A cough is a natural reflex that your body does to clear your airways of irritants such as dust, mucus, and germs. It’s a common symptom of a variety of illnesses and how long it lasts depends on the cause and other underlying health conditions.
Coughs are often referred to as either a productive cough – a cough with mucus/phlegm – or a nonproductive cough or dry cough. They are further defined as an:
• acute cough, lasting less than 3 weeks
• sub-acute cough, lasting 4 – 8 weeks
• chronic cough, lasting more than 8 weeks
Here’s a general guide on how long you may take to recover from a cough from common illnesses that cause cough:
Condition | Average recovery time |
---|---|
Common cold | 7 – 14 days; cough lasting 2 weeks or more |
Flu | 3 – 7 days; cough lasting 2 weeks or more |
Bronchitis | 3 weeks; cough lasting up to three months (chronic bronchitis) |
Pneumonia | A month on average but it depends on the severity of the illness; cough lasting up to 6 weeks |
COVID-19 | Weeks or months after initial infection |
Whooping cough | 1 to 2 weeks (symptoms), followed by up to 3 months of severe coughing, and a few more weeks of recovery (gradual clearing of symptoms) |
Croup | 3 -7 days |
Allergies | The length of time will vary according to the allergen, e.g. pollen season. |
If your cough lingers, here are a few self-care tips to soothe and ease the irritation in your throat and airways as you recover:
- Drinking plenty of fluids: water and warm liquids such as teas and broths.
- Breathe in moisture: stand in a steamy shower or use a humidifier to add extra moisture to your environment.
- Add honey to warm beverages.
- Stay away from irritants such as smoke, dust, and fumes.
- Suck on cough drops, throat lozenges or a hard sweet.
- Use over-the-counter (OTC) medications, if necessary.
If your symptoms persist or you have other accompanying symptoms, visit your doctor. Read more on When is chest congestion serious?
References
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- Nemours Kids Health. (2023). Whooping Cough (Pertussis). Nemours Kids Health [Online]. Accessed on 4 August 2023. Available from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/whooping-cough.html#:~:text=Whooping%20cough%20usually%20causes%20cold,period%20can%20last%20for%20months.
- Seladi-Schullman, J. (2022). How Long Does a Cough Typically Last?. Healthline [Online]. Accessed on 4 August 2023. Available from https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-a-cough-last