This sounds like it could possibly be illness triggered mild asthma where swelling in the airways triggers coughing which triggers more swelling etc etc etc. This happens to me as well. I was prescribed an inhaler that I only need to use to get it under control and not again unless an illness or allergies cause another flair-up. A surprising remedy is thyme tea... steep 1 tsp of cooking thyme in boiling water or broth... it works remarkably well as a cough suppressant. Otherwise a doctor might be able to help you trouble -shoot it a bit better.