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 of cough. Dry coughs are usually treated with a cough suppressing agent called an antitussive. They work to prevent the coughing reflex. Popular brands of this kind of cough medicine include Vicks 44 Cough Relief and Triaminic Cold and Cough.
Coughs that involve mucus are called productive coughs and are treated with an expectorant or a substance that breaks up the mucus. Expectorants thin out mucus making it easier to cough up. Productive coughs should not be suppressed since the goal is to release the phlegm from the lungs. Brand names of expectorant cough medicines include Mucinex or Robitussin.
There is another kind of cough medicine which combines the cough suppressing effects with the expectorant effects to create a multi-symptom product. This product also contains other medicines like pain relievers to treat the many symptoms associated with a cold. Robitussin DM is one such product.
Topical creams of camphor or menthol can be rubbed on the throat and chest region to suppress cough and clear nasal passageways.
Most cough medicines can be purchased over-the-counter. Those that contain codeine, a narcotic that will suppress cough, require a doctor's prescription.
What to Look for
Always check the label of the cough medicine and pay special attention to the "Warnings" section. If you are already taking another kind of medicine, make sure that its active ingredient is not also an active ingredient in the cough syrup. You don't want to consume more cough medicine than is safe to take.
Most cough medicines come in non-drowsy formulas. But those that are cough and cold formulas may contain an antihistamine and therefore might induce drowsiness. The most common side effects of expectorants are nausea and vomiting.
Follow the directions and pay special attention to any side effects on the bottle before taking the medicine.
Common Pitfalls
A 2002 study in the British Medical Journal found that cough medicines are as effective as placebos in adults with a cough due to an upper respiratory tract infection. Moreover, in 2006, the American College of Chest Physicians discouraged the use of cough medicines for their overall ineffectiveness and their potential for delay in seeing a doctor for a more serious illness like whooping cough or pneumonia.
Also, certain drugs interfere with the active ingredients of commonly-used cough medicine. For instance, don't take cough medicines that contain the antitussive dextromethorphan if you are also taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) which is a kind of drug used to treat depression. The combination of these two disrupts the ability of the MAOI to work properly and can cause adverse side effects.
Multi-symptom cough medicines that contain a decongestant should not be taken if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Decongestants might raise blood pressure.
New evidence shows that cough medicine that contain dextromethorphan is being abused by teenagers because of the medicine's mind-altering effects. When taken in large quantities, it produces a high that in some cases has proved fatal. The organization, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, estimates that 1 in 10 American teenagers have used cough medicine containing this ingredient to get high.
Talk to your doctor if you are at all concerned about taking a cough medicine or if your cough lingers for more than 3 weeks and is accompanied by shortness of breath.
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