What is the best over the counter cough expectorant?
Some common cough suppressants available over the counter include:
- Delsym
- Robitussin Cough
- Dextromethorphan (generic)
What is the best over the counter cough syrup?
- Pseudoephedrine: An over-the-counter medication used to treat nasal congestion. ...
- Guaifenesin: Often referred to as Mucinex, guaifenesin is the only over-the-counter expectorant available to aid in the relief of cold symptoms. ...
- Dextromethorphan: It is a cough suppressant that works by interfering with the brain impulses that activate the cough reflex. ...
What is the best cough medicine?
Top 3 Best Cough Medicine for Adults Reviews 1. Boiron Chestal Honey Cough and Chest Congestion. With ingredients targeting dry, productive, and spasmodic coughs, Chestal Adult Honey Cough and Chest Congestion Medicine is the ideal cough medicine to have in your home or office for those sudden coughing episodes.
What are the best expectorants?
- GUAIFENESIN: Geri-Care Guaifenesin 400mg tablets. ...
- COMPARE TO MUCINEX: Compare to the active ingredient of Mucinex.
- CHEST CONGESTION/MUCUS RELIEF: Expectorant relieves chest congestion. ...
- DOSE: Take 1 tablet every 4 hours, while symptoms persist. ...
Which cough expectorant is best?
Guaifenesin: Often known by its brand name Mucinex (Mucinex coupons | What is Mucinex?), guaifenesin is the only OTC expectorant available to help relieve symptoms from colds. It works to relieve chest congestion and is often combined with pseudoephedrine to relieve multiple symptoms.
What is the best cough medicine for phlegm?
Cough expectorants, like guaifenesin (Mucinex), work by loosening up and thinning the mucus in your throat so you cough it up more easily. For this reason, they may work better for a “wet” (productive) cough.
What is the strongest natural expectorant?
What is the strongest natural expectorant? The strongest natural expectorant for a cough is honey. Honey has been shown to reduce the symptoms of even chronic or severe coughs.
Is it better to take a cough suppressant or expectorant?
Cough suppressants won't be helpful, but expectorants can be beneficial. Expectorants will increase the production of mucus and make it more effective. The extra mucus may help clear the infection quicker.
What loosens mucus and phlegm from the lungs?
Expectorants, such as guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) can thin and loosen mucus so it will clear out of your throat and chest. Prescription medications. Mucolytics, such as hypertonic saline (Nebusal) and dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) are mucus thinners that you inhale through a nebulizer.
What is the most effective expectorant?
Guaifenesin: Guaifenesin is the most commonly used expectorant. It is the active ingredient in medicines including Mucinex® and Robitussin®. You can find guaifenesin in many common cough, cold and flu medications.
What breaks up mucus fast naturally?
Drinking enough liquids, especially warm ones can help with mucus flow. Water and other liquids can loosen your congestion by helping your mucus move. Try sipping liquids, like juice, clear broths, and soup. Other good liquid choices include decaffeinated tea, warm fruit juice, and lemon water.
What is the fastest way to get mucus out of your lungs?
Getting rid of phlegm and mucus at homeKeep the air moist. ... Drink plenty of fluids. ... Apply a warm, wet washcloth to the face. ... Keep the head elevated. ... Do not suppress a cough. ... Discreetly get rid of phlegm. ... Use a saline nasal spray or rinse. ... Gargle with salt water.More items...
Can you buy just expectorant?
An expectorant is a type of medication that comes in strengths that are available for purchase over the counter. People typically take expectorant medications for coughing, but the medicines are typically not intended to stop a cough.
When should you not take an expectorant?
One of the risks of taking an expectorant is that people sometimes use them for persistent or chronic coughs. People should not use expectorants to mask the symptoms of a chronic cough that is due to smoking, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema.
Which is better for mucus Robitussin or Mucinex?
If you're only looking to treat a cough, you may prefer Robitussin 12 Hour Cough Relief, which just contains dextromethorphan. On the other hand, you can use Mucinex or Maximum Strength Mucinex, which only contain guaifenesin, to reduce congestion.
How long does it take for cough expectorant to work?
Expectorants: Guaifenesin is a common OTC expectorant. It usually takes about 30 minutes to kick in. Cough suppressants: Dextromethorphan is the only OTC cough suppressant available. It usually takes around 15 to 30 minutes to start working.
What is the fastest way to cough up phlegm?
Use your stomach muscles to forcefully expel the air. Avoid a hacking cough or merely clearing the throat. A deep cough is less tiring and more effective in clearing mucus out of the lungs. Huff Coughing: Huff coughing, or huffing, is an alternative to deep coughing if you have trouble clearing your mucus.
What medication dries up phlegm?
If it's caused by allergies, an allergy medication like Claritin can help dry out the mucus that causes congestion, coughing, and a sore throat. Other medications like nasal sprays, Mucinex, and Sudafed might be used if postnasal drip is being caused by a cold or the flu.
What is an expectorant?
An expectorant is a type of cough medicine used to help clear mucus (phlegm) from your airway. You may take an expectorant to help relieve congestion if you have a cold or the flu. Expectorants are available as standalone drugs or as an ingredient in an all-in-one cold or flu medication.
What does an expectorant do?
Expectorants are used to treat the symptoms of respiratory tract infections. These types of infections include the common cold, bronchitis and pneumonia. These infections can cause a buildup of mucus in your throat and lungs. You may develop a cough and your chest may hurt due to mucus accumulation. Expectorants help relieve these symptoms.
How do expectorants work?
Expectorants lubricate your airway. This helps loosen up the mucus and make the secretions in your airway thinner. By loosening up the mucus, expectorants make your cough more productive. This makes it easier for you to cough up mucus effectively and clear your throat.
What are the different types of expectorants?
Expectorants can be classified as medicinal or natural. The main ingredient in medicinal expectorants helps thin the secretions in your airway. By thinning those secretions, it makes your cough more productive. Medicinal expectorants are available over-the-counter in liquid, pill and tablet forms. Medicinal expectorants include:
Do I need to worry about any interactions with expectorants?
If you’re taking other medications, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking an expectorant. Expectorants can alter the effects of certain other medications you take. You may have an increased risk of serious side effects as well.
What are the side effects of expectorants?
Expectorants usually don’t cause serious side effects. But the different types of expectorants do have various potential side effects.
What are Expectorants?
Expectorants are ingredients that increase airway secretions. They do this by increasing the water content of the secretions which decreases their stickiness, making them easier to cough up.
What are expectorants used for?
Expectorants aim to make coughing up mucus easier, they do not actually stop coughing. This is important because a productive cough should not be suppressed because it is the body's way of removing excess mucus, foreign particles, or microorganisms from the airways.
What are the differences between expectorants?
Although guaifenesin and potassium iodide both work by increasing respiratory tract secretions, there are differences in their propensity for side effects.
Are expectorants safe?
Guaifenesin is generally well tolerated, and no severe side effects have been reported at recommended dosages. Higher than recommended dosages have resulted in stomach upset and vomiting. Guaifenesin should not be given to children younger than 4.
What are the side effects of expectorants?
Guaifenesin is generally well tolerated at dosages recommended for use as an expectorant. Nausea and vomiting are the most commonly reported side effects; constipation, dizziness, headache, and rash are reported rarely.
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
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What Are Cough Medicines?
Coughs start when the airways become irritated. Coughing is a natural reflex to clear the airways and protect the lungs from irritants. Coughs are commonly caused by colds or flus, but they also could be the sign of an underlying health condition.
What Symptoms Do Cough Medicines Treat?
The following are common signs and symptoms that may accompany a cough:
Are All Kinds of Coughs Treated the Same Way?
Coughs are treated differently depending on whether it is a wet or dry cough. People with wet coughs have mucus build up and should take an expectorant to thin the mucus and make it easier to cough. For dry coughs, which are often triggered by an irritant, cough medicines with a suppressant will help quiet the cough.
Prescription Cough Medicine
Over-the-counter medicines are most commonly used to treat coughs. If you’re still coughing and your symptoms are not improving, there are a few prescription cough medicines your doctor may consider, including:
Cough Medicines for Children
Some over-the-counter cough medicines are especially made for children. To ensure OTC cough medicines are safe for children, talk to a doctor or pharmacist about the ingredients. A cough medicine that is safe for children age 6 and older may not be safe for a child age 4, for example.
Side Effects
Taking cough medicines can come with side effects. The most common side effects of cough medicines include:
Non-prescription and over-the-counter cough suppressants
Acute cough due to a viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI) is the most common form of cough — and a ton of money is spent on making and marketing drugs to manage it.
Prescription cough suppressants
Still coughing? Consider benzonatate (Tessalon) capsules. Benzonatate is a prescription, non-narcotic antitussive medication that numbs the airways, the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs, and the lining of the lungs (pleura). It’s FDA-approved for adults and children over 10 years old.
What does the research say?
But do these cough medications really work? According to a 2014 review, the jury’s still out on the OTC products.
The bottom line
If you’re self-treating an acute cough, there are several OTC products to choose from. Keep in mind that they don’t all work the same — and the evidence is mixed if you’ll see a benefit from taking them. Prescription products may be another option if you can’t get relief.
