Having a cough can be really distressing! It can disturb your sleep or sometimes even worsen the frequency of urination. So, this is the time many people start opting for a cough or cold medicine.
But with so many cough mixtures available in the market, it can be hard to know which product to use.
What Causes a Cough?
The most common cause of acute cough is caused due to the common cold. Many believe that the common cold can be resolved within a few weeks.
Persistent coughs can be related to other health conditions such as reflux or asthma. Coughs can also be caused due to side effects of medications which include blood-pressure lowering medications which are referred to as ACE inhibitors.
There are many potential causes of cough, but it is very important to seek professional advice for a cough that is not going away or is worsening over time.
Dry Cough Versus Chesty Cough
- Coughs can be classified as either dry or chesty.
- Dry coughs can be irritating and itchy with no mucus produced.
- Coughs can be described as chesty, productive, or wet when mucus is coughed up.
- Dry cough medications are different from those of chesty coughs. Dry cough syrups contain cough suppressants, which acts on the “cough centre” in the brain that reduces the urge to cough. Because cough suppressants like pholcodine, dextromethorphan, and codeine are derived from medicines called opioids, which can cause constipation or drowsiness.
- Cough mixtures for a chesty cough contain expectorants or mucolytics. Expectorants like guaifenesin assist in loosening and coughing up mucus. Mucolytics like bromhexine can thin the mucus in the airways and makes it easier to cough up.
Are Cough Mixtures Really Effective?
There is no underlying reason that a clarified cough mixture can cure cough. Unfortunately, there are not many pieces of evidence that can decide whether cough mixtures really work!
A recent review of clinical trials has confirmed that there is no evidence found which says that cough medicines are effective at relieving symptoms in adults.
To help loosen mucus in the chest, inhaling steam while you are in the shower can prove helpful.
Can Cough Mixture Be Given To Children?
Cough and cold medicines should not be given to children under six years of age. It is better advised to consult your doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist before giving any medication to children aged between six and eleven years.
As per a survey in 2012, it was found that cough and cold medicines when provided to children showed only limited benefits and caused a lot of side effects, especially when too much medicine is given accidentally to children.
If cough syrups are containing glycerol or sucrose as their active ingredient, with no other cough or cold medicines added, then these cough syrups can be provided to young children. But it is not yet proven how effective cough syrups are in reducing the symptoms.
Tips to Choose a Cough Mixture
- Well if you are planning to buy a cough mixture, then it is suggested to first read the labels carefully. If you are having any doubts such as whether pregnant or breastfeeding women can consume or something like that, then it is better advised to consult your healthcare provider before proceeding ahead.
- Did you know that cough mixtures can interfere with other medicines also! For instance, Dextromethorphan – a cough suppressant is not considered suitable for people who consume antidepressants as it increases the risk of side effects.
- Don’t go for the wrong combination! Don’t combine cough mixture with an expectorant (loosens cough up mucus) and with a suppressant (reduces coughing), which does not make any sense. So, avoid using a cough suppressant if you want to treat a chesty, productive cough as this can reduce the urge to cough and can make it difficult for you to cough up the mucus part.
- Cough mixtures also contain decongestants and antihistamines which are medicines to treat common cold symptoms. So, it is best to avoid using combination products, when the cough is the only symptom you are suffering with.
- Also, it is very important to measure the suggested amount of cough mixture with a proper measuring device.
- There are certain cold and flu tablets that contain cough suppressants. So, if you are taking these tablets, it is recommended to take advice before taking a cough mixture. This way the risk of taking more than the maximum recommended dose of cough suppressants will be reduced.