Cough

A cough will usually clear up on its own within 3 to 4 weeks.

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.

How to make a hot lemon and honey drink

Hot lemon with honey has a similar effect to cough medicines.

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.

Find a pharmacy

Non-urgent advice: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 happens at your appointment

To find out what's causing your cough, your GP might:

• take a sample of any mucus you might be coughing up
• order an X-ray, allergy test, or a test to see how well your lungs work
• refer you to hospital to see a specialist, but this is very rare

Important

Antibiotics are not normally prescribed for coughs.

Your GP will only prescribe them if you need them – for example, if you have a bacterial infection or you're at risk of complications.

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.

Coughs

Watch how a GP describes the most common causes of coughs and how they can be treated.