Cough management

Definition

Cough is a common protective reflex that clears the throat and airways of mucus, allergens, dust, and other foreign irritants. It may result from a wide range of temporary or chronic conditions. Persistent or frequent coughing usually indicates an underlying disease that requires evaluation.

Characteristics of cough and sputum

The characteristics of cough and sputum may help identify the underlying cause.

Clinical presentation	Likely cause
Dry cough without sputum or fever	Allergic condition or mild upper respiratory illness (e.g., allergic rhinitis or allergic bronchitis)
Dry cough without sputum or fever, associated with symptoms of congestion	Congestive cardiac failure (CCF)
Recurrent episodes of cough with wheezing and no fever	Bronchial asthma
Cough with fever, rapid breathing, and chest indrawing	Pneumonia
Productive cough with yellow, pus-like sputum and fever	Acute bronchitis or pneumonia
Cough with blood-stained sputum and/or intermittent fever, weight loss, and loss of appetite	Suspected tuberculosis
Cough producing large volumes of foul-smelling sputum	Lung abscess or bronchiectasis

Pharmacological treatment

Identify and treat the underlying cause or precipitating factor, such as:

Congestive cardiac failure (CCF)
Bronchial asthma
Allergic conditions

Manage patients according to the relevant disease-specific treatment guidelines (refer to the respective respiratory disease conditions).

Note: Refer the patient to a higher-level facility with appropriate expertise if the cough persists despite treatment, the cause cannot be established, or the cough is associated with fever.

Imeandikwa:

Ijumaa, 26 Juni 2026, 2:50:54 GMT +3

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