How common is cough in common cold?

A cold virus can irritate the throat and upper airways. Mucus draining from the nose can also trigger coughing, especially when lying down. The cough may start dry and later become looser, while the throat remains scratchy. Cough can have many causes, so a cough alone does not show that a cold is responsible. Symptoms that are unusually severe, prolonged, or focused in the chest deserve a clinical review.

Rest, drink fluids, and use warm drinks or honey for adults and children old enough to have honey. Saline nasal drops may ease congestion. Avoid smoke and other airway irritants. Use any pharmacy medicine only as directed and check with a pharmacist if the person is pregnant, has a long-term condition, or takes other medicines. Antibiotics do not treat an uncomplicated viral cold.

Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, blue or grey lips, confusion, or chest pain that is intense or persistent. Contact a clinician if fever or symptoms worsen after initial improvement, breathing becomes troublesome, dehydration develops, or the cough is not settling as expected.

Do my symptoms fit a simple cold, or should another cause be checked? Which treatments are suitable with my current medicines? What change in breathing or fever should prompt review?