Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. However, excessive coughing may mean you have an underlying disease or disorder.

Some coughs are dry, while others are “productive.” A productive cough is one that brings up phlegm (also called sputum or mucus). Coughs can be either acute or chronic:

• Acute coughs usually begin suddenly. They are often due to a cold, flu, or sinus infection. Typically, they do not last longer than two to three weeks.
• Chronic coughs last longer than two to three weeks.

Besides cold and flu, other common causes of coughs include asthma; allergies (like hay fever); lung infections such as pneumonia or acute bronchitis; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema or chronic bronchitis); sinusitis leading to postnasal drip; smoking cigarettes or exposure to secondhand smoke; pollutants; and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A cough due to a lung infection may start out suddenly but then linger on. If a child has a barking cough, see croup.

• Cough lozenges or hard candy can help dry, tickling coughs. These should never be given to a child under 3 years old because of the risk of choking.
• A vaporizer or steamy shower may help a dry cough by increasing the humidity in the air.
• Drink extra fluids to help thin the secretions in your throat and make them easier to cough up.
• Zinc lozenges may reduce the intensity of your cold symptoms, especially your cough.

Medications available without a prescription include:

• Guaifenesin (like Robitussin), which may help you bring up phlegm. Drink lots of fluids if taking this medication.
• Cough suppressants like dextromethorphan (Vicks 44, Robitussin DM) may lessen your cough. Although coughing can be a troubling symptom, it is usually your body's way of healing the underlying condition. Therefore, you may not want to supress the cough unless it is interfering with sleep or other factors important for healing.
• Decongestants, like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, can be used to clear a stuffy, runny nose accompanying your cough, especially if you have postnasal drip. These should not be used if you have high blood pressure or for a child under six years old unless prescribed by your doctor.

Don't expect a physician to prescribe antibiotics for viral infections like colds or flu. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. Antibiotics also will not help coughs from allergies.

Call 911 if you have any of the following characteristics to or symptoms accompanying your cough:

• Violent cough that begins suddenly
• High pitched sound (called stridor) when inhaling
• Cough that produces blood
• Cough in an infant less than 3 months old
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Hives or swollen face or throat with difficulty swallowing

If you have any of the following, it is also important to contact your doctor right away:

• Fever, which may indicate a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics
• Thick, foul-smelling, yellowish-green phlegm also may indicate a bacterial infection
• A history of heart disease, swelling in your legs, or a cough that worsens when you lie down; this may indicate congestive heart failure
• Exposure to someone with tuberculosis
• Unintentional weight loss or night sweats, which may also indicate tuberculosis
• Your cough lasts longer than 10 to 14 days

• Are you coughing up blood? (How much, how often)
• Do you bring up any mucus/sputum when you cough? What does it look like? Is it thick and hard to cough up? How much sputum is produced per day?
• Is the cough severe? Is the cough dry?
• Does the cough sound like a seal barking?
• What is the pattern of the cough? Did it begin suddenly? Has it been increasing recently? Is the cough worse at night? When you first awaken?
• How long has the cough lasted?
• Is the cough worse when you are lying on one side?
• Are there sudden periodic attacks of coughing with gagging and vomiting?
• What other symptoms are present?

• Bronchoscopy
• Lung scan
• Pulmonary function tests
• Sputum analysis (if the cough produces sputum)
• X-ray of the chest

• Quit smoking or don't smoke in the first place.
• Stay away from secondhand cigarette smoke and airborne irritants.
• If you have seasonal allergies like hay fever, stay indoors during days or seasons when airborne allergens are high and, if possible, keep the windows closed. Use an air conditioner; avoid using fans that draw in air from outdoors; avoid air drying your clothes; shower and change your clothes after being outside.

• If you have allergies year round, cover your pillows and mattress with dust mite covers, use an air purifier, avoid pets and other triggers.