Cough Directory
Coughing is the body's way of removing foreign material or mucus from the lungs and upper airways or of reacting to an irritated airway. Coughs have distinctive traits you can learn to recognize. A cough is only a symptom, not a disease, and often the importance of your cough can be determined only when other symptoms are evaluated. Coughs often occur with bacterial and viral respiratory infections, but there are many other causes of cough. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about cough, causes, how to treat a cough, and much more.
Medical Reference
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Coughing Up Blood: Causes, Tests, Treatments, and More
WebMD explains the reasons you might be coughing up blood - and when to see a doctor.
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What OTC Medicine Can I Take for My Cough or Cold?
Find over-the-counter remedies to treat your cold symptoms, including coughs, a stuffy nose, sneezing, a sore throat or mild aches.
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Soothe a Baby or Toddler's Cough or Cold Without Medicine
How to care for babies and toddlers who have coughs or colds. Natural remedies are safe and can soothe. Simple home remedies give babies fast relief from cough and cold symptoms.
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8 Cold and Flu Mistakes
Coming down with a cold or the flu? Don’t let one of these common missteps get in the way of your recovery.
Features
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Soothe Your Nighttime Cough
Are you up at night coughing because of a cold or flu? Find out how to soothe your nighttime cough.
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6 Tips to Help You Breathe Easier (and Sleep Better) When You’re Sick
Too stuffy to sleep? Try these tricks to breathe easier and sleep better when you’re sick.
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Cough Relief: How to Lose a Bad Cough
Cold and flu season brings on hacking coughs that can leave your chest aching. But allergies, asthma, acid reflux, dry air, smoking, and even some medications can also cause chronic cough. Try these five tips to manage your cough at home.
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How Moms Prevent Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough is highly contagious. If one person has pertussis, up to 90% of people in the same house will get it. Here’s what careful moms do.
Video
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Myths & Facts about Snot and Mucus
Get the facts on mucus and snot, the different mucus colors and what they mean in this informative myth vs fact video.
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Cough Medicine Abuse in Teens
There's a growing epidemic of teen abuse of over-the-counter cough medicine. It's dangerous, even deadly. Could your teen be in danger?
Slideshows & Images
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Slideshow: Home Remedies for Sick Children
Children need special care when they’re sick with colds or flu. Here’s how you can take care of them at home.
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Slideshow: Tips for Calming Your Cough
Can't stop coughing? See home cough remedies and other cough treatments. And find out when it's time to see a doctor for your cough.
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Cold & Flu Treatment: Medication and Home Remedies for Children Slideshow
WebMD offers helpful tips to safely choose and use over-the-counter medicines and other remedies to help you treat your child’s cold or flu.
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Slideshow: Soothe a Child's Cold or Flu
Does your child have the cold or flu? See how to ease your child's cold or flu. Help symptoms like cough, sore throat, and stuffiness.
Quizzes
Health Tools
Expert Commentary
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How Parents Can Prevent Teen OTC Drug Abuse
A drug rehab counselor talks about how parents can prevent those first steps to teenage drug addiction.
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A Teenager’s Story of OTC Drug Abuse
A teenager in rehab talks about how abusing over-the-counter medicines led to harder drugs and eventually her arrest.