Preparing For Your Appointment When You Have A Cough

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• How long have you had the cough?
• How often do you cough?
• Does the cough have a pattern, such as worsening at night or becoming more frequent in the morning?
• What situations increase your coughing?
• Are you exposed to any irritants, such as smoke, dust, or chemicals, in your home or workplace?
• Is the cough productive (brings up sputum) or nonproductive (dry and hacking)? Be prepared to describe the color (bloody, rusty, white, yellow, or green), amount, and consistency of any sputum.
• Do you have other symptoms that may be related to your cough, such as nasal drainage, fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, or other suspected cold symptoms?
• What home treatment have you tried? Did it help?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines or other treatments have you tried? Did they help?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines do you take regularly?
• Have you ever been diagnosed with allergies or asthma? Does anyone else in your family have allergies or asthma?
• Have you traveled recently?
• Do you have any health risks?