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Cough! Information for patients

We hope you find this information will help you understand why your cough is troublesome, and what you can expect to happen.

• What does a cough mean?
• Is there anything I should look out for?

What does a cough mean?

A cough is not a bad thing; it is there for a reason. It helps defend your lungs by making sure that any secretions your tubes produce are cleared rather than settling in the lower lungs where they could cause trouble. Similarly phlegm or sputum is there to act as a barrier to catch dust and germs we may breathe in.

Your cough is part of your body's defence mechanism and it is likely to be the last part of your current illness to go back to normal, for your airways may remain inflamed and irritable after the infection has gone.

The process of recovery, even with any treatment you may have had prescribed, is likely to take up to two or three weeks to complete. As long as you are otherwise feeling well you need not worry if your cough and phlegm take this long to settle, especially if you are getting better every day.

Is there anything I should look out for?

Should you develop any new or worsening symptoms, or become generally more unwell, or if you start to cough up any blood it please 'phone the surgery and make an appointment for a further check.

A cough that persists for more than three or four weeks after the initial illness is worth checking too.

One last thing......if you are a smoker your chest will clear much quicker if you can leave off the cigarettes - perhaps this is the chance to give up for good!

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