Doctor, I am having cough since last 5 days.

The duration is short. This should be a simple cough due to pharyngitis or bronchitis. But let me look for other causes.

Do you have fever? Do you have colds? “No Doctor.”

Do you get expectoration while coughing? “Very slight.”  (so it is mainly a dry cough)

Do you get wheezing sounds in the chest while breathing or coughing? “No.” (that rules out allergic bronchitis and bronchial asthma)

Look for pallor.

Anemic patients are more prone to all sorts of infection.

Do you get throat pain or tickling sensation at the back of the throat (Post nasal drip)? “No” (so it is not pharyngitis)

Is there a change in your voice? “No.” (so it is not Laryngitis)

Examine with a good torch & tongue depressor, for inflammation or tonsils and pharynx, for a long uvula, and for mucus discharge over the pharynx.

Do you get wheezing sounds in the chest while breathing or coughing?

“No.” (That rules out allergic bronchitis or Asthma.)

Auscultate the chest carefully for Rhonchii and Rales.

Ask the patient to take very deep breath and listen for Rhonchii.

Key points for Acute Cough: Pharyngitis, Postnatal discharge, Anemia, Wheezing.

Action: 

Steam inhalations. Salt water gargles if pharyngitis.

Cough suppressants and antibiotics. Add paracetamol, bronchodilators, anti-histaminic if necessary.

If there is no relief, ask for x-ray chest and sputum AFB, Hb, WBC, ESR.