and drink plenty of water. If your symptoms get worse or you feel unwell, visit a doctor to get medication.
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   Eat a thickened ice cream if you have trouble swallowing. Doctors do not recommend regular ice cream to people who have swallowing issues (dysphagia) because it melts into a liquid, which can cause coughing or choking. However, some companies offer ice creams that are formulated to melt into a pudding-like consistency, making them safe for people on dysphagia diets.

   • You can purchase a thickened ice cream like Magic Cup frozen desserts, or thicken ice cream at home by adding Thick-It powder.
   • If you have dysphagia, you may find it helpful to sit upright while eating or tilt your head slightly to reduce the risk of getting ice cream (or other food) stuck in your throat.
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