A cough is serious when it brings blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, high fever, or whooping fits - or when it lasts past 3 weeks.
Before that, most coughs are colds clearing out: an acute cough from a cold, flu, or bronchitis usually wraps up in two to three weeks. Past three weeks it is chronic, and a clinician should find the driver - reflux, asthma, postnasal drip, ACE inhibitor blood pressure medicines, or in smokers, things that must not be missed. Add unexplained weight loss or night sweats to the get-seen list. For ordinary coughs: water drunk or steamed, honey for anyone over age one, and no over-the-counter cough medicine for children under four. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can match your cough to these patterns.
What to do
Common questions
When is a cough serious?
Most coughs are colds working their way out - an acute cough from a cold, flu, or bronchitis usually lasts no more than two to three weeks. A cough turns serious in specific patterns: coughing up blood; shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest pain; a high fever that is not settling; whooping fits or a cough that ends in vomiting; and any cough lasting past three weeks, which crosses into chronic territory and needs a cause found - reflux, asthma, postnasal drip, medications like ACE inhibitors, or less commonly something worse, especially in smokers. Also get seen promptly for a cough with unexplained weight loss or night sweats. For the ordinary kind: water helps whether you drink it or breathe it in from a steamy shower, honey eases coughs in adults and kids over one, and children under four should not get over-the-counter cough medicine. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you match your cough to these patterns.