If you’re like most Americans, you head to the doctor for antibiotics when a hacking cough persists more than a week. But a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that we should be much more patient when it comes to coughing. The average acute cough (caused by a common cold, or other respiratory illness-like bronchitis) actually last for a whopping 18 days-and there’s no prescription medication that can shorten that time frame.
So if you’ve been coughing for seven or eight days, don’t fret. Keep drinking tea, and resting your voice.
In just about a week-and-a-half you should be feeling better. If your cough lasts for four weeks-that’s right, four weeks-see your doctor.
I – Word Understanding
Antibiotics – a medicine used to kill bacteria or stop infection
hacking cough – a short, frequent, shallow cough
annals – historical records
whooping – very long (large)
II – Have your say
1.Myths about coughs and colds:
Some people say that cough can be treated with alcohol.
Spending time outside in cold weather can cause a cold or flu.
Large doses of vitamin C can prevent colds and cure them quickly.
2.TB (tuberculosis) remains one of the world’s top infectious killers. About 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries and it is among the top three causes of death among women aged 15 to 44.
3.An outbreak of whooping cough that began last year have diminished greatly over the last few weeks after an immunization campaign was launched in schools. However, there is a continuing argument about the risks of vaccinations.
