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.