Cough

Most coughs clear up within 3 weeks and don’t require any treatment.

A dry cough means it’s tickly and doesn’t produce any phlegm (thick mucus). A chesty cough means phlegm is produced to help clear your airways.


A dry cough means it’s tickly and doesn’t produce any phlegm (thick mucus). A chesty cough means phlegm is produced to help clear your airways.

Symptoms

Speak to a pharmacist for: advice about coughs cough treatments Find your local pharmacy

Speak to a GP if: you’ve had a cough for more than 3 weeks your cough is particularly severe you cough up blood  you experience shortness of breath, breathing difficulties or chest pain you have any other worrying symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, a persistent change in your voice, or lumps or swellings in your neck If your GP is unsure what’s causing your cough, they may refer you to a hospital specialist for an assessment. They may also request some tests, such as a chest X-ray, allergy tests, breathing tests, and an analysis of a sample of your phlegm to check for infection.

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