When should I worry about a cough?

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asked Dec 3, 2021 in Other- Health by AlenMoorer (1,040 points)
When should I worry about a cough?

1 Answer

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answered Dec 5, 2021 by callsover (1,350 points)
Most coughs are nothing to worry about unless the coughing last for longer than a few week and or the coughing gets worse.

Another time you should be worried about a cough is if you're coughing up a lot of blood.

If you happen to cough up just a bit of blood and it goes away then it's usually nothing to worry about but if the blood continues or gets worse when you're coughing then seek medical attention.

A cough is your body's way of responding when something irritates your throat or airways.

An irritant stimulates nerves that send a message to your brain.

The brain then tells muscles in your chest and abdomen to push air out of your lungs to force out the irritant.

An occasional cough is normal and healthy.

Call your doctor if your cough (or your child's cough) doesn't go away after a few weeks or if it also involves any one of these: Coughing up thick, greenish-yellow phlegm. Wheezing. Experiencing a fever.

See a doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms accompanying a cough because it may be serious:

    Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath.
    Shallow, rapid breathing.
    Wheezing.
    Chest pain.
    Fever.
    Coughing up blood or yellow or green phlegm.
    Coughing so hard you vomit.
    Unexplained weight loss.

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