I have a painful cough

What causes coughs

• smoking
• heartburn (acid reflux)
• allergies – for example, hay fever
• infections like bronchitis or COVID-19
• mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose

A cough is rarely a sign of something serious like lung cancer.

A pharmacist can help if you have a cough

If you have a cough, you can ask a pharmacist about:

• cough syrup
• cough medicine (some cough medicines should not be given to children under 12 years old)
• cough sweets

These will not stop your cough, but may help you cough less.

Decongestants and cough medicines containing codeine will not stop your cough.