Cough

How you can treat a cough yourself

There's usually no need to see a GP.

You should:

• rest
• drink plenty of fluids

You could also try:

• hot lemon and honey (not suitable for babies under 1 year old)
• a herbal medicine called pelargonium (suitable for people aged 12 or over)

There's limited evidence to show these work.

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• cough syrup
• cough medicine (some cough medicines should not be given to children under 12)
• cough sweets

These will not stop your cough, but will help you cough less.

Decongestants and cough medicines containing codeine will not stop your cough.

See a GP if:

• you have had a cough for more than 3 weeks (persistent cough)
• your cough is very bad or quickly gets worse – for example, you have a hacking cough or cannot stop coughing
• you feel very unwell
• you have chest pain
• you're losing weight for no reason
• the side of your neck feels swollen and painful (swollen glands)
• you find it hard to breathe
• you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or diabetes

See a GP urgently if you're coughing up blood.

What causes coughs

Most coughs are caused by a cold or flu.

Other causes include:

• smoking
• heartburn (acid reflux)
• allergies – for example, hay fever
• infections like bronchitis
• mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose

A cough is very rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.

What causes coughs

Most coughs are caused by a cold or flu.

Other causes include:

• smoking
• heartburn (acid reflux)
• allergies – for example, hay fever
• infections like bronchitis
• mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose

A cough is very rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.