A cough is your body’s way of responding when something irritates your throat or airways.
How you can treat a cough yourself
Most coughs go away on their own within 3 weeks. There’s usually no need to see a doctor.
You should:
- rest
- drink plenty of fluids
- drink hot lemon water with honey (not suitable for babies)
Hot lemon water with honey has a similar effect as cough medicines.
How to make it at home:
1. Squeeze half a lemon into a mug of boiled water.
2. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey.
3. Drink while still warm (don’t give hot drinks to small children).
A pharmacist can help with a cough:
Consult your pharmacist for cough advice, but be aware that treatments like cough syrup and lozenges only provide temporary relief and do not cure the cough. Some cough medicines shouldn’t be given to children under 12.
You should see your Personal Doctor if:
- you’ve had a cough for more than 3 weeks (persistent cough)
- your cough is very bad or quickly gets worse, for example, you have a hacking cough or can’t stop coughing
- you have chest pain
- you’re losing weight for no reason
- the side of your neck feels swollen and painful (swollen glands)
- you find it hard to breathe
- you have a weakened immune system, for example because of chemotherapy or diabetes
See your personal doctor immediately if you’re coughing up blood.
What happens at your appointment: To find out what’s causing your cough your Personal Doctor might:
- take a sample of any mucus you might be coughing up
- order an X-ray, allergy test, or test to see how well your lungs work
- refer you to see a specialist, but this is very rare
What causes coughs:
Most coughs are caused by cold or flu.
Other causes include:
- smoking
- heartburn (acid reflux)
- allergies, for example, hay fever
- infections like bronchitis
- mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose
A cough is very rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.