Not all coughs are alike. While that tickle in your throat can often be treated at home with over-the-counter cold medication coupled with Mom's advice to rest up and drink lots of fluids, sometimes a cough is a sign of something more serious than a cold.
Cough Symptoms: When to See a Doctor
A cough is a natural effort by your body to clear your airways. The best way to treat any cough is to treat the cause. For example, if you have pneumonia, antibiotics will help, and if your cough is part of an allergy, you could treat the allergy or avoid the trigger.
Unfortunately, many coughs are related to viral infections. You can treat them with over-the-counter medications, but you are probably looking at about a week of aggravation before your cough subsides.
“When more mucus membranes are involved — your nose and throat, and you're coughing — then it’s viral and it will take longer to get better,” says Richard Streiffer, MD, professor and chair of the department of family and community medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. If you have a virus, there isn’t much you can do besides treat the symptoms and take it easy.
On the other hand, if you have only one or two significant symptoms, you may have something to take to your doctor. For example, if you have a very sore throat and not much else, you might have strep throat. Likewise, if your cough is your primary concern, it could be worth a visit to the doctor. Make an immediate call to your doctor if:
- Your cough is accompanied by other symptoms such as chest pain, wheezing, or shortness of breath.
- You’re coughing up blood or bloody-looking mucus in any quantity.
- You’re coughing up yellow or green mucus.
- You have a fever of 101 or higher.
- You’re getting worse when you should be getting better. “Some people may have a cold and then five or six days into it get worse with fever they didn’t have at the beginning or increased mucus production,” explains Dr. Streiffer.
- You’ve had unplanned weight loss.
- You’re soaking the sheets with night sweats.
When a Cough Sticks Around
One reason to take your cough to the doctor is if it lasts too long.
“You expect people to be getting better in seven to 10 days,” says Streiffer. This is called an acute cough. A cough that sticks around one to two months — a subacute cough — is likely to be an unresolved respiratory infection, such as pneumonia. A cough that lingers past eight weeks is considered a chronic cough and could be related to:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Post-nasal drip
- Bronchiectasis, or damage to airways due to infection
- Lung cancer (rare)
- Congestive heart failure
- Certain medications you take, such as ACE inhibitors or beta blockers
An ongoing cough can interfere with sleep, mood, and daily activities. Getting to the bottom of the cause of your chronic cough or a cough that is accompanied by more worrisome symptoms, such as blood, will help you rest easier physically and emotionally.
Last Updated: 11/16/2012