Cough

Coughing up blood always needs to be assessed. That includes a single streak in your phlegm, and it includes times when you feel otherwise well. Common explanations include a chest infection or irritation from heavy coughing. Other causes can be more serious, and there is no reliable way to tell the difference at home. A…

Getting chest infections repeatedly is not bad luck or a weak constitution. Healthy lungs are very good at clearing the bacteria and viruses everybody breathes in daily. When infections keep taking hold, it usually means one of those defences is not working properly, and identifying which one is what breaks the cycle. Two or more…

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection, not a separate illness. Chest infection is the general term for an infection in the lungs or airways. Pneumonia is the more serious form, where the infection reaches the tiny air sacs deep in the lung rather than staying in the airways above them. So if your GP…

Persistent Cough: When to Investigate