When to Go to Urgent Care for a Cough

Everyone gets a cough from time to time — your drink goes down the wrong pipe, or you’re suffering through a nasty respiratory infection — coughs are simply a part of life. Being used to coughing can make it tough to figure out when a cough is more than just a passing nuisance and crosses over into a potential problem.

To help, the team of skilled and experienced medical providers here at Temecula Medical Group, which includes Dr. Richard H. Rawson, Ryan D. Rowan, PA-C, and Armanda L. Alvarez, FNP-C, wants to review a few rules of thumb about when you might seek our urgent care because of a cough.

The basics of coughing

You might cough for many reasons; it’s a spontaneous reflex, and you have little to no control over it. A cough occurs when something irritates your throat and airways, and your body responds by trying to expel the irritant. To do this, the airspeed of your cough can reach up to 50 mph.

When a cough is potentially problematic

Coughing is mostly a healthy and protective function, but certain coughs may be waving red flags that something’s amiss.

Acute versus chronic coughs

If you have a respiratory infection, such as a cold, flu, or COVID-19, and you cough for a few days or even a couple of weeks, there may not be much cause for concern. If the cough continues for three weeks or more, this has gone from an acute cough to a chronic one, and we want you to come see us.

Also, if you have a mild cough not due to allergies or a respiratory infection and it lasts for eight weeks or more, it’s important that you come to see us for a diagnosis.

An uncomfortable acute cough

If you have a cough that’s hurting your throat and/or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as a fever, we want you to come see us to help you find some relief, even if you've only had the couch for a short time.

Type of cough

If you’re coughing up greenish/yellowish phlegm, or your cough is a deep “bark,” this could be your body’s way of signaling a more significant problem deeper in your lungs, so a trip to our urgent care center is in order.

Also, anytime there’s blood in what you cough up, get medical help immediately.

Difficulty breathing

If you're coughing and having difficulty breathing, seek immediate care.

Not responding to treatment

If you have a cough and you’re taking over-the-counter medications, but there's no improvement, we want you to come to our urgent care center. We can diagnose your cough and provide you with the right medications for calming it.

You know yourself best (or your family member) and likely understand when a cough just doesn't feel right. When in doubt, come see us, even if it’s just for peace of mind.

For expert help with your cough, please contact our Temecula, California, office or visit our office from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday-Friday.