Is his cough serious?

Q

My husband turned 60 this year. He started smoking at the age of 12 and, despite numerous attempts, has never been able to quit. I have noticed that he is coughing a lot in the mornings. I think he should see his GP, but he thinks I am fussing, and he just has a ‘smoker’s cough’. What do you think?

A

Please do encourage him to see his doctor. We always want to see anyone with a cough lasting for three weeks or more. He may well have some lung damage after a lifetime of smoking, so his doctor will want to look into this and will also be able to help with smoking cessation. The chances of quitting and staying quit are significantly higher if a smoker has support.