Cough Suppressants: Effect, Uses & Risks

A cold with a cold and sore throat can often develop into a cough. Depending on whether the cough is rather dry or accompanied by viscous mucus, the treatment with cough remedies should be applied. If a cough is not thoroughly cured, complications such as pneumonia may develop, as additional pathogens may become lodged in the respiratory tract.

What is a cough suppressant?

A natural, herbal cough suppressant is, for example, thyme cough syrup. Medicines and cough syrups that have an expectorant effect are indicated when there is a cough with heavy secretion. The secretion must be coughed up so that it does not become lodged in the bronchi or lungs, where bacterial pathogens have an easy time. In the early stages, sufferers can help themselves with herbal or homeopathic remedies – but if these do not bring any noticeable improvement within a few days, a visit to the doctor is necessary. The attending physician will listen to the airways and recommend a medication in the form of a cough suppressant. If a dry, agonizing cough is present, the doctor will usually recommend a cough suppressant so that patients can also sleep better. This is not advisable for coughs that are accompanied by heavy secretion.

Medical application, effect and use

If coughing up the stuck mucus is prevented, the secretion becomes stuck and can block the airways. In addition to medicinal treatment with cough expectorants, patients can also do something to help cure themselves by drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day – this encourages and facilitates coughing. Very effective in treating coughs is inhalation, in which a saline solution, which can be mixed with a cough suppressant, penetrates to the bronchial tubes and lungs and promotes expectoration. Inhalation allows patients to use a nebulizer to inhale the cough-relieving agents several times a day at home or in the doctor’s office. There are cough-relieving medications that are also suitable for young children, which is particularly beneficial because children often suffer from respiratory diseases. Depending on the dosage instructions, cough expectorants are taken once or several times a day, they liquefy the tough mucus and thus facilitate coughing. Despite everything, a cough can last for several weeks, so it is recommended to additionally ensure a healthy, balanced diet. Exercise in the fresh air also strengthens the weakened immune system.

Herbal, natural and pharmaceutical cough remedies.

Cough expectorants are available in various forms, such as juice, sustained-release capsules or dissolvable effervescent tablets. Valuable herbal ingredients are also suitable for loosening mucus. Traditional home remedies include, for example, onion syrup – a mixture of finely chopped onions and honey that can be taken after a day of pulling. In addition, there are many types of juices that contain cough-relieving active ingredients. The most common herbal agents include ivy leaf extracts, thyme or sage. Medicines containing thyme are particularly well tolerated and therefore also suitable for children. If the herbal medicines no longer work, synthetically produced medicines are effective and helpful. Stubborn cough brings the danger that the already weakened organism will be attacked by further pathogens, which leads to complications. As a result, the patient may need an additional antibiotic to prevent the spread of bacteria. Chemical cough expectorants usually contain ingredients such as acetylcysteine or ambroxol hydrochloride. Their expectorant action is particularly efficient, allowing stuck secretions to be coughed up and secondary diseases to be avoided.

Risks and side effects

Both herbal and chemically produced medicines can cause side effects such as intolerance or allergic reactions. Therefore, it is important to seek the advice of the attending physician before taking a cough suppressant – he or she will clarify possible side effects and interactions. When taking synthetically produced cough expectorants, hypersensitivity reactions may occur, such as skin irritation, headaches or intolerance in the digestive tract. Patients who regularly take medication for chronic diseases also need the advice of their doctor to prescribe a suitable remedy that will not trigger any undesirable reactions.Parents of babies and young children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, should also seek treatment from a specialist to rule out any risks from taking an unsuitable preparation.