Expectorants for dry cough: folk and pharmaceutical preparations
The content of the article:
- How to choose drugs for dry cough
- Expectorants for dry cough in adults
- Expectorants for dry cough for children
- Treating dry cough at home
- Video
The need to choose an expectorant for a dry cough arises when you need to quickly get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of the respiratory tract disease, but not just muffle pain and irritation, but affect the cause of the pathology and improve sputum discharge. The main function of drugs in this case is to increase the secretory activity of the glands so that the amount of mucus secreted increases. They also affect the properties of mucus, making it thinner to make it easier to cough up. For an adult patient, the choice is not malt, but if a child is sick, then his age must be taken into account, because many drugs cannot be used for small children due to their composition. However, the choice is facilitated by a wide range of available pharmacological agents.
Lazolvan is one of the most effective antitussive drugs, based on Ambroxol
How to choose drugs for dry cough
A dry cough (aka unproductive) is an extremely unpleasant symptom. It is caused by irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, and can be quite painful, barking, debilitating, and suffocating. To eliminate it, emollients are needed that improve the condition of the respiratory tract. The main causes of dry cough are infectious diseases of the upper (laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis) and lower (bronchitis, pneumonia - pneumonia) respiratory tract, allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, whooping cough. There are also less common pathologies that can be accompanied by a cough, such as lung abscess, sinusitis, heart disease and parasitic diseases. In these cases, taking cough medicine is useless.
There are several groups of drugs for the treatment of dry cough:
- antitussives - such drugs exist in their pure form, but most often they are part of effective combined drugs for dry cough. The fact is that on their own they depress the cough center, without affecting anything else, thus simply stopping the cough urge. This relieves symptoms for up to several hours, but the cause remains, so they are only recommended when the patient needs a break from a painful cough. These medications should not be taken at the same time as expectorants, because this can cause stagnation of mucus and increase inflammation;
- expectorants - these drugs help increase the amount of mucus secreted in the bronchi, as well as enhance its transport outward, make the excretion of sputum fast and safe. These kind of drugs translate dry cough into a moist, productive cough, which is much more favorable;
- mucolytics - change the structure of mucus, weakening the chemical bonds inside it, which makes it more liquid, and thereby contribute to the discharge of phlegm. These remedies are used for moist cough with viscous sputum;
- combined - the most common group of drugs, which include antitussives with multidirectional action.
Depending on the composition, cough medicines are synthetic, herbal, and also mixed.
Sinekod - has a complex effect on dry cough, is available in two forms, for children and for adults
Expectorants for dry cough in adults
Adult patients are not limited in the form of drugs, their taste and ease of use, however, one should carefully choose those that act on a specific type of cough and provide exactly the effect that is needed.
There is a group of narcotic drugs for coughs (based on codeine), they are prescribed by a doctor for strict indications in cases where the benefits of their use are obviously higher than the potential harm, they are dispensed strictly by prescription. Non-narcotic antitussives are prescribed much more often. Let's dwell on the most popular of them.
- Herbion plantain syrup - the active ingredient of this syrup is plantain and mallow extract. The herbal components of this medicine envelop the bronchial mucosa, forming a sticky thin film, which improves mucus secretion, reduces the sensitivity of receptors to irritants that cause the cough reflex. Thus, the syrup reduces coughing urges, increases the amount of sputum, and has an antibacterial effect. Due to the herbal composition, it does not cause side effects, no cases of overdose have been recorded. The syrup can be used concurrently with other medicines if needed. Take 2 scoops 4-5 times a day.
- Sinecod is a powerful remedy that has a central effect on the cough center. Oppressing him, the medicine reduces the number and intensity of coughing urges, relieves debilitating coughing fits, and improves breathing. The drug acts as an antispasmodic that expands the lumen of the bronchi. Can be prescribed to patients with diabetes mellitus, the drug does not contain sugar. Rarely can cause side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, diarrhea, irritability. Dosage and administration: 15 ml 4 times a day.
- Stopussin is a combined drug that has a moderate and short-term inhibitory effect on the cough center, and its long-term effects are mucolytic and expectorant. Available in various dosage forms: tablets, oral drops, syrup. You can not use this remedy with profuse productive cough, smokers' cough, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis and pneumoconiosis. Not used during pregnancy. It has no side effects, but interferes with the action of paracetamol and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, therefore, it is incompatible with them. Apply 25 drops every 8 hours if body weight = 40-50 kg, 30 drops if weight = 50-70 kg, 40 drops if weight> 70 kg.
- Linkas is one of the best herbal remedies that contains over 20 herbal extracts. It has an expectorant, mucolytic effect, anesthetizes, has an antibacterial effect, increases mucus secretion by mucocytes of the mucous membrane, enhances the activity of villi in the bronchi, exhibits antipyretic and antispasmodic effects. Its disadvantage is the high risk of allergic reactions to plant components. It is not used for diabetes and heart disease. Do not drink for more than 2 months. Dosage: 10 ml (2 teaspoons) of syrup 3-4 times a day.
- Lazolvan is a good expectorant for dry cough, which, in addition to syrup, is produced in a form that is very convenient for the delivery of the active substance - nebulas for inhalation. If you have a nebulizer at home or at your nearest pharmacy, you can regularly use this medicine to achieve an expectorant, mucolytic effect. A medicine based on ambroxol is harmless, it is taken in the form of inhalation, previously diluted with saline solution 1: 1, 2-3 times a day.
Expectorants for dry cough for children
It is important to consider the child's age when choosing a drug.
Dr. Mom is a cough syrup that children can take from the age of three
For children under one year old, the following means are used:
- Prospan is based on ivy extract, which has an excellent expectorant effect and some bactericidal effect. The drug can be taken by children, but up to 1 year old - under the supervision of a pediatrician. The dosage is 2.5 ml of syrup 2 times a day after meals. Has a pleasant taste for babies.
- Bromhexine - enhances mucus secretion, reduces its viscosity, promotes expectoration. Up to 2 years, a doctor must be present at the first appointment. Take 1 scoop 3 times a day.
For children from 1 to 2 years old, licorice root syrup is prescribed - based on the extract of the same name, which improves the discharge of viscous sputum by enhancing the mucociliary mechanism. The medicine is not used for heart and kidney failure. Method of administration and dose - for children from 1 to 3 years old, 2.5 ml per dose, 3-4 times a day.
For a child 2 years old and older, drugs are suitable:
- Dr. Mom - in addition to the expectorant effect, it improves bronchial motility, relieves pain, expands their lumen, protects the mucous membrane, and enhances mucus secretion. The composition is natural. Cannot be used for inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. Apply 2.5 ml 3 times a day, after meals.
- Ambrobene - has an expectorant effect, enhances the production of liquid mucus in the lumen of the bronchi, which helps with dry cough. Also has anti-inflammatory effects. It has excellent absorption, is completely absorbed by the mucous membrane, while it is also harmlessly excreted, there is no accumulation in the organs. Retains antibiotics in bronchial mucus, increasing their concentration there, which significantly enhances their therapeutic effect. Use during breastfeeding is not recommended. Method of administration and dosage - for children from 2 years old, 1 ml 3 times a day.
- Travisil is an expectorant used for dry coughs, which is available in several dosage forms, one of which is candy with different tastes that children really like. Children 3 years and older can take them. The components of this drug enhance the expectoration of mucus, envelop the mucous membrane, cool, and have a local bactericidal effect. Use 1 lozenge 3 times a day.
Treating dry cough at home
In addition to pharmaceutical medicines, there are many folk expectorants for dry coughs. They should not be used as a primary medicine, discarding proven drugs, but traditional medicines can be used as an effective supplement.
A popular folk remedy for coughs is black radish juice. To do this, the large radish must be thoroughly washed, cut off the top ("lid") and cut out inside a space like a bowl, where the juice will be collected. Then a few tablespoons of sugar are poured into the resulting depression, and the radish is covered with a lid and left overnight. In the morning, it will already be filled with secreted juice, which is taken - a tablespoon 4 times a day, before meals or on an empty stomach. You can use honey instead of sugar.
An effective remedy for dry cough is prepared from black radish at home
A popular mixture of milk, honey and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter can be bought at the pharmacy and is sold in small briquettes. The milk is heated but not boiled. A tablespoon of honey and a little cocoa butter are added to warm milk, after which everything is thoroughly mixed. The drink is consumed up to 6 times a day, 40 minutes after a meal, without drinking anything.
Video
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Nikita Gaidukov About the author
Education: 4th year student of the Faculty of Medicine No. 1, specializing in General Medicine, Vinnitsa National Medical University. N. I. Pirogov.
Work experience: Nurse of the cardiology department of the Tyachiv Regional Hospital No. 1, geneticist / molecular biologist in the Polymerase Chain Reaction Laboratory at VNMU named after N. I. Pirogov.
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