The curse of the chronic cough

An ongoing cough may be a sign of something serious, writes our Health columnist Margo White.

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14th July, 2012

Most of us cough when we catch a cold, which is a normal protective reaction to an irritation in the throat. It usually lasts much longer than the other symptoms, but at what point does a normal cough become chronic? “Well, how long is a piece of string?” says Professor John Kolbe, of the University of Auckland’s medical school, before noting that the consensus is that a cough that lasts longer than six to eight weeks qualifies, and should be checked. “In most people, it’s probably not a serious medical problem, but in some people it could be a sign that something serious is going ...

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