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.

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 swollen face or throat with difficulty swallowing

Call your doctor right away if you have:

• Violent cough that begins suddenly
• High-pitched sound (called stridor) when inhaling
• Cough that produces blood
• Fever (may indicate a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics)
• Thick, foul-smelling, yellowish-green phlegm (may indicate a bacterial infection)
• A history of heart disease, swelling in your legs, or a cough that worsens when you lie down (may indicate congestive heart failure)
• Exposure to someone with tuberculosis
• Unintentional weight loss or night sweats (may also indicate tuberculosis)
• Cough longer than 10-14 days
• Cough in an infant younger than 3 months old

In emergency cases, the patient will be treated first to stabilize the condition. After the condition is stable, the doctor will ask questions about your cough, including:

• Are you coughing up blood? (How much, how often)
• Do you bring up any mucus/sputum when you cough? What does it look like? Is it thick and hard to cough up? How much sputum is produced per day?
• Is the cough severe? Is the cough dry?
• Does the cough sound like a seal barking?
• What is the pattern of the cough? Did it begin suddenly? Has it been increasing recently? Is the cough worse at night? When you first awaken?
• How long has the cough lasted?
• Is the cough worse when you are lying on one side?
• Are there sudden periodic attacks of coughing with gagging and vomiting?
• What other symptoms are present?

The physical examination will include emphasis on the ears, nose, throat, and chest.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• Bronchoscopy
• Lung scan
• Pulmonary function tests
• Sputum analysis (if the cough produces sputum)
• X-ray of the chest