Dry Cough

Most coughs are caused by a cold or flu.

You should also be aware that a new continuous cough could be coronavirus (COVID-19)

Other causes include:

• Smoking (smoker’s cough and lung diseases such as COPD)
• A foreign body – food going down the wrong way or inhaling a small object such as a bead
• Heartburn (acid reflux)
• Allergies like hay fever and asthma
• Infections like bronchitis
• Mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose
• Smoke or fumes that irritate your airways
• Side effects of medication, especially ACE inhibitors which are used to help with blood pressure, heart disease and kidney disease
  Blood clot in the lung, lung cancer and other lung diseases are less common causes of cough
• Blood clot in the lung, lung cancer and other lung diseases are less common causes of cough

Usually there is no need to see a GP. You can try the following:

• Rest
• Drink sufficient fluids
• Try hot lemon and honey drinks (not for children under 1 year old)
• A herbal medicine called pelargonium is suitable for people aged 12 and over
• There is limited evidence that these steps work but they can soothe, and most coughs will go away on their own

You can speak to a pharmacist about your cough. They may suggest a cough syrup, cough medicine or cough sweets depending on your age and your other medical problems.

Mostly, when you have a cough, it will improve with self-care or advice from your pharmacist. However in the following cases you should contact your GP:

• Coughing up blood
• Feeling generally very unwell
• Chest pain
• Losing weight for no apparent reason
• The side of your neck feels swollen and painful (swollen glands)
• Finding it hard to breathe
• Your cough is very bad or quickly gets worse
• Cough going on for over three weeks You have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy

Your GP will want to know how long your cough has lasted and will also ask you about other symptoms.

The doctor will ask about symptoms which may suggest a serious underlying condition (“red flags”):

• Coughing up blood
• Weight loss
• Night sweats
• Being more short of breath

To find out what’s causing your cough, your GP might ask about the following:

• Whether your cough started suddenly or gradually and whether anything triggered it
• When is your cough worse – for example with exercise, at night, at work, in cold weather
• Whether you are breathless when you’re not coughing
• Whether you have pain in your chest
• Whether you are coughing up mucous – what colour it is and whether there is any blood
• Whether you feel ill including weight loss, high temperature or sweats
• Whether you have been abroad recently or had any contact with anyone with TB or other causes of infective cough
• Whether you smoke or used to smoke
• What is your job
• Whether you have started any new medication such as ACE inhibitors

Your GP may need to examine you to check your lungs, throat and heart.

Your GP might need to arrange some tests to see how well your lungs work, arrange an X ray of your chest and take a sample of any mucus you are coughing up.

It is important to remember that antibiotics are not normally prescribed for coughs. They are only needed for a few reasons such as if you have a bacterial infection or you’re at risk of complications.

Most cases of cough will be managed by your GP. Occasionally you need to be referred to a chest (respiratory) specialist for further tests and treatment.