Cough: Signs and symptoms
Recognizing coughs
Coughs can significantly impact daily life,1 and can be a common symptom of colds and flu, making it useful to understand how to recognise the type of cough.2,3
Signs and symptoms
Dry coughs involve coughing attacks that can cause considerable discomfort and pain. They can be characterised by:
- No or little mucus
- More frequent cough episodes
- Difficulty in stopping the attack
- A sore, tickly, burning sensation in the throat
- Usually occurring at night
Wet coughs are a useful defensive mechanism, characterised by:
- The presence of mucus
- Associated with the sensation of mucus stuck in the chest
- The useful loosening of mucus from the chest with cough
- Intentional, predictable episodes of cough
- Less frequent and shorter cough episodes4
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Questions to ask your patient
Ask your patient:5
- Are you experiencing wheezing?
- Are you experiencing shortness of breath?
- Have you experienced weight loss?
- Are you experiencing chest pain?
- Have you coughed up any bloody or pink-tinged phlegm?
- Are you having difficulty breathing or swallowing?
- Do you have a fever?
- Have you been choking or vomiting?
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When to refer your patient for further care
The patient should be referred to a physician if any of the following signs and symptoms are observed or reported:6
- Tachypnoea
- Cyanosis
- Thoracic obstruction
- Bronchial breath
- Crackles
- Hemoptysis
- Dyspnea
- Fever
- Thoracic pain
- Weight loss
Understanding cough
Patient care resources
Access a leaflet for your patients, which can help them understand the causes of coughs and how best to treat them.
