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Coughs
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A cough is a reflex action. It clears the lungs and airways of irritants, mucus, a foreign body, etc.
Signs & Symptoms
There are 3 kinds of Coughs
• Tobacco smoke. Dry air.
• Asthma.
• An allergy or an infection.
• Acid reflux from the stomach.
• Certain medications, like ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure.
• Something stuck in the windpipe.
• A collapsed lung.
• A growth or tumor in the bronchial tubes or lungs.
Treatment
Questions to Ask
Question 1
With a cough, do any of these problems occur?
• A very hard time breathing. Chest pain that spreads to the neck, arm, tooth, or jaw.
• Sudden, severe pain in the chest wall followed by a cough and breathlessness without pain. Fainting. Coughing up red blood. Cough persists after an episode of choking on food or an object.
• Fever of 100.4ºF or higher in a baby less than 3 months old; 104ºF or higher in a child between 3 months and 3 years old.
Get medical care without delay. If symptoms are life threatening go to the ER or call 9-1-1. Don’t call 9-1-1 or use the ER if symptoms do not threaten life. Ask your doctor ahead of time where you should go for a problem that needs prompt care, but not emergency care.
Question 2
In a child, cough occurs with one or more of these problems?
• Rapid breathing.
• Fever of 99.5ºF and up to 100.4ºF in an infant less than 3 months old; between 102.2ºF and up to 104ºF in a child 3 months to 3 years old; 104ºF or higher in a child 3 years old and older.
• The cough sounds like a seal’s bark.
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 3
Did the cough start suddenly and last an hour or more without stopping? Or, do wheezing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or swelling of the abdomen, legs, and ankles occur with the cough?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 4
With a cough in an adult, is a fever of 102ºF or higher present?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 5
With a cough, do you have weight loss for no reason, fatigue, and/or sweating a lot at night?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 6
Does your chest hurt only when you cough and does the pain go away when you sit up or lean forward?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 7
Do you cough up green, yellow, or bloody-colored mucus, with or without an odor?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 8
Has the cough lasted more than 2 weeks without getting better?
Call your doctor or health care provider and state the problem. He or she can decide what you should do.
Use Self-Care / Prevention:
You can probably take care of the problem yourself if you answered NO to all the questions. Use the “Self-Care” measures that are listed. Call your doctor if you don’t feel better soon, though. You may have some other problem.
Self-Care / Prevention
For Coughs that Bring Up Mucus
• Drink plenty of liquids.
• Don’t smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke.
• Use a cool-mist vaporizer, especially in the bedroom. Put a humidifier on the furnace.
• Take a shower. The steam helps thin mucus.
• Use an over-the-counter expectorant medicine, as directed. This helps you spit out phlegm or mucus. Try a decongestant for postnasal drip.
For Coughs that Are Dry
• Drink lots of liquids. Hot drinks like tea with lemon and honey soothe the throat.
• Suck on cough drops or hard candy. (Don’t give these to children under age 5.)
• Take an over-the-counter cough medicine that has dextromethorphan.
• Make your own cough medicine. Mix 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts honey. (Don’t give this to children less than 1 year old.)
Other Tips
• Don’t smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke. Avoid chemical gases that can hurt your lungs.
• Don’t give children under age 5 small objects that can easily get caught in the throat or windpipe. Examples are buttons, balloons, peanuts, and popcorn. Even adults should be careful to chew and swallow foods slowly so they don’t “go down the wrong way.”
• If you cough and have heartburn symptoms when you lie down, try a liquid antacid. Don’t lie down for 2 to 3 hours after you eat.
This website is not meant to substitute for expert medical advice or treatment. Follow your doctor’s or health care provider’s advice if it differs from what is given in this guide.
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