A cough that is more than just a cough reflects a longer duration of the patient’s cough. If it is within 3-8 weeks, it is called a subacute cough and can be treated mainly with antihistamines, decongestants and compounded cough medicines, such as cotrimoxazole. If the cough is complicated by a bacterial infection, the appropriate antibacterial medication can be used. If the patient’s condition is more than 8 weeks, it is a chronic cough. Chronic cough is also relatively diverse, and the following are commonly seen in outpatient clinics: 1. cough variant asthma, which is characterized by a persistent irritating dry cough, and the main treatment is inhaled or oral glucocorticoids plus beta agonists; 2. upper airway cough syndrome, formerly called postnasal drip syndrome, which is associated with chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx. The main treatment options are antihistamines, decongestants, and also glucocorticoids and anti-inflammatory drugs depending on the situation; 3. Gastroesophageal reflux cough, which is closely related to digestion, so certain acid-suppressing drugs and gastrointestinal motility drugs should be used, as well as improving the patient’s lifestyle; 4. The relatively rare eosinophilic bronchitis, which can be treated with glucocorticoids. Chinese medicine has unique efficacy and unique advantages in the treatment of cough, and can be used as appropriate according to the evidence, such as almonds, asters, winter flowers, bupleurum, lilies, eucommia, mulberry leaves, etc.