About Cough
A cough is a protective reflex that helps clear the airways. It can occur with infections, irritation, allergies and other conditions.
A cough may be dry or produce mucus. Its duration and accompanying symptoms can provide useful context.
Common causes
Common possibilities include viral respiratory infections, allergies, irritants, asthma-related conditions and other respiratory problems.
What to consider
Consider how long the cough has lasted, whether it is changing, whether breathing is affected and whether other symptoms are present. When to seek help Professional assessment is appropriate for persistent, worsening or unusual cough, breathing difficulty, chest pain, coughing blood or other concerning symptoms.
What should you consider?
- How long the symptom or concern has been present.
- How severe or disruptive it is.
- Whether it is improving, stable or getting worse.
- Whether other symptoms are occurring at the same time.
- Age, medications, existing health conditions and individual circumstances.
When should you seek professional advice?
Consider speaking with a qualified healthcare professional when a health concern is persistent, worsening, severe, unusual or interfering with normal daily activities. Urgent or life-threatening symptoms require appropriate emergency medical care.