Cough

How you can treat a cough yourself

There's usually no need to see a GP if you have a cough.

You should:

• rest
• drink plenty of fluids
• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

You could also try:

• paracetamol or ibuprofen to treat any pain
• hot lemon and honey, which can have a similar effect to cough syrup (not suitable for babies under 1 year old)
• a herbal medicine called pelargonium (suitable for people aged 12 or over)

But there's limited evidence to show that hot lemon and honey and herbal medicines help ease a cough.

Some medicines and herbal treatments are not safe for everyone (for example, if you're pregnant). Always check the leaflet or speak to a pharmacist before taking them.

A pharmacist can help if you have a cough

If you have a cough, you can ask a pharmacist about:

• cough syrup
• cough medicine (some cough medicines should not be given to children under 12 years old)
• cough sweets

These will not stop your cough, but may help you cough less.

Decongestants and cough medicines containing codeine will not stop your cough.

Find a pharmacy

See a GP if:

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

What happens at your appointment

To find out what's causing your cough, the GP might:

• listen to your chest with a stethoscope
• take a sample of any mucus you might be coughing up
• order an X-ray, allergy test, or a test to see how well your lungs work
• refer you to hospital to see a specialist, but this is rare

Important

Antibiotics are not normally prescribed for coughs. A GP will only prescribe them if you need them - for example, if you have a bacterial infection or you're at risk of complications.

What causes coughs

Most coughs are caused by a cold or flu.

Other causes include:

• smoking
• heartburn (acid reflux)
• allergies - for example, hay fever
• infections like bronchitis or COVID-19
• mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose

A cough is rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.

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