You should see a doctor right away for a cough if you:
- have difficulty breathing or swallowing
- cough out bloody mucus
- have mucus that is thick and green-yellow in colour
- are experiencing chest pain
- have a fever over 38.5°C for more than 24 hours
- cough for more than 10 days
- have severe throat pain, severe headache, or neck pain
Coughs usually do not require any treatment, but there are a few things you can do if your cough is bothersome.
Non-medication treatments
- Use a cool-mist humidifier: Humidifiers soothe the airways by adding moisture to the air.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking fluids such as water, warm soups, or teas loosens up mucus and soothes irritated airways.
Over-the-counter medications
- Cough suppressants: dextromethorphan or codeine*
- These medications help relieve dry coughs. Since coughing is your body's way of getting rid of unwanted substances, avoid taking cough suppressants if you have a productive cough - that is, if you are coughing out mucus.
- Anti-cough medications can make some people drowsy, so be cautious if you are doing activities that require alertness.
- Guaifenesin
- This medication is an expectorant - it thins mucus in your airways so that it is easier to cough out.
- Cough lozenges or hard candies
- These may help soothe the throat and make coughing less painful. Some medicated lozenges contain anesthetic ingredients that help numb the throat.
Many cough medications are available in combination with other medications that treat other symptoms you may or may not have. These include medications for nasal congestion, fever, or pain. Speak to your pharmacist about which product is best for you.
What not to do:
Here are some things you should not do and why:
- If you have asthma or chronic lung disease, don't take cough medications without talking to a health care professional first. Cough medications may mask the warning signs of an acute exacerbation.
- Avoid steam vaporizers, especially when children are present, because they can be a burn hazard.
- Avoid drinking alcohol when you are taking cough medications such as codeine or dextromethorphan. Alcohol adds to the sedating effects of these medications.
* All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
The previously listed options should help make your cough less bothersome and minimize its impact on daily activities. Coughing should generally clear up or ease up within a week, but it can persist for a couple of weeks after your cold or other infection clears up.
You should see your doctor if
- you have been coughing for more than 7 to 10 days
- your cough keeps returning
