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PRIMARY CARE SERVICES

Diagnosis & Treatment

Cough

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How is a Cough Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

Most coughs do not require a diagnosis, but persistent symptoms may cause a doctor to perform further tests to understand what’s causing a cough.

To diagnose the reason for a persistent cough, your primary care doctor will ask about your medical history and will perform a physical examination.

When needed, the doctor may order specific tests. These can include:

How can a primary care doctor help?

A primary care doctor can often help address your coughing symptoms and discuss additional testing or treatments you may need. The primary care doctor will refer you to a specialist if more extensive care is needed.

How is Coughing Treated?

Treatments

Most coughs do not need treatment and will go away on their own or with lifestyle changes and home remedies. A primary care doctor can help with prescription medicine and other treatments for the underlying cause of a cough.

Lifestyle changes and home remedies

There are some ways to help reduce coughing symptoms and soothe the throat at home. These include:

  • Avoiding or quitting smoking
  • Warm liquids such as tea
  • Honey in warm liquids
  • Cough drops or hard candies to soothe sore throat irritation
  • Cool mist humidifiers, which can add moisture to the air

Cough suppressants

Cough suppressants may be prescribed to help relieve cough symptoms for a short period. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not used to treat conditions that cause chronic cough and may have side effects in young children. Parents should consult a pediatric doctor about giving over-the-counter cough medicine to children with chronic coughs.

Medications

A primary care doctor can prescribe medication to treat a persistent cough. These medications include:

  • Antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants: Used to treat coughs that are caused by allergies and postnasal drip
  • Antibiotics: Prescribed to treat bacterial infections that may cause a cough
  • Asthma drugs: Inhaled drugs including corticosteroids and bronchodilators are effective treatments for coughs that are caused by asthma
  • Acid blockers: These are prescribed to treat acid reflux that may cause a chronic cough

FAQs

FAQs

The length of time a cough lasts can vary and depends on the cause of the cough. A cough caused by the common cold may last 10-14 days. A cough caused by the flu may last longer than 14 days, and a cough caused by pneumonia may last up to six weeks.

Coughing gets worse at night because when a person is lying in bed, mucus can collect in the throat and may cause coughing. Sleeping with your head elevated can help decrease coughing at night.
Get Care

Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Cough Treatment

At NewYork-Presbyterian we offer programs that meet the needs of the communities we serve. With family medicine doctors, internists, and pediatricians at more than 15 practices throughout New York, our primary care practices heal, counsel, and monitor the health of patients of all ages. We also offer Virtual Urgent Care services that can get you the help you need from the convenience of your own home.

Your primary care doctor can help resolve cough symptoms of other conditions, and if additional care is needed, refer you to a NewYork-Presbyterian specialist. Contact us to make an appointment.