CAN you feel the telltale tickle of a post-Christmas cough coming on?
It’s a risk that comes with the , a time spent in close proximity with friends and family.
Flu and coughs are rife in the festive seasonCredit: Getty
Not helped by the fact a relatively new strain of , dubbed “superflu”, has been rife in December, along with other winter bugs such as .
While a cough may seem a generic part of being unwell, the sound and frequency of it can identify different conditions.
In some cases, the underlying cause can be more sinister than a bug.
Dr Unnati Desai, national lead at Nuffield Health, says coughs can be dry, phlegmy, wheezy, whooping or barking.
She tells Sun on Sunday Health: “A is a spontaneous reflex of the autonomic nervous system that is important for keeping our lungs and lower airways clear.
“On a daily basis, particles enter the respiratory system as we inhale, including dust, pathogens and foreign bodies. Coughing will forcefully try to expel these particles by propelling air out of the respiratory system.”
Typically, a cough can last a few weeks, but if you’ve been hacking away for more than three weeks, the recommends you see your GP.
We look at seven types of cough and when you should seek help.
SICK KID
Dr Desai says: ‘If the cough sounds ‘barking’, then this suggests it’s croup — this is common in young children’Credit: Getty
COUGHS caused by an — be it viral or bacterial — tend to last less than three weeks and tend to come with a raised temperature and swollen glands.
Dr Desai says: “If the cough sounds “barking”, then this suggests it’s croup — this is common in young children.
“If the cough is a violent, hacking cough with a high-pitched ‘whooping’ sound on inspiration [inhalation] then this suggests whooping cough.
“If the cough is ‘fruity’ and wet with mucus production, and occurs in the winter, especially in children under two, then this suggests respiratory syncytial virus which is a viral infection that causes bronchiolitis.”
Though usually mild, it can be serious in babies and require hospital treatment.
VICTORIAN ILLS
ONCE rife in Victorian England, data suggests tuberculosis is on the rise again.
Cases of the bacterial infection, which can cause a number of symptoms including a persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, rose nearly 14 per cent in 2024, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
There were 5,490 notifications of the disease, compared to 4,831 in 2023.
You may cough up blood-tinged mucus if you have TB, but the infection is treatable with a six-month course of antibiotics.
The BCG vaccine is offered to babies, young children and travellers at higher risk of getting TB, though it’s not routinely given on the NHS.
ON THE NOSE
‘Mucus that drops down the throat, a ‘post-nasal drip’, can result in a build-up that can trigger the cough reflex to clear the airway,’ explains Dr DesaiCredit: Getty
IT might feel like it’s your chest, but the clue to your hacking cough could be hiding in your nasal passages.
“Mucus that drops down the throat, a ‘post-nasal drip’, can result in a build-up that can trigger the cough reflex to clear the airway,” explains Dr Desai.
Conditions such as rhinitis, sinusitis, seasonal allergies or allergic rhinitis can be to blame.
Dr Desai says: “[These] conditions tend to be treated with steroid nasal sprays, to keep inflammation under control.”
Antihistamines are used to tackle allergies.
Using steam to loosen the mucus clogging up your nose, or rinsing out the nasal passages with sterile saline water can also help.
AT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE
BELIEVE it or not, tummy troubles can also result in persistent spluttering.
Gastro- oesophageal reflux disease can cause stomach acid to travel up towards the throat causing acid reflex — a burning sensation in your chest — and a dry cough.
“It is thought that this cough reflex is to protect the airways from micro-droplets of acid entering,” Dr Desai explains.
Avoid acidic foods such as coffee, chocolate, tomatoes and anything spicy.
Eat small meals frequently, avoid tight clothing, maintain a healthy weight and keep smoking and stress to a minimum.
Over-the-counter meds such as antacids can also help — speak to your pharmacist in the first instance, but see a GP for persistent heartburn.
CLOT HORROR
IN rare cases, a cough can be a sign of a deadly blood clot.
“Pulmonary embolism is a clot that occurs in a vein of the lungs and may be secondary to a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the leg, or may arise spontaneously,” says Dr Desai.
“It tends to be linked to a long-haul flight, immobility, starting hormone treatments like the contraceptive pill or , or certain underlying medical conditions.”
Symptoms of the health emergency include a cough, shortness of breath, sharp chest pain and a fast heart rate.
You may also cough up blood. If you also have DVT, you may notice pain, redness and swelling in one of your legs — usually the calf.
If you suspect you’re suffering a pulmonary embolism, go to A&E urgently.
“This can be a life-threatening condition,” Dr Desai warns.
HIDDEN CLUES
In rare cases, a chesty cough could be a sign of pneumoniaCredit: Getty
WHILE most chesty coughs are a hangover from a chest infection, in rare cases it could be a sign of pneumonia.
It’s when the lungs become inflamed and is typically triggered by an infection.
Most people get better in two to four weeks, but babies, older people and those with heart or lung conditions are at greater risk of falling seriously ill, and may need hospital treatment.
“If your cough is associated with significant symptoms (other than being unwell and having a temperature) such as a fast heart rate, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, this could be a sign of pneumonia”, Dr Desai warns.
Pneumonia is commonly triggered by bacteria infecting lung tissues, a virus, or fungus.
“If a mucousy cough occurs without these specific symptoms, this tends to be called bronchitis — inflammation of the larger bronchial airways,” she adds.
THREE-WEEK RULE
IF your cough has been bothering you for longer than three weeks, the NHS suggests seeing your GP — in rare cases it could be a sign of
Around 49,300 people are diagnosed with the disease each year and 33,100 lives are lost, report
Just one in ten patients survive for a decade or more after being diagnosed and lung tumours make up 20 per cent of cancer deaths in the UK but only 13 per cent of cases.
As well as a long-lasting cough, signs include repeated chest infections, coughing up blood, breathlessness, chest pain, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.
“Smoking is one of the main causes [of lung cancer], so it is best to not start smoking,” Dr Desai warns — so seek help to quit the habit from NHS stop smoking services.
UK stats show that smoking is responsible for 75 to 85 per cent of lung cancer diagnoses.
If you’re worried your cough could be a sign of the disease, speak to your GP.
TREATING MOST COUGHS
WHEN it comes to a cough triggered by a virus or bug, there are two ways to determine what treatment you might need.
If your mucus is clear, it suggests your cough was caused by a virus, Dr Desai explains.
You can treat it by staying hydrated, taking fever-reducing and pain-relieving medicines such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, and inhaling steam to loosen the mucus.
But, if it is green or yellow-tinged for more than two weeks, and you’re getting more unwell, a bacterial infection might be to blame.
In this case, you might need antibiotics, Dr Desai adds.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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