Cough Medicines: Which Ones Can Actually be of Help?

Coughing is an important reflex that keeps your airways and throat clear from mucus and irritants. A cough can be caused by a number of mechanisms in the nose, throat and chest and can be very uncomfortable and distressing affecting your sleep and your daily activities. Nerve endings that are found in your throat can fire off very easily in response to triggers like sudden air temperature change or tickle from a dry crumb. Having a virus, a runny nose or some health conditions like reflux or asthma can also lead to a cough. Moreover, coughs can be a side effect of some medications like those used for lowering blood pressure.
There are a lot of causes of cough but also there are a lot of treatments. because of this, it is important to seek professional advice if you want to make things better than worst. Usually, this very common condition can be easily treated with most of the cough syrups Australia pharmacies have of their shelves. The thing is there are many of them and it can be hard to know which one will work for you unless you consult with a health care professional.

Dry cough versus chesty cough

First, your doctor will determine whether you have a dry or chesty cough and according to this he/she will prescribe you the most suitable medications. Dry coughs are quite itchy and irritating for the throat and there is no production of mucus. On the other hand, chesty coughs are wet and mucus productive. So depending on the type of cough you have, you will be prescribed dry cough mixture or a mixture marked for a chesty cough. Syrups for dry cough usually contain suppressants which supposed to act on the "cough centre" in the brain thus reducing the urge to cough but they can also lead to constipation or drowsiness. On the other hand, chesty cough mixtures contain expectorants or/and mucolytics. The first ones assist with coughing up and loosening mucus while the second ones may thin the mucus and make them easier to cough up.

Are cough syrups effective

Some of the cough syrups available in the pharmacies can really relieve the symptoms of cough while others may simply not work at all. Although these medications are considered safe, you should still need to check with your doctor especially if you have some medical conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease. If your cough lasts more than five to seven days or comes with other symptoms like rash or fever, you should check with your doctor immediately. When taking cough syrup, it is very important to take the appropriate dose and avoid to overdose yourself. You may take more than one brand of cold and cough syrup without knowing that they have the same ingredients, or you may take multiple doses just because the first didn't help you. This will not help you at all but can only make things worst.

Are they safe for kids?

According to Australia's medicines, regular, cold and cough medicines should not be given to kids under the age of six. Also, there only limited benefits of these medicines in young children but if accidentally given too much of them, they can cause serious side effects. Cough syrups that contain glycerol or sucrose as active ingredients without other medicines added are some of the most suitable, safe and effective for young children.

Tips for choosing a cough syrup

When going through cough syrups Australia pharmacies offer to find and buy the right one for you, make sure you pay close attention to the label. In case you are dealing with some other health conditions, you are pregnant or breastfeeding, seeking professional advice is a must as these medications are not suitable for everyone. For example, cough mixtures that contain dextromethorphan are not suitable for people who are taking antidepressives as they can increase the risks of side effects. On the other hand, those that mix expectorant and suppressant are not effective for treating chesty productive cough. Some mixtures contain medicines for treating symptoms of the common cold. You better avoid them if the cough is the only symptom you have. With cough mixtures, it is important to stick to the recomended amount and use the proper measuring device that usually comes in the box. For any question you have, always consult with your doctor.