Should you see a doctor about that hack, or just wait for it to go away ? Some pointers are here:
- Most winter coughs are caused by viral infection of the upper airways and go within three weeks. Coughs lasting longer are suspicious.
- All coughs accompanied by breathlessness should ring alarm bells-viral coughs do not generally cause this, so it could be a more serious infection, asthma or heart problems.
- Coughing up phlegm is part of normal recovery from a virus and in itself does not mean antibiotics are required. But blood-stained phlegm or yellow-green phlegm accompanied by a temperature warrant further investigation.
- Night-time coughing is suspicious. It's often a key feature of asthma or it may be a sign of heart failure.
- Babies and young children can be quite ill without an obviously troublesome cough. Their rate of breathing is a better measure: if your child has a cough and is breathing faster than normal, then there is a need to see a doctor.
