Why am I coughing?
Coughing is a physical reflex action that clears your throat and lungs of mucus or foreign irritants. It’s rarely anything too serious, but coughing can be a sign of disease – like the flu or common cold – and will often clear up within three weeks without treatment.
Sometimes even after you’ve recovered from illness, it’s not uncommon for coughs to hang around. House Call Doctor have put together the following tips to kick your cough for good.
Different types of coughs
Knowing what type of cough you’re suffering from will help in treating it quickly and effectively.
- Dry Cough: Usually feels tickly and scratchy in the throat and doesn’t produce any phlegm
- Chesty Cough: Feels as if the cough is coming from deeper in the throat and phlegm is produced (and sometimes comes up) to help clear your airways.
Home remedies
- Warm fluids: Such as warm water, honey and lemon will help sooth your throat. Never give honey to a child under the age of one year old.
- Over-the-counter cough remedies: Such as cough lollies and syrups can help to both supress the cough and thin mucus to clear the congestion.
- Minimise triggers: if you have allergies or asthma, remove the allergens from your home, keep pets out of your bedroom and use air conditions to filter the air.
When to seek medical treatment
There’s usually no need to see a GP if you or your child have had a cough for a couple of days. However, you should seek medical advice if:
- You’ve had your cough for more than three weeks
- You’re struggling to breathe when coughing
- You start coughing up blood
- You’re experiencing chest pain or ongoing heartburn
- You have noticed any other concerning symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, persistent vocal change or lumps or swelling in your neck.
Most lingering coughs are harmless, but if you’re struggling for more than a week with no relief from your pesky throat tickle, House Call Doctor’s experts recommend booking in to see your GP.
