Robitussin-DM is a cough medicine consisting of a combination of dextromethorphan and guaifenesin. Dextromethorphan is an antitussive, which works to prevent cough by decreasing activity in the part of the brain that causes coughing. Guaifenesin...
Few things will get a person tossed out of a violin recital quicker than the inability to suppress a cough. For those who harbor a disdain for classical music, this may be viewed as one of the advantages of having a cough. For most folks,...
A cough occurs as an involuntary reflex to protect the airways from foreign substances and excessive mucus. The airways contain tiny hair-like projections known as cilia. When the cilia become irritated, it stimulates the nerve endings and...
The cough reflex occurs when irritants invade the throat and lungs, sending messages from receptors or nerve endings in the airways to a center in the brain stem, which triggers the cough. Different coughs can indicate different conditions...
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), no medication can cure a cold or the flu. However, MedlinePlus advises that you can take some medications to minimize the effects. The best choices for each patient depend on symptoms.
Herbal cough remedies need to have expectorant properties to loosen and release phlegm and mucous or antitussive properties to suppress the cough. Herbal medicines for cough are sometimes a single herb or a compound with other herbs. Before...
Codeine is a medication used to manage mild to moderate pain. This medication is typically combined with other medications to treat coughing, according to MedlinePlus. Codeine belongs to medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics and...
Most over-the-counter cough syrups present no serious risk to you or your baby while breastfeeding. However, according to advice from the Food and Drug Administration, you should always speak to your doctor before taking cough syrup or medication...
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), no medications can cure a cold or the flu. However, there are some over-the-counter medications that may help you feel better. The best medicine for you depends on your symptoms.
Cough medicine is one of the most common over-the-counter, or OTC, medications used to reduce the frequency and severity of cough. According to FamilyDoctor.org, there are two type of OTC cough medications available: antitussives and expectorants....
Coughs are one of the most common symptoms of the common cold, which is a viral disease. Since it is caused by a virus, antibiotics aren't effective against the common cold. Over-the-counter cough medications, such as decongestants and pain...
Chest congestion can occur when people get colds or the flu. It can make breathing difficult and cause chest pain. An expectorant is a substance that helps to free the breathing passages. It does this by thinning the mucus that lines the breathing...
Even though most coughs go away on their own, a persistent cough is nagging and disruptive. Cough medicines are intended to reduce coughs related to respiratory tract infections. They are two kinds of cough medicine, each treating a different kind...
A hacking cough may be a sign of an underlying health problem in your respiratory system. A hacking cough often develops in long-term cigarette smokers. FamilyDoctor.org states that there are many possible causes of cough, including cold, flu,...
Cough medicines fill the shelves at drugstores and department stores because a cough associated with a cold or flu can be irritating. A cough is a constant reminder of feeling ill, and it can be annoying to friends, family members and co-workers....
According to the Medicinal Herb Info website, ginger has been used in food and medicinally for many centuries. The plant originates from tropical areas of Asia, but is now grown in tropical locations all over the world, especially in Jamaica....
Hydrocodone is one medication with two uses. The National Library of Medicine lists it as a narcotic analgesic, a pain reliever that changes the way the brain perceives messages of pain, and as a antitussive, a medication that blocks the cough...
Coughing is one of the most recognizable symptoms of illness. It can also be one of the most annoying. Frequent coughing can irritate the throat, make the ribs sore and even be embarrassing. Coughing related to upper respiratory tract infections...
Coughing helps keep the throat and airways clear, according to the New York Times, but in the case of a persistent or painful cough, relief is often sought. Many different types of cough medicine can be bought without a prescription, and there are...
Tylenol 3 is composed of two analgesic or pain-relieving drugs: acetaminophen and codeine. Inactive ingredients complete the composition of this medication. The formula is 300 mg of acetaminophen and 30 mg of codeine, according to RxList....
Lortab is the trade name of an oral prescription drug combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain reliever; acetaminophen is a non-narcotic pain reliever. All medications have a variety of effects on the body. The...
Tussionex is a prescription agent approved to stop coughs. It is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as a controlled substance because one of its active ingredients, hydrocodone, is a mild narcotic. Its most common formulation is a...
Dextromethorphan is an over-the-counter medication commonly used to alleviate cough symptoms associated with the flu or the common cold. This medication is an antitussive agent and should only be taken as directed. Before using this medication,...
Black lung is a condition where coal dust that has become trapped and lodged within the respiratory tissues causes severe health complications, such as difficulty breathing, bronchitis and pain. While the condition is not reversible, you can use...
Over-the-counter combination drugs let hay fever and cold patients take one dose instead of several to alleviate runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, fever and itchy eye and nose symptoms. Patients may suffer some or all of these uncomfortable...
A cough is your body's response to irritation, obstruction or compression of your airways. A chronic cough can be associated with any number of conditions. If you are a smoker, you may have chronic bronchitis, which is characterized by a...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, the flu sickens five to 20 percent of the U.S. population every year. Of these, only about 200,000 require admission to the hospital. Most people with the flu recover at home,...
Cold medications contain a number of different ingredients to tackle all symptoms of the common cold--cough, congestion, fever and sneezing, to name a few. And while that combination of ingredients offers relief from cold symptoms, they can also...
Hydromet is a brand name for a prescription cough syrup that contains the antimuscarinic homatropine and the narcotic hydrocodone bitartrate. The use of homatropine in the syrup helps prevent people from deliberately taking too much of the...
Coughing could be due to a cold or the flu, but the reason for a cough isn't always clear. Even your doctor may have trouble determining the exact cause. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of a cough in this video.
