Cough Medications and Syrups

Cough Medications and Syrups

Coughing is the body's natural response to any kind of irritation in the throat. It is the natural process through which it eliminates mucus from the respiratory tract. Cough is characterized by sudden and repetitive spasmodic contraction of the throat and bronchial cavity. Cough that does not throw out mucus from the respiratory tract is known as dry cough. If it is not treated and cured in time, it can lead to serious conditions like bronchitis, asthma and chest congestion. Cough may also be an important indicator of underlying serious medical conditions like chronic bronchitis and asthma, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, etc.

Medication for cold and cough are used mainly as a remedial measure to relieve excessive mucus or phlegm caused by common cold or influenza. The same medicines are not used for getting rid of excessive phlegm that may be seen in people suffering from asthma or emphysema. Till date, a cure for common cold has not been found. However, the symptoms can be alleviated with the help of certain drugs. A range of over-the-counter medicines as well as home-remedies have proved to be effective in providing relief from acute cough that may be caused due to respiratory infections significantly. Here are some medicines that may make you feel better in a short period of time.

Causes of Cough
Cough may be caused due to various factors, such as an allergic reaction to dust, smoke and pollution, inflammation of the larynx or pharynx, medical conditions such as lung cancer, asthma and bronchitis, smoking and alcoholism and changes in weather. Cough may be accompanied by cold, sore throat and sometimes even fever.

Over-the-counter or OTC drugs are the medicines that you can buy from any pharmacist without any prescription.

Combination Cold and Cough Medicines
There are medicines available to treat both cold and cough, generally known as cough and cold combination medication. These types of medicines contain more than one or combination of different ingredients. So before you take any medication, it is advisable that you research on the ingredients present in the medicine. These medicines may include antihistamines and decongestants.

1. Antihistamines
Antihistamines are medicines used to combat various types of allergies such as hay fever, allergic rhinitis, amongst others. They also play a major role is relieving certain symptoms of common cold and cough. These prevent histamine that is formed during an allergic reaction from acting on the tissue. There are two types of antihistamines which are available over the counter; first generation OTC antihistamine and second generation antihistamine. Some of them are given below.

First generation antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine and diphenhydramine show symptoms of drowsiness and are used to cure runny nose related to cold. However, the first generation antihistamines have more side effects as compared to the second generation as they tend to affect your motor skills and at times affect the ability to operate machines and other such devices. They also cause dryness in your eyes and mouth, along with headaches. Thus, second generation antihistamines such as cetirizine and loratadine are usually recommended since they do not have adverse side-effects.

Decongestants: Decongestants are medicines that narrow down the blood vessels in the nose, throat and the sinuses. This reduces the swelling in the nasal passages, thereby clearing nasal congestion. Available as tablets or nasal sprays, decongestants can be taken by a person experiencing symptoms of common cold and cough, hay fever, sinusitis or flu. However, the narrowing of the blood vessels to relieve nose blockage can raise the blood pressure of people suffering from hypertension. Some decongestants include;

• Ephedrine
• Phenylephrine
• Pseudoephedrine

Decongestants are generally not recommended for pregnant women, patients with high-blood pressure and children who are less than 12 years of age. Usually, adverse side effects are not observed on the intake of decongestants; they are usually mild and include headache, dry mouth and overall weakness. They can also cause temporary loss of sleep, and a feeling of dizziness.

Usually, Pseudoephedrine is sold only with prescription, sometimes along with photo identification, to prevent the use of a drug called methamphetamine or meth. This is because of the increase in the number of cases where people were found preparing meth by illegally combining pseudoephedrine and other substances.

2. Antitussives
These are cough suppressants that relieve your cough by acting on the cough reflex of your brain. There are two types of antitussives, narcotic antitussives and non-narcotic antitussives.

If the narcotic-based antitussives are used over a long period of time, you may easily develop a habit and the physical and psychological dependence will tend to increase and will result in withdrawal symptoms once you stop the intake.

Codeine and Dextromethorphan are the most commonly used antitussives. Found in opium, codeine is a habit-forming narcotic drug. In solid form, it is used as a pain-reliever and as a cough suppressant in liquid form. If taken in correct amount, codeine has mild side effects which go away once your body is adjusted to it. These include vomiting, headache, drowsiness and nausea. Dextromethorphan, on the other hand, is a non-narcotic antitussive but may cause adverse side-effects when taken in excess. The side effects include hallucinations, excessive sweating, vomiting or blurred vision.

3. Expectorants
Expectorants thin the phlegm or mucus so that the chesty coughs are brought up, making it easier to cough. Although they do not speed up the recovery, following expectorants are unlikely to have any side effects even when mixed with other medicines.

• Guaifenesin
• Eucalyptus
• Potassium Iodide

Amongst these, guaifenesin is the most common and important expectorant used in the treatment of cough. Others, such as Eucalyptus and Potassium Iodide have not proven to be effective at every instance. Thus it is always advised to drink plenty of water to loosen the mucus.

4. Analgesics
Commonly known as pain-killers, analgesics help in relieving pain and other aches that are related with common cold and cough. These medicines include:

• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen
• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen

Large amount of these analgesics can lead to severe damage to the kidney and cause cancer. Also, children below 4 years of age and those in their teenage should strictly refrain from these medicines as they can cause Reye's syndrome.

Remember, babies or children below 4 years of age should not be given over-the-counter cold and cough medication as they may lead to some grave or life-threatening side-effects.

Cough Medicine During Pregnancy
It is often said that one should not suffer from any respiratory illness such as common cold or cough during pregnancy. This is because the medicine that one uses for treatment can influence the baby's health. Pregnant women are extremely worried to take any medicine as they are concerned about its effects on the baby. Their concern is indeed feasible as it is observed that certain medications used for the treatment for cough can harm the fetus.

Following are the medications found to be reliable during pregnancy:
1. Robitussin: When it comes to relieving cough during pregnancy, Robitussin is a trusted brand. Robitussin is commonly recommended by doctors and pharmacists to reduce cough in pregnant women. Depending upon the cough syrup strength, different ingredients have been added. However, to be on the safer side, doctors often recommend cough medicine that contains only one ingredient. So, go for 'Robitussin plain' as the only ingredient in it is dextromethorphan, which assists to suppress the cough. This ingredient has been analyzed carefully in laboratories and found to be safe for consumption in pregnant women. Studies show that pregnant women taking dextromethorphan in the right dosage does not cause any birth defects. Pregnant women suffering from dry cough can take this medicine.

2. Mucinex: This is yet another FDA approved medicine that can provide a considerable amount of relief from chest congestion during pregnancy. This is one ingredient medication and contains guaifenesin. Guaifenesin is basically an expectorant that helps in thinning mucus secretions, which can be easily expelled through coughing.

3. Hytuss: This cough medicine is available in a capsule form and also helpful to bring down the cough. It contains only guaifenesin which can relieve the discomfort associated with unproductive cough. The accumulation of sticky mucus in the lungs as a result of cold or flu, causes chest congestion. The guaifenesin ingredient in Hytuss, is quite effective to thin the mucus, so that it can be coughed up easily.

4. Vicks VapoRub: Well, this cough medicine is not a syrup nor an oral tablet. It is available as a topical ointment and one has to simply apply it on chest to lessen coughing. It contains medicated vapors that help to relieve cough. VicksVapo drops is also a useful remedy for cough and sore throat.

Always keep in mind these cough medications which provide temporary relief have to be used for a maximum of 2-3 days. Using it for a longer duration is certainly not advisable. Also, these are over the counter cough medicines and can be purchased without prescription. However, consulting the doctor is extremely important, so as to know the exact dosage of these medications.

It is observed that taking cough medication that contain antihistamines or iodine are not safe in pregnant women. Even prescription cough medicines contain either dextromethorphan or guaifenesin. On the whole, remember that the overdose of any cough syrup can cause health problems in the unborn baby. So as a precautionary measure, one should first contact a health care provider to know which cough medicine is FDA approved and safe during pregnancy.

Home Remedies for Cough
1. Ginger: Ginger is a natural pain killer and possesses anti-inflammatory agents that help relieve irritation of sore throat. Thus, drinking ginger tea or juice or simply chewing a ginger root helps thinning the mucus in the lungs, and acts as an excellent cough suppressant. Pregnant women should refrain from using ginger medicinally.

2. Garlic: Garlic helps tackle the root cause, that is common cold and flu. Take a handful of garlic cloves and chop them. Place the chopped garlic in a mason jar and cover it completely with honey and close the jar with the lid. Refrigerate and marinate it for at least 24 hours. Take a tablespoon of this syrup whenever you have the sensation of cough. Ideally, it should marinate for at least 2 weeks, however, 24 hours is enough.

3. Honey and Lemon: Add a tbsp of honey to quarter cup of hot water and stir the mixture thoroughly. Add a tbsp of lemon and drink it at one go. Honey is antibacterial and will kill germs in the respiratory tract and lemon clears the passage.

4. Cherry: Get hold of a cherry bark (around 2 oz.) from a wild cherry tree. Boil the bark in the saucepan for 10 minutes in about 2 cups of water. Place a lid on the pan after it boils. Let the bark transfer its medicinal properties to the water. For making the bitter solution on account of the cherry bark, add sugar or honey for sweetening it. Have it every four hours.

5. Steam/Saltwater: Add half a teaspoon of salt to warm water and gargle. This will surely provide relief. You can also take hot water in a bowl, add a few drops of menthol oil or eucalyptus oil, place a towel over your head and inhale the trapped steam. If you are vary of using any type of oil, inhaling steam of plain hot water will also work.

6. Chicken Soup: Chicken soup accelerates the movement of the mucus or phlegm thus relieving chest congestion and severe bouts of cough. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that subdue the movement of the immune system cells (neutrophils), which can cause inflammation.

Natural cures would have no side effects unless you are allergic to them. If it is a chronic case, it is always advisable to consult your physician immediately.

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