How old are you?
Less than 12 years
Less than 12 years
12 years or older
12 years or older
Have you had surgery in the past 2 weeks?
Surgery can cause problems that make you cough.
Are you having
trouble breathing (more than a stuffy nose)?
Yes
Difficulty breathing more than a stuffy nose
No
Difficulty breathing more than a stuffy nose
Would you describe the problem as
severe, moderate, or mild?
Severe
Severe difficulty breathing
Moderate
Moderate difficulty breathing
Mild
Mild difficulty breathing
Do you have a chronic health problem that affects your breathing, such as asthma, allergies, or COPD?
A breathing problem may be more of a concern if you normally do not have breathing problems.
Yes
Has chronic breathing problems
No
Has chronic breathing problems
Are the breathing problems you're having right now different than what you are used to?
Yes
Breathing problem is different than usual symptoms
No
Breathing problem is different than usual symptoms
Is your ability to breathe:
Quickly getting worse (within minutes or hours)?
Breathing problems are quickly worsening
Slowly getting worse (over days)?
Breathing problems are slowly worsening
Staying about the same (not better or worse)?
Breathing problems are unchanged
Getting better?
Breathing problems are getting better
Yes
Symptoms of serious illness
No
Symptoms of serious illness
Do you have pain in your ribs or the muscles of your chest?
This type of pain may feel worse when you press on or move the area or when you take a deep breath.
How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?
8 to 10: Severe pain
Severe pain
5 to 7: Moderate pain
Moderate pain
1 to 4: Mild pain
Mild pain
Do you have pain deep in one leg?
Sudden chest pain that occurs with deep pain or swelling in one leg can be a symptom of a blood clot that has moved from the leg to the lung.
Has the chest pain lasted for more than 4 days?
Yes
Pain in chest wall for more than 4 days
No
Pain in chest wall for more than 4 days
Do you think you may have a fever?
Did you take your temperature?
How high is the fever? The answer may depend on
how you took the temperature.
High: 104°F (40°C) or higher, oral
High fever: 104°F (40°C) or higher, oral
Moderate: 100.4°F (38°C) to 103.9°F (39.9°C), oral
Moderate fever: 100.4°F (38°C) to 103.9°F (39.9°C), oral
Mild: 100.3°F (37.9°C) or lower, oral
Mild fever: 100.3°F (37.9°C) or lower, oral
How high do you think the fever is?
Moderate
Feels fever is moderate
Mild or low
Feels fever is mild
How long have you had a fever?
Less than 2 days (48 hours)
Fever for less than 2 days
At least 2 days but less than 1 week
Fever for at least 2 days but less than 1 week
1 week or more
Fever for 1 week or more
Do you have a health problem or take medicine that
weakens your immune system?
Yes
Disease or medicine that causes immune system problems
No
Disease or medicine that causes immune system problems
Do you have shaking chills or very heavy sweating?
Shaking chills are a severe, intense form of shivering. Heavy sweating means that sweat is pouring off you or soaking through your clothes.
Yes
Shaking chills or heavy sweating
No
Shaking chills or heavy sweating
Are you coughing up mucus, phlegm (say "flem"), or blood from your lungs?
This is called a productive cough. Mucus or blood draining down your throat from your nose because of a cold, a nosebleed, or allergies is not the same thing.
Yes
Coughing up sputum or blood
No
Coughing up sputum or blood
Are you coughing up blood?
This means blood that is coming up from your chest or throat. Blood that is draining down from your nose into your throat (because of a nosebleed, for example) is not the same thing.
How much blood is there?
A lot of bright red blood [2 tsp (10 mL) or more]
Large amount [2 tsp (10 mL)] of bright red blood in sputum
Streaks of bright red blood
Streaks of bright red blood in sputum
Specks or spots of blood
Specks or spots of blood in sputum
Has this been going on for more than 2 days?
Yes
Specks or spots of blood in sputum for more than 2 days
No
Specks or spots of blood in sputum for more than 2 days
Do you take a medicine that affects the blood's ability to clot, such as aspirin, warfarin (such as Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), or clopidogrel (Plavix)?
These medicines can cause bleeding and can make it harder to control bleeding.
Yes
Takes medicine that affects blood's ability to clot
No
Takes medicine that affects blood's ability to clot
Is this cough normal for you because you have a lung problem like chronic bronchitis or emphysema?
Some people with chronic lung problems have a productive cough all the time.
Yes
Typical productive cough
No
Typical productive cough
Have you been coughing up phlegm for more than 3 days?
Yes
Coughing up sputum for more than 3 days
No
Coughing up sputum for more than 3 days
Did the cough start after a recent choking episode?
The cough could mean that something is still stuck in the throat.
Yes
Recent choking episode
No
Recent choking episode
Have you had a cough for more than 2 weeks?
Yes
Cough for more than 2 weeks
No
Cough for more than 2 weeks
Is your cough:
Getting worse?
Cough is getting worse
Staying about the same (not better or worse)?
Cough is unchanged
Getting better?
Cough is improving
Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind
of care you may need. These include:
- Your age. Babies and older
adults tend to get sicker quicker.
- Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart
disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care
sooner.
- Medicines you take. Certain
medicines, herbal remedies, and supplements can cause symptoms or make them
worse.
- Recent health events, such as surgery
or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them
more serious.
- Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug
use, sexual history, and travel.
Try Home Treatment
You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be
able to take care of this problem at home.
- Try home treatment to relieve the
symptoms.
- Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any
concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect).
You may need care sooner.
Temperature varies a little depending on how you measure it.
For adults and children age 12 and older, these are the ranges for high,
moderate, and mild, according to how you took the temperature.
Oral (by mouth) temperature
- High:
104°F (40°C) and
higher
- Moderate:
100.4°F (38°C) to
103.9°F (39.9°C)
- Mild:
100.3°F (37.9°C) and
lower
A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.
Ear or rectal temperature
- High:
105°F (40.6°C) and
higher
- Moderate:
101.4°F (38.6°C) to
104.9°F (40.5°C)
- Mild:
101.3°F (38.5°C) and
lower
Armpit (axillary) temperature
- High: 103°F (39.5°C) and higher
- Moderate:
99.4°F (37.4°C) to
102.9°F (39.4°C)
- Mild: 99.3°F (37.3°C) and lower
If you're not sure if a fever is high, moderate, or mild,
think about these issues:
With a high fever:
- You feel very hot.
- It is likely one of
the highest fevers you've ever had. High fevers are not that common, especially
in adults.
With a moderate fever:
- You feel warm or hot.
- You know you have
a fever.
With a mild fever:
- You may feel a little warm.
- You think
you might have a fever, but you're not sure.
Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and
illness. Some examples in adults are:
- Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease,
and HIV/AIDS.
- Long-term alcohol and drug
problems.
- Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety
of conditions.
- Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for
cancer.
- Other medicines used to treat autoimmune
disease.
- Medicines taken after organ transplant.
- Not
having a spleen.
Symptoms of difficulty breathing can range from mild to severe. For example:
- You may feel a little out of breath but still be able to talk (mild difficulty breathing), or you may be so out of breath that you cannot talk at all (severe difficulty breathing).
- It may be getting hard to breathe with activity (mild difficulty breathing), or you may have to work very hard to breathe even when you’re at rest (severe difficulty breathing).
Severe trouble breathing means:
- You cannot talk at all.
- You have to
work very hard to breathe.
- You feel like you can't get enough
air.
- You do not feel alert or cannot think clearly.
Moderate trouble breathing means:
- It's hard to talk in full
sentences.
- It's hard to breathe with activity.
Mild trouble breathing means:
- You feel a little out of breath but can still talk.
- It's becoming hard to breathe with activity.
Pain in adults and older children
- Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and
can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
- Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your
normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days.
Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's
there.
- Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.
Symptoms of serious illness may
include:
- A severe headache.
- A stiff
neck.
- Mental changes, such as feeling confused or much less
alert.
- Extreme fatigue (to the point where it's hard for you to
function).
- Shaking chills.
Seek Care Today
Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The
problem probably will not get better without medical care.
- Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms
and arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't
have one, seek care today.
- If it is evening, watch the symptoms and
seek care in the morning.
- If the symptoms get worse, seek care
sooner.
Make an Appointment
Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical
care.
- Make an appointment to see your doctor in the
next 1 to 2 weeks.
- If appropriate, try home treatment while you
are waiting for the appointment.
- If symptoms get worse or you have
any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.
Seek Care Now
Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.
- Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and
arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have
one, seek care in the next hour.
- You do not need to call an
ambulance unless:
- You cannot travel safely either by driving
yourself or by having someone else drive you.
- You are in an area
where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.
Call 911 Now
Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.
Call911or other emergency services now.
Postoperative Problems
Coughs, Age 11 and Younger