Lungs and breathing: coughs, TB and pneumonia
Most coughs come with a cold and clear up on their own within a few weeks. Rest, fluids, warm drinks and honey (for anyone over one year old) can make you more comfortable while you get better.
Some coughs need a health worker. A cough that lasts 2 weeks or more needs a check for TB, and the test and the medicines are free at government health centres and TB-DOTS centres. A high fever with fast or difficult breathing can be pneumonia, which needs a doctor quickly.
The guides below explain home care, the medicines you can buy without a prescription, and when to get checked. Go to the emergency room straight away for trouble breathing, lips or fingertips turning blue, chest pain or coughing up blood.
4 guidesUpdated November 1, 2026
In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. Call 911
Guides on this topic
Pneumonia symptoms in adults and older people
Pneumonia, or pulmonya, is an infection that fills the tiny air sacs in the lungs with fluid. Common pneumonia symptoms are cough with phlegm, fever and chills, shortness of breath and chest pain when breathing. Older people may only seem confused or stop eating. Bacterial pneumonia needs antibiotics from a doctor. Adults over 65 and people with long-term illness should be checked early. PhilHealth helps pay for hospital care.
TB symptoms: a long cough, free TB tests and treatment
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by a germ that usually attacks the lungs and spreads through the air. Common TB symptoms are a cough that lasts 2 weeks or more, fever, night sweats, weight loss and tiredness. In the Philippines, TB tests and medicines are free at government health centers and TB-DOTS centers. TB can be cured with daily medicines taken for several months, as long as you finish the whole treatment.
Cough remedy guide: home care, lagundi, and when to see a doctor
Most coughs come from a cold or flu and clear up on their own in 3 to 4 weeks. The best cough remedy at home is rest, plenty of fluids and warm drinks with honey (never for babies under 1). Lagundi, a Philippine herbal medicine, is meant to ease a cough but does not treat its cause. Antibiotics don't help most coughs. In the Philippines, a cough that lasts 2 weeks or more needs a TB check at your health center, and trouble breathing needs help right away.
Common cold (sipon): home remedies that work and what does not
The common cold, or sipon, is a mild virus infection of the nose and throat. Most people feel better in about a week, though a runny nose and cough can last 2 weeks or longer. Rest, fluids, warm drinks, steam and salt water for the nose help you feel better. Antibiotics do not work against colds. Get help quickly if breathing becomes hard or fast, or if a child cannot drink.
Common questions
Each answer is in the guide it links to.
Questions about your own situation?
Joy, our Symptom guide, answers in your language, free, any time. Joy is an AI agent, not a person: in an emergency, call 911.