Same-day illness
Colds & respiratory infections
We assess coughs, colds and chest infections, usually the same day you call. Most are viral and pass on their own — the reason to be seen is to check whether it has moved into your chest, and to make sure it is not something that needs treating, particularly if you have asthma, COPD or a heart condition.
Come in if you have
- A cough lasting more than two to three weeks
- Shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness
- Coughing up green, brown or blood-stained phlegm
- Fever that returns after you started getting better
- You have asthma, COPD, diabetes or a heart condition and have caught something
What happens at your visit
- We listen to your chest properly and check your oxygen level and temperature.
- We ask about the timeline, because how it has changed matters more than how it sounds.
- We tell you whether this is affecting your lungs or staying in the upper airway.
- Treatment matches the cause — and if it is viral we say so, and focus on what actually helps.
The question is whether it has reached your chest
Most respiratory infections stay in the upper airway — nose, sinuses, throat — and resolve without treatment. The reason to be examined is to find out whether it has moved down.
Listening to your chest and checking your oxygen level answers that quickly, and it is not something you can assess yourself. A cough that sounds dramatic can be entirely upper airway; a quieter one can come with a genuine chest infection.
Some people should come in sooner
If you have asthma, COPD, diabetes, a heart condition, or a weakened immune system, do not wait it out the way you might otherwise. In those situations an ordinary virus can escalate, and early treatment is far easier than late treatment.
The same applies if you are older, or recovering from something else.
How long is too long
- Under two weeks, gradually improving — normal, and reassuring
- Three weeks or more — worth examining, even if it is mild
- Improving then clearly worsening — a pattern that often signals a bacterial infection on top of the virus
- Any breathlessness at rest — do not wait
What genuinely helps a viral infection
Fluids, rest, and appropriate symptom relief. Honey helps a cough about as well as most over-the-counter syrups. If you smoke, this is the single worst time to continue — and a reasonable moment to talk about stopping.
Call 911 or go to the ER for
Severe breathlessness, chest pain, blue lips, confusion, or coughing up significant blood.
Common questions
- I have had a cough for three weeks. Is that normal?
- A cough can genuinely linger for three to four weeks after a viral infection, even once you feel well. But three weeks is also our threshold for wanting to look properly, so come in — particularly if it is not slowly improving.
- How do I know if it is bronchitis or pneumonia?
- Not reliably from home. Pneumonia more often brings a higher fever, feeling genuinely unwell, breathlessness and sometimes chest pain on breathing in. Listening to your chest and checking your oxygen tells us quickly.
- Will antibiotics help my cold?
- No. Colds and most bronchitis are viral. Antibiotics will not shorten them and will give you side effects. If we find a bacterial chest infection, that is different and we will treat it.
- I have asthma and I have caught a cold. Should I be seen?
- Yes, sooner rather than later. Viral infections are the most common trigger for an asthma flare, and it is much easier to head one off than to bring it back under control.
This page explains how we care for this condition at our office. It is general information, not medical advice for your specific situation — please talk to us about your own care.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call us or send a request and we will get you in — often the same or next day.