Dry, tight coughs are the worst and they can lead to further bronchial problems. Loosen up that dry phlegm - yes, uck, so you can get rid of it - by breathing in steam deep into your lungs by inhaling the steam of a large cup of hot tea. (You can also take hot steamy baths, or steam your head over steaming hot water in a basin with a towel over your head.)
I think the tea route is the easiest - an old doctor of mine told me that there's a lot of fancy equipment that does pretty much the same thing. I even talked my husband into it and he had to begrudgingly agree that it worked! (You know how husbands are.)
By pamphyila from Los Angeles