When should I see a doctor about a cough?
In this article, we will describe when you should see a doctor about a cough. The response depends on the cough, how long you have had it for, and other features (explained below).
See a doctor
- If your cough does not go away after a 3 weeks, or if you have any one of these:
- Coughing up thick, green or yellow sputum
- Wheezing
- Fever
- Mild shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Ankle or abdominal swelling, or weight loss.
Ring NHS 111
- Coughing up blood
Ring 999 or go to A&E
- Choking
- Very short of breath, or having difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Experiencing chest pain.
Self-care measures
Cough medicines usually are used only when a cough causes a lot of discomfort, interferes with sleep and is not associated with any of the potentially worrisome symptoms indicated above. If you use cough medicine, be sure to follow the dosing instructions.
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines
These are intended to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds, not the underlying disease. Research suggests that these medicines have not been proved to work any better than inactive medicine (placebo). More important, these medications have potentially serious side effects, including fatal overdoses in children younger than 2 years old.
Summary
We have described when you should see a doctor about a cough. We hope it has been helpful.
Last Reviewed on 7 March 2024