Eight signs it might be time to get help for your cough

There are many reasons adults develop a cough, especially during winter, when there’s an increased risk of catching a respiratory illness or virus, but it should clear up on it’s own.

The NHS states that a cough usually takes three to four weeks to pass and this can be aided by rest, lots of fluids and paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, if your cough goes on for longer, it might be time to visit your GP.

It’s worth noting that smokers often have chronic coughs as they are at an increased risk of respiratory infections, so if you smoke that could explain a cough that lasts for a longer period of time.

"Although many people worry about a cough, it is actually a natural reflex," says Dr Deborah Lee at Dr Fox Pharmacy explains. "When foreign organisms, such as bacteria, viruses or food particles, hit the back of the throat, it can lead to a cough.

"Most coughs are caused by viruses and will clear up on their own and your cough may be dry, or you may be coughing up phlegm. However, sometimes a cough can be sudden and a symptom of a serious illness, such as pneumonia, a pulmonary embolus (blood clot) or even heart failure."

Here are eight signs it might be worth considering seeking medical advice.

Your cough lasts more than three weeks

If you’ve had a persistent cough for longer than three weeks, the NHS recommends booking an appointment with your GP, as this can be a sign of poor lung function or an underlying medical condition.

You're experiencing shortness of breath

If you’re having difficulty breathing and feeling breathless with your cough, it is worth seeing your doctor, Dr Lee explains this is a sign you're not getting enough oxygen into your lungs. All of these symptoms could be harmless or a sign of asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions, but it's always worth being cautious.

You have chest pain when breathing or coughing

The strain from coughing or breathing more heavily can sometimes cause light pain in your throat, but if you have chest pain Dr Lee says this "could be due to pleurisy - inflammation of the pleura - the membranes that line the lungs." If this persists, it’s important to get it checked out to make sure that the chest pain is only from your cough.

You're having heart palpitations

If you’re having some heart palpitations along with your cough, this could also be a sign of something more sinister such as coronary heart disease, a heart attack, or heart arrhythmia or heart failure.

You're coughing up blood

Coughing up phlegm is completely natural and it may vary in colour, but if you cough up blood you need to phone your GP. Dr Lee explains: "Coughing up blood is a symptom of a pulmonary embolus - a blood clot in the lung. It can also occur with pneumonia or TB."

The pain has spread to your neck, jaws, back or arms

A cough can sometimes be a sign of other illness, so it's important to monitor if anything changes such as the location of the pain you're experiencing. Dr Lee adds: "If chest pain has spread to your neck, jaws, back or arms this can be a sign of angina or heart pain from a heart attack."

You're drowsy and struggling to do everyday tasks

After a cold or illness, it's natural to feel more tired than normal. Yet, if this fatigue makes it difficult to do everyday activities such as walking the dog or cleaning the house, it's important to phone your doctor. Dr Lee says: "This occurs because the lung function has deteriorated and there is not enough oxygen in the blood stream."

Your lips are blue

There are lots of different indicators that your oxygen levels are too low, but one of the biggest signs is your lips turning blue. If you have a cough and see your lips turning blue, Dr Lee cautions that this is a sign of central cyanosis, which must be investigated by a doctor.

Read more on coughs:

• Seven signs your child’s cough could need medical attention (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

• Three week cough could indicate deadly disease that kills 35,000 Brits a year (Daily Record, 2-min read)

• I’ve never smoked but my persistent cough turned out to be lung cancer (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)