Fact sheet

Cough and Acute Bronchitis

Most coughs come from colds and chest viruses, and acute bronchitis is basically a chest cold. The cough often hangs around for about 3 weeks, which is normal and annoying. Antibiotics rarely help.

The cough ladder

Most coughs need time, honey and fluids. See a doctor if it’s dragging past 3 weeks or you have warning signs. Antibiotics are for pneumonia, not chest colds.

  1. Step 1 · Self-careHoney, fluids and restA spoonful of honey (straight or in a warm drink), plenty of fluids, rest, and no smoke.
    Works
    In a 2020 review of 14 trials, honey eased how often and how badly people coughed more than usual care. In children it beat a dummy treatment for up to 3 nights
    Cost
    About $5–10
    How long
    As needed
    Watch for
    No honey for babies under 12 months.

    Cheap, tasty and actually evidence-based. Rare combo.

  2. Step 2 · PharmacyParacetamol or ibuprofenFor fever, aches and a sore chest from coughing.
    Works
    Ease fever and aches; they don’t stop the cough
    Cost
    About $3–10
    How long
    A few days
    Watch for
    Ibuprofen: avoid with stomach ulcers, kidney disease or some heart conditions. No aspirin for under 16s.

    Won’t fix the cough. Will fix the misery.

  3. Step 3 · PharmacyCough medicines (adults)Such as dextromethorphan (to quieten a dry cough) or guaifenesin (to loosen phlegm).
    Works
    Mixed results: a Cochrane review found no good evidence for or against them. Reasonable to try if they help you
    Cost
    About $10–20
    How long
    A few days
    Watch for
    Not for children under 6 in Australia; ages 6–11 only on advice from a doctor, pharmacist or nurse. Some cause drowsiness.

    Read the label. Some “night-time” mixes are an antihistamine in a trench coat.

  4. Step 4 · GPGP checkListens to your chest and checks for pneumonia, asthma, whooping cough or other causes.
    Works
    Not a trial question: finds the coughs that need something different
    Cost
    GP visit often bulk billed or about $40–80 gap
    How long
    One visit; sometimes a chest X-ray or breathing test
    Watch for
    Mention smoking, vaping, reflux, hay fever and any blood pressure tablets.

    Three weeks of coughing earns you a stethoscope.

  5. Step 5 · PrescriptionAntibiotics, only when they’ll helpFor pneumonia or another bacterial infection, or for some people at higher risk.
    Works
    For acute bronchitis they shorten the cough by only about half a day, and about 1 in 24 people get side effects. For pneumonia they’re essential
    Cost
    Under the $25 PBS co-payment
    How long
    Usually 5 days, as prescribed
    Watch for
    Diarrhoea, rash, thrush, and more resistant bugs next time.

    The right tool for pneumonia. A blunt one for a chest cold.

  6. Step 6 · SpecialistLung specialist (respiratory physician)For a cough lasting more than 8 weeks without a clear cause, or abnormal tests.
    Works
    Not a trial question: tests for asthma, lung disease and other causes
    Cost
    Specialist fees vary; Medicare rebates with a GP referral
    How long
    Waits can be weeks
    Watch for
    Keep a cough diary: triggers, time of day, phlegm.

    Detective work for lungs.

Costs are rough Australian prices in November 2026 and vary by pharmacy and provider. PBS co-payment: $25, or $7.70 with a concession card. Results are typical figures from trials, not promises.

Save your money

Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.

What you can do

See your GP if

Call 000 or your local emergency number if someone is struggling to breathe or can’t speak in full sentences, has blue, grey or very pale lips or skin, is suddenly confused, or is a baby who is floppy or can’t be woken.

Common questions

What’s the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia?

Acute bronchitis is inflammation of the airways, usually from a virus, with a cough that can last weeks but normal breathing otherwise. Pneumonia is infection in the lung tissue itself: you’re usually more unwell, with fever, fast or difficult breathing and sometimes chest pain.

Why does my cough last so long?

Airways stay irritated after the virus has gone. A cough after a chest infection usually improves within 3–4 weeks without antibiotics.

Does green phlegm mean I need antibiotics?

Not on its own. Yellow or green phlegm is common with viral infections too. Your doctor decides based on how unwell you are and what they hear in your chest.

How is the cause of a cough diagnosed?

Most short-term coughs are diagnosed from symptoms and a chest check. A cough lasting more than 3 weeks may need a chest X-ray, breathing tests or other tests.

What causes a long-lasting cough?

Common causes are asthma, reflux, postnasal drip from hay fever or sinus problems, smoking, and some blood pressure medicines (ACE inhibitors). Less often, it’s whooping cough, lung disease or cancer, which is why a cough over 3 weeks deserves a check.

Helpful resources

Evidence and more information

Reviewed 1 November 2026. General education, not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your situation, so talk to your GP or pharmacist.

Related

maladywise.com/cough/