Cough
By the AllHealth UK editorial teamLast reviewed Next review due Compiled from published NHS and NICE guidance. Not reviewed by a clinician.
Key facts
A cough is a reflex that helps clear your airways of irritants, mucus, or foreign particles. Most coughs clear up within 3 weeks and don't need treatment, but a persistent cough should be investigated.
Most often affects:SmokersPeople with asthmaChildren in nursery/schoolHay fever sufferers
What commonly causes cough
- Common cold or flu — most common cause
- Allergies, hay fever, or postnasal drip
- Asthma (especially night-time cough)
- Acid reflux (GERD) — stomach acid irritating the throat
- Smoking or exposure to smoke/pollutants
- Post-viral cough — lasting weeks after a cold
- Chest infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia or COVID-19
- Rarely, something more serious such as lung cancer — see a GP about any cough lasting more than 3 weeks, or if you are coughing up blood or losing weight
What helps at home
- Try a hot lemon and honey drink — the NHS says it can have a similar effect to cough syrup, though the evidence is limited. Never give honey to a baby under 12 months, and do not give hot drinks to small children.
- Use a humidifier or inhale steam to moisten airways
- Avoid irritants like cigarette smoke, dust, and strong perfumes
- Elevate your head with an extra pillow when sleeping
- Suck on throat lozenges to reduce the cough reflex
When to get help
These three levels are different. Getting the level right is the single most useful thing this page can do for you.
Non-urgent advice: see a GP if
- The cough has lasted more than 3 weeks
- You have lost weight without trying alongside a persistent cough
- You have night sweats with the cough
- The cough keeps coming back, or is much worse at night
- You smoke or used to smoke and the cough has changed
Urgent advice: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if
- You have coughed up blood or blood-streaked mucus
- You are wheezing or short of breath when resting or talking
- You have chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in
- You have a high temperature with the cough and feel very unwell
- You have a long-term lung condition and your usual inhalers are not helping
Immediate action required: call 999 or go to A&E if
- Coughing up large amounts of blood
- Severe difficulty breathing — unable to complete sentences
- Sudden onset cough with facial/throat swelling (anaphylaxis)
What to do next
Not sure whether cough needs a doctor? These are your options, cheapest and fastest first.
Questions people ask about cough
Reducing the chance of it coming back
- Don't smoke — and avoid secondhand smoke
- Wash hands frequently to prevent viral infections
- Get the annual flu vaccine
- Manage allergies with antihistamines during pollen season
Conditions this can be part of
Listed alphabetically, not by likelihood — this page does not tell you which one you have.
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- GERD
- Pneumonia
Sources and further reading
This page was written from the following published guidance. All links checked 26 August 2026.
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