It’s common for people to get sick during the winter months. It’s also common for people to put off going to the doctors or the hospital, particularly if all they’re experiencing is coughing.

We’ve all been there before; you get sick, take some time to rest and gradually get better.

If you’re symptoms persist, however, and you feel sick for a prolonged period of time, then it might well be a good idea to at least call a health care helpline and ask for advice …

Whilst it’s true that normally your body is strong enough to fight off flu and colds without medical intervention, in some cases the cough you’re experiencing can be down to something far more sinister than a mere virus.

16-year-old Shayla Mitchell didn’t feel quite right, and was suffering from a cough that refused to go away. In the beginning, she thought she might have contracted sinusitis.

One day, however, things got so bad that she asked her dad, Tom, if he could take her to see a doctor.