Chronic cough: when to call a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

• A cough lasts two weeks or longer.
• You experience weight loss.
• The cough is accompanied by a fever.
• You cough up phleghm that’s yellow or green.
• You cough up blood (your phleghm may be pink).
• You experience shortness of breath.
• You find it difficult to swallow.

Reviewed by Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit, Head of the Lung Clinical Research Unit at the University of Cape Town. MBChB, MRCP(UK), Dip HIV(Man), MMED, FCP(SA), Cert Pulm(SA), PhD. February 2018.