To minimize the health risks of a non-mainstream treatment. 1  Discuss it with your doctor. It might have side effects or interact with other medicines. 2  Find out what the research says about it. 3  Choose practitioners carefully. 4  Tell all of your doctors and practitioners about all of the different types of treatments you use.
1 Acute coughs usually begin rapidly and are often due to a cold, flu, or sinus infection. They usually go away after 3 weeks. 2  Subacute coughs last 3 to 8 weeks.  Chronic coughs last longer than 3 weeks.
1 Coughs can be either acute or chronic. 2  Acute coughs begin suddenly and usually last no more than 2 to 3 weeks. 3  Acute coughs are the kind you most often get with a cold or flu. 4  Chronic coughs last longer than 2 to 3 weeks.