A cough that drags on for weeks after a cold may be bronchitis. The NHS describes it as inflammation of the airways in the lungs, usually caused by an infection that spreads easily by coughing and sneezing. Symptoms are a cough that may bring up mucus, chest pain when coughing, shortness of breath, a sore throat, a runny nose and a high temperature, and it usually gets better within about 3 weeks. Get urgent help if the cough lasts more than 3 weeks without improving, you cough up blood, have chest pain on breathing, or are over 65, pregnant or have a long-term condition. Enter when the cough started and the checker shows the day count and the 3-week date.
1. Usually better within about 3 weeks on its own — rest, plenty of fluids, paracetamol or ibuprofen, honey in a warm drink (not under 1).
2. Urgent help: not better after 3 weeks, blood in mucus, chest pain on breathing, over 65, pregnant, long-term condition, weak immune system, short of breath.
3. 999: struggling to breathe, blue or grey lips or skin, sudden confusion, a baby you can’t wake — started 1 October: 3 weeks on 22 October.
Checker
Updates as you type. The NHS says bronchitis usually gets better within about 3 weeks; a cough lasting more than 3 weeks and not improving is a reason for an urgent GP appointment or 111. The date sum is ours.
Symptoms and self-care — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | Cough (may bring up mucus), chest pain when coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, high temperature | — |
| How long | Usually better within about 3 weeks | — |
| Rest | Plenty of rest; with a high temperature or feeling too unwell for normal activities, stay home and avoid others | — |
| Fluids, medicine | Plenty of fluids; paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain and temperature | Acetaminophen in Korea (ours) |
| Honey | Honey in a warm drink for the throat; no honey for babies under 1 | — |
| Hygiene | Tissues for coughs and sneezes, bin them quickly, wash hands often, don’t smoke | — |
When to get help — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Cough lasting more than 3 weeks and not getting better | Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 | A local clinic or respiratory specialist in Korea (ours) |
| Blood or blood-stained mucus; chest pain that comes and goes or is there when breathing or coughing | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Over 65, pregnant, a long-term condition such as diabetes or heart, lung or kidney disease, a weakened immune system (e.g. chemotherapy) | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Too unwell for usual activities, or short of breath | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Advice for a child aged 4 or under | Call 111 | — |
| Struggling to breathe, choking, gasping or unable to speak | 999 | 119 in Korea |
| Lips or skin very pale, blue or grey (on brown or black skin check palms, lips, tongue, gums, under nails, around eyes) | 999 | — |
| Sudden confusion; a baby you can’t wake or who feels floppy | 999 | — |
The NHS says not to drive yourself to A&E but to call 999. Bronchitis usually clears up without treatment in around 3 weeks; antibiotics may be offered if a more serious infection is the cause. Long-term airway inflammation, chronic bronchitis, is also known as COPD, the NHS adds.
For example, a cough that started on 1 October reaches 3 weeks on 22 October; still not better after that, see a doctor (our sum of the NHS rule).
Coughs in general are in cough; chest infections and pneumonia in chest infection and pneumonia.
Checklist
- ☐ Note when the cough started — past 3 weeks, get seen
- ☐ Blood, chest pain or breathlessness: get seen now
- ☐ Over 65, pregnant or a long-term condition: get seen early
- ☐ No honey under 1
- ☐ Don’t smoke
Questions that remain
Do I need antibiotics?
The NHS says it usually clears without treatment and antibiotics may be offered for a more serious infection; how that’s judged isn’t on this page.
What can I buy at a pharmacy?
The page has no pharmacist section; it names paracetamol and ibuprofen for pain and fever.
Sources
- NHS — Bronchitis — source (page shows: reviewed 18 August 2026, next review 18 August 2029; checked 21 October 2026). Causes, symptoms, 3 weeks, self-care, nine urgent criteria, 111 for children 4 or under, 999 criteria, no driving, treatment, chronic bronchitis (COPD).
- Not read. The COPD pages; Korean guidance.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where to check further
- A local clinic or respiratory specialist — a cough past 3 weeks.
Written on 21 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
