Cough

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Lungs

Although coughing can be a troubling symptom, it is usually your body's way of healing. Here are some tips to help ease your cough:

• If you have a dry, tickling cough, try cough drops or hard candy. NEVER give these to a child under age 3, because they can cause choking.
• Use a vaporizer or take a steamy shower. Both these things increase the moisture in the air and can help soothe a dry throat.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Liquids help thin the mucus in your throat and make it easier to cough it up.

NOTE: Medical experts have recommended against using cough and cold drugs in children under age 6. Talk to your doctor before your child takes any type of over-the-counter cough medicine, even if it is labeled for children. These medicines likely will not work for children, and they may have serious side effects.

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Medications available without a prescription include:

• Guaifenesin helps break up mucus. Drink lots of fluids if you take this medicine.
• Decongestants help clear a runny nose and relieve postnasal drip. Do NOT give children under age 6 an over-the-counter decongestant unless specifically told to do so by your doctor. You should check with your doctor before taking decongestants if you have high blood pressure.

Do not expect a doctor to prescribe antibiotics for viral infections like colds or flu. Antibiotics do not work on viruses. Antibiotics also will not help coughs from allergies.

Call 911 if you have:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Hives or a swollen face or throat with difficulty swallowing

Call your doctor right away if you have:

• A history of heart disease, swelling in your legs, or a cough that gets worse when you lie down (may be signs of congestive heart failure)
• Been exposed to someone with tuberculosis
• Cough in an infant younger than 3 months old
• Cough that lasts longer than 10-14 days
• Cough that produces blood
• Fever (may be a sign of a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics)
• High-pitched sound (called stridor) when breathing in
• Thick, foul-smelling, yellowish-green phlegm (could be a bacterial infection)
• Unintentional weight loss or night sweats (could be tuberculosis)
• Violent cough that begins suddenly