Just about everybody coughs sometimes. From time to time, you may get a cough that lasts a short while (known as an acute cough), and then goes away. A main cause of acute cough is the common cold. You may catch a cold then have a cough that lasts two or three weeks. If you have an acute cough, follow this treatment advice.
Acute cough warning signs — See a doctor or go to the nearest emergency room, if you are:
- Extremely short of breath
- Turning blue in the lips or fingernails
- Swelling in the lips
- Coughing up blood
