What should you know about cough for two weeks?

Many coughs begin with a respiratory infection and settle gradually as the airways recover. A cough can also be dry or phlegmy, appear more at night, or be triggered by talking, cold air, exercise, smoke, or strong scents. The pattern and associated symptoms help guide the next step.

A recent cold or acute bronchitis can leave the airways sensitive after other symptoms improve. Allergic rhinitis may cause mucus to drain towards the throat and provoke coughing. Asthma can present with cough, wheeze, chest tightness, or breathlessness, while acid reflux can irritate the throat and cough pathway, sometimes without obvious heartburn.

Less common airway problems, including bronchiectasis, may be associated with a cough that brings up mucus or keeps returning. Bronchiolitis is mainly a concern in young children. These conditions have different features, so a cough alone cannot identify its cause. A clinician may ask about smoking or vaping, medicines, allergies, recent illness, exposures, and whether the cough is dry or productive.

Keep fluids nearby, avoid tobacco smoke and vaping, and consider a humidified environment if dry air irritates your throat. Rest your voice when talking triggers coughing. Honey in a warm drink may soothe an adult’s throat, but honey should not be given to infants. Follow the label for any over-the-counter medicine and check with a pharmacist if you are pregnant, treating a child, or taking regular medicines.

Arrange a medical review if the cough is not settling, keeps disturbing sleep, or is limiting normal activity. Note when it started, what brings it on, the colour and amount of any mucus, and any fever, wheeze, chest discomfort, or breathlessness. Do not start antibiotics without an assessment; they do not treat every cause of cough.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or rapidly worsening breathlessness, blue or grey lips, confusion, fainting, severe chest pain, or coughing up more than a small streak of blood. Prompt assessment is also appropriate for a cough with persistent high fever, marked weakness, or difficulty breathing.

If the person coughing is an infant, an older adult, pregnant, immunocompromised, or living with significant heart or lung disease, seek advice sooner because the same symptoms may need a lower threshold for review. Emergency services are appropriate when breathing is seriously affected.

Ask: What features of my cough suggest airway irritation, reflux, allergy, or asthma? Do I need my chest examined or any tests? Which treatments are suitable for my age and medicines? What changes should prompt urgent help, and when should I return if the cough continues?