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Thursday, November 12, 2009
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Cough

Coughing
Coughing
Lungs
Lungs
Home Care

Although coughing can be a troubling symptom, it is usually your body's way of healing. Here are some tips to help ease your cough:

  • If you have a dry, tickling cough, try cough drops or hard candy. NEVER give these to a child under age 3, because they can cause choking.
  • Use a vaporizer or take a steamy shower. Both these things increase the moisture in the air and can help soothe a dry throat.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. Liquids help thin the mucus in your throat and make it easier to cough it up.

NOTE: Medical experts have recommended against using cough and cold drugs in children under age 6. Talk to your doctor before your child takes any type of over-the-counter cough medicine, even if it is labeled for children. These medicines likely will not work for children, and they may have serious side effects.

Medications available without a prescription include:

  • Guaifensin helps break up mucus. Drink lots of fluids if you take this medicine.
  • Decongestants help clear a runny nose and relieve postnasal drip. Do NOT give children under age 6 an over-the-counter decongestant unless specifically told to do so by your doctor. You should not take decongestants if you have high blood pressure.

Do not expect a doctor to prescribe antibiotics for viral infections like colds or flu. Antibiotics do not work on viruses. Antibiotics also will not help coughs from allergies.


Call your health care provider if

Call 911 if you have:

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Hives or swollen face or throat with difficulty swallowing

Call your doctor right away if you have:

  • Violent cough that begins suddenly
  • High-pitched sound (called stridor) when inhaling
  • Cough that produces blood
  • Fever (may indicate a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics)
  • Thick, foul-smelling, yellowish-green phlegm (may indicate a bacterial infection)
  • A history of heart disease, swelling in your legs, or a cough that worsens when you lie down (may indicate congestive heart failure)
  • Exposure to someone with tuberculosis
  • Unintentional weight loss or night sweats (may also indicate tuberculosis)
  • Cough longer than 10-14 days
  • Cough in an infant younger than 3 months old
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Review Date: 01/18/2008
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Previously reviewed by Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (11/12/2007).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).
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