Expert advice: Is your trusty herbal syrup really going to stop your cough?
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Proficient communication: Is your trusty herbal syrup really going to end your cough?
What'south the right over-the-counter medication for your persistent cough? Practise herbal mixtures work meliorate than conventional cough syrups? CNA Lifestyle asks the experts for their take.
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06 November 2022 06:40AM (Updated: 13 Aug 2022 01:24AM)
If you've ever caught a cold (and who hasn't?), you'd know that a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sniffling and coughing are par for the course. But while your olfactory organ typically clears upward or improves by the second week, that's sometimes not the case when it comes to your coughing.
1 of the most common reasons for a persisting cough is post-nasal drip, said Dr Derek Li, a senior family physician at Raffles Medical. "Information technology is substantially a back drip of mucus from the nose causing an itchy, irritative type of cough. Yous may feel that your nose is no longer runny, only there is still mucus dripping backwards into the throat, and this is the source of the coughing," he said.
The types of cough can run the gamut, said Dr Tan Teck Shi, caput of SingHealth Polyclinics' Respiratory Workgroup. "Patients can have symptoms ranging from a dry out cough to a productive coughing with phlegm. Some patients may have a mild, intermittent coughing, compared to others who may have a astringent persistent cough that lasts throughout the mean solar day. The characteristics of a cough practise non indicate whether it is due to a viral or bacterial infection."
1 of the commonest reasons for a persisting cough is postal service-nasal drip.
Truthful OR Faux?
A cough tin sometimes last for weeks and because some patients don't like the idea of consuming medicine for a long period, they plough to herbal cough remedies, which they perceive as "natural". Just are they really natural?
Not usually completely, co-ordinate to the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore's (PSS) Customs Pharmacy Chapter. A popular over-the-counter peppermint syrup, for example, contains the expectorant ingredient guaifenesin. To exist certain, expect at the active ingredients of a cough training beyond the make to determine the purpose it serves, advised the PSS.
As for the effectiveness of such herbal remedies, including Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, Dr Li said it is "hard to say if they are effective every bit the ingredients are either not well-studied or proprietary".
But, he added: "Singapore'due south Wellness Sciences Potency is very conservative and if the cough medicine is readily sold in a respected retail pharmacy, there is a high degree of certainty that the medicine is safe for consumption equally long as y'all follow the instructions on the label".
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What about the notion that cough medicines that cause drowsiness are more effective? They can be but not because you don't coughing when you're asleep, said Dr Li. "The more constructive cough mixtures human action direct on cough impulse centres in the brain, and they likewise happen to cause drowsiness. Nonetheless, the drowsiness is a side effect and non the remedy."
TYPES OF COUGH MEDICINES
Although cough medicines may alleviate the symptoms of a cough, said Dr Tan, they do not treat the underlying condition causing the coughing. "In the instance of viral infections affecting the respiratory tract (such as a common cold), cough may actually exist helpful as it is the torso's natural response to articulate mucus from the airways."
Only if the cough is bothering yous at work and disrupting your slumber, cough medicines that you lot find in the chemist's shop or personal care store tin aid. They are typically categorised into expectorants, mucolytics, suppressants and combination. Here'southward a expect at what types of coughing they're suitable for, according to the PSS.
- FOR PHLEGMY OR PRODUCTIVE COUGHS
Expectorants and mucolytics
Expectorants' cardinal ingredients, guaifenesin and ammonium chloride, loosen and sparse phlegm, making information technology easier for you to cough it up. Mucolytics serve a similar role using ingredients such equally acetylcysteine, bromhexine and ambroxol. Both expectorants and mucolytics are generally well tolerated, though there may exist rare side effects such every bit nausea, diarrhoea, headache or rash.
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- FOR Dry OR NON-PRODUCTIVE COUGHS
Suppressants
Coughing suppressants such as dextromethorphan, promethazine and diphenhydramine are used in non-productive or dry coughs. Promethazine and diphendydramine besides assistance with allergy symptoms such every bit runny nose. These may crusade drowsiness and the afflicted person should avert driving and other activities that require mental alertness.
-
FOR COUGHS WITH ACCOMPANYING COLD SYMPTOMS
Combination mixtures
They may contain either an expectorant or mucolytic with a cough suppressant. Sometimes, these combinations as well include decongestants which aid with accompanying blocked nose.
Nonetheless, Dr Li said that there are studies showing there is actually no evidence that any i type of coughing syrup works improve than another for a particular type of coughing. "For example, a cough syrup marketed for dry coughing was just equally skilful as a cough syrup marketed for wet coughing, at treating either moisture or dry out coughing."
There are studies that showed that at that place is actually no show that whatever one type of cough syrup worked better than another for a particular type of coughing.
DOS AND DON'TS WHEN SELF MEDICATING
Over-the-counter cough medicines should non be taken for more than than seven days if at that place is no improvement or if new symptoms surface, said Christina Lim, assistant manager of Pharmacy at SingHealth Polyclinics.
Dr Tan added that information technology is not advisable to cocky-medicate a cough that lasts more than three weeks, especially when "at that place are symptoms such every bit fever, breathlessness, chest pain, persistent thick, night phlegm, blood in the phlegm, weight loss, poor full general health, or significant chronic medical conditions".
Cough medicine is also "generally not recommended for very immature children, specifically children younger than two years old," said Lim. The dosage is merely as important, she continued. "Follow the dose instructions advisedly as too low a dose renders the medicine ineffective, while a college-than-required dose increases the risk of side effects."
If you're non sure, it is best to consult a pharmacist or full general practitioner, especially when information technology comes to administering cough medicine to children.
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/how-to-choose-the-right-cough-medicine-234321
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