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Antitussive syrup is a preparation that we reach for to eliminate unpleasant symptoms that appear with a cold, flu or inflammation. In order to effectively alleviate suffering, it is worth knowing which syrup should be used for a specific type of cough. Which cough syrup should I choose for dry and wet cough?
Cough syrup and types of cough
Coughing is a natural reflex that protects the body against infection. Coughing helps remove foreign matter and is also a way to cough up secretions from the upper respiratory tract. There are different types of cough, but the most common classification is wet cough and dry cough. In addition, profuse cough, scanty cough, cough with discharge, deep cough, thick cough and residual cough are also mentioned.
The variety of this ailment means that the choice of cough syrup should be preceded by an appropriate diagnosis. A dry cough is a condition that occurs when an infection occurs, usually at the very beginning. A dry cough is very persistent and troublesome, especially at night, preventing you from having a good night’s sleep. A dry cough is a non-productive cough as it does not produce any secretions.
Often after diseases of the respiratory tract, patients struggle with a dry cough for many weeks. In the standard course of upper respiratory tract infections, a dry cough should turn into a wet cough after a few days. A wet cough is a sign that a secretion has accumulated in the airways that the patient will soon cough up.
Examples of cough preparations are syrups with ivy extracts such as Hedelix, Hederasal and Prospan.
See also: Allergic cough – causes, treatment
Cough syrup for dry cough
Dry cough, which is not particularly severe, is helped by antitussive syrup, the recipe of which is based on herbs. This syrup has no side effects, is effective, inexpensive and available without a prescription at any pharmacy. In the case of a more persistent and, above all, chronic cough, you should opt for antitussive syrup, the ingredients of which affect the cough center, which is located in the medulla.
The centrally acting antitussive syrup contains butamirate, codeine or dextromethorphan. Butamirate exhibits cough suppressant and bronchodilator properties. Codeine, on the other hand, acts centrally on the cough center and has analgesic properties. Codeine antitussive syrups should, however, be used with caution, as doses exceeding the norm produce effects similar to narcotic intoxication. Long-term use of codeine preparations is also addictive.
Dextromethorphan cough syrups are a safer substitute. The antitussive syrup, which acts on the center of the cough, takes effect very quickly. Already several dozen minutes after taking the first dose of the drug, the cough softens and slowly begins to subside. It should also be remembered that when coughing dry, you should drink plenty of fluids, moisten the throat and moisturize the air you breathe.
Also check: Which syrups are best to choose in case of lung diseases?
Cough syrup for wet cough
The syrup used for wet cough primarily has an expectorant effect. This syrup is composed of ingredients whose task is to liquefy the residual secretion, which will facilitate its later excretion. Among the ingredients found in wet cough syrup are ambroxol, bromhexine, acetylcysteine, carbocysteine, sulfovacol and guaifenzine.
Ambroxol is a component that increases the movement of cilia in the respiratory epithelium. It facilitates expectoration. helps in the removal of secretions and reduces the sore throat that often accompanies coughing. Bromhexine, on the other hand, dilutes the sputum in the airways. The remaining ingredients reduce the viscosity of the secretion.
In case of a sore throat and as an aid in expectoration, use ON THE THROAT – sugar-free lozenges available at Medonet Market.
we recommend: Cough inhalations – indications, how to perform
Cough syrup for dry and wet cough
There are also special syrups available on the market for the treatment of both types of cough. It is a great choice for treating dry and wet coughs. These types of cough syrups contain a tincture of primrose or thyme herbs. Due to the combination of ingredients with different effects (e.g. guaifensine with dextromethorphan), they are characterized by simultaneous antitussive and expectorant properties.
For wet and dry coughs, we recommend Cough – a herbal mixture for children, the infusion of which should be administered several times a day, 100 ml each.
Worth knowing: The destructive range of cough. Scientists’ experiment
The effectiveness of cough syrups
The effectiveness of cough syrups depends on many different factors. For the cough syrup to be effective, you should not forget to replenish your fluids properly. This is very important because it will ensure that the remaining mucus is expelled, which is quite dense, so it easily sticks to the bronchial wall and stays in the bronchi. For this purpose, according to specialists, you should drink up to 2 liters of fluid a day. Without adequate fluid intake when coughing, even the best syrup will not be very effective.
Check the effects of Herbapol syrups, which you can buy at promotional prices on Medonet Market:
- Plantain syrup with vitamin C,
- Thyme syrup and coltsfoot,
- Wild mallow syrup with vitamin C,
- Mullein syrup with vitamin C,
- Marshmallow syrup with vitamin C,
- Lilac flower syrup with vitamin C,
- Thyme syrup with vitamin C,
- PNEUMOPOL syrup with elderberry,
- Pine syrup with vitamin C,
- Icelandic lichen and lilac syrup.
However, it should be known that sometimes abundant oral hydration may not be recommended (for example, due to, for example, severe renal failure or advanced circulatory failure). However, irrigation may be carried out by the inhalation route. For this purpose, inhalers will prove to be the best. However, one should be aware that the inhaled water vapor must be “fine” in order to reach the tiniest bronchioles.
In addition, it is very important that the room in which we are staying is kept adequately high humidity. In addition, patting the back may help if you have difficulty coughing up mucus.
See also: Cough in pregnancy – causes, treatment
Cough syrup and safety
Please note that cough suppressant syrups can contain compounds with various side effects. These compounds include, for example, the aforementioned codeine, dextromethorphan or butamirate. Although the action of these substances inhibits a dry and irritating cough, their use may turn out to be dangerous for us.
It should be added that the cough that bothers us so much is nothing else than the natural defense mechanism of our body and its purpose is to help get rid of harmful microorganisms from the body. Interestingly, a dry cough does not always mean an infection. For young children, the use of cough syrups without first consulting a doctor can cause great harm to little ones when the cough may be the result of an allergic reaction or of undiagnosed asthma for which antitussive drugs cannot be used.
Coming back to codeine, if it is included in the cough syrup, it means that it can be administered only after the age of 12, although it is still worth consulting a doctor before giving codeine syrup. Interestingly, codeine can be found not only in typical pharmaceutical preparations, but also in natural syrups containing, for example, pine extract.
Codeine combined with alcohol (which can also be found in various cough syrups) can cause serious side effects such as:
- euphoria,
- composure,
- memory loss,
- loss of coordination
- withdrawal symptoms
- dissociative disorders,
- seizures
- addiction.
It is very easy to overdose on such a syrup, in part because opioids make breathing difficult to the level of oxygen deprivation during sleep. Mixing alcohol and opioids enhances the effects of the two, making it difficult for doctors to treat an overdose.
In the case of dextromethorphan and butamirate, it must also be said that they are dangerous compounds, but they can be used after consulting a doctor, from the age of 2 (butamirate) and from the age of 3 (dextromethorphan).
Dextromethorphan can cause symptoms such as:
- confusion,
- difficulty urinating
- drowsiness or dizziness
- nausea or vomiting
- trembling and shaky gait
- slow breathing
- unusual excitement,
- nervousness, restlessness or irritability.
Cough syrup and fenspiride
Cough syrups containing fenspiride were widely available on the market at one time. They were very popular and were often prescribed to children by pediatricians. Unfortunately, as studies have shown over time, fenspiride is a compound that causes a number of side effects, and its antitussive effect is insufficiently effective compared to this.
Children’s cough syrup
When it comes to administering cough syrup to children, no cough syrup should be administered to children under 3 years of age without first consulting a doctor. In the case of older children, there are no contraindications to use herbal syrups, but without the addition of alcohol. Depending on the type of cough, different properties of the syrup should be used, and so, for example, when it comes to a dry cough, a syrup that will moisturize and protect the throat mucosa will be perfect.
Be sure to read: Barking cough – ways to treat laryngeal cough
Antitussive syrup and the placebo effect
Some cough medications contain antihistamines that are designed to relieve allergic symptoms of the common cold by stopping discharge from the eyes and nose. However, they can also cause drowsiness, hallucinations and palpitations. Even if we ignore these side effects, there is no guarantee that cough syrups will actually stop you coughing (although they can do so by falling asleep).
Research shows that there is no clear evidence that syrups work or don’t work. However, it should be borne in mind that a review of the available studies by the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group indicates that the studies conducted so far have been small, often of poor quality, and with conflicting results.
However, if we assume that cough syrups are not working, what should we take? A 2007 study by Pennsylvania State University suggested that a dose of honey at night was more effective than cough syrups (it should be added, however, that this study was funded by the honey industry). What the study really showed was that honey was better than no treatment at all in reducing the frequency of coughing in the children observed. However, bearing in mind the bactericidal properties of honey, it is worth giving it to both children and adults.
Homemade cough syrup – recipes
Although cough suppressant syrups are widely available on the market, there is nothing to prevent you from preparing such a syrup yourself. Products of this type have the same effectiveness as those bought in a pharmacy, and in addition, they can be made using only natural ingredients, which means that they can be given to children without fear.
Hand-made cough syrups can reduce the frequency of dry and wet coughing attacks, facilitate expectoration of the remaining secretions, soothe sore throats and strengthen the immune system. However, it is important to remember that their use while taking medications can be dangerous, as some herbs can interact with medications. Therefore, it is worth consulting a doctor before using homemade syrups.
Pine syrup
Ingredients: 1 kg of pine shoots, 1 kg of sugar.
Preparation:
Pine shoots and sugar should be put in layers in a jar (one layer of shoots, then a layer of sugar and so put another layer). The jar prepared in this way should be covered with gauze and set aside for about 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, strain the syrup and pour it into bottles or jars. Pine shoots syrup should be taken 2 times a day for 1 tablespoon. In addition to making breathing easier, it also warms up the entire body.
Clove syrup
Ingredients: 125 ml of honey, 6 cloves.
Preparation:
Pour honey into the jar, add the cloves and mix everything, additionally kneading the cloves slightly. The jar prepared in this way should be left overnight. After this time, remove the cloves and mix the syrup again. Clove syrup should be taken 1 teaspoon a day. Thanks to the content of essential oils, the syrup will thin out the residual secretion and facilitate its expectoration, and additionally reduce hoarseness. It is also worth noting that honey and cloves are antibacterial.
Thyme syrup
Ingredients: half a kilo of sugar, thyme leaves.
Preparation:
Add enough thyme leaves to a liter jar to fill it to about 1/3 of its height. Then a liter of water should be boiled and mixed with sugar. The following year, pour the thyme leaves with sugar water and mix everything. Then close the jar and set aside for about two days in a cool and dry place. After this time, you need to strain the syrup and pour it into bottles. The syrup can be consumed 1 tablespoon 2 to 3 times a day.
Onion syrup
Ingredients: 2 onions, sugar, (possibly) honey.
Preparation:
Two onions should be peeled and finely chopped. Put the onions in a bowl and cover with sugar, or you can use two tablespoons of honey instead of sugar. Everything should be mixed well, and the bowl should be covered and set aside for about 5 hours, so that the onion can let go of the juice. After this time, drain the syrup and take one teaspoon every 2-3 hours. It is worth mentioning that the onion syrup not only soothes coughs, but also strengthens the immune system and prevents anemia.
Myrtle Syrup
Ingredients: 100 g of dry myrtle leaves, sugar, orange peel.
Preparation:
100 g of dry myrtle leaves should be added to boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes. After this time, all should be set aside for 24 hours. Then add the prepared substance, orange peel and sugar. Everything should be simmered again for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Finally, the syrup should be strained and poured into bottles. Take the syrup 4 to 8 times a day.
Honey, lemon and ginger syrup
Ingredients: honey, one lemon, one ginger.
Preparation:
Honey should be poured into a small jar, but only up to 3/4 of its height. In the next step, cut into quarters about ten slices, unpeeled and previously scalded lemon and add to the honey. Finally, sprinkle the whole with one peeled and grated ginger and mix it well. Put the jar aside in a dry, dark and cool place for 24 hours. Take the syrup one tablespoon a day. This syrup has bactericidal (honey), anti-inflammatory and warming (ginger) properties and strengthens the immune system (vitamin C).
Beetroot syrup
Ingredients: one beetroot, honey.
Preparation:
Grate the beetroot and put it in a bowl, to which you should also add 2 teaspoons of honey. Then everything needs to be mixed and heated over low heat for about 20 minutes. However, it should be remembered that you cannot boil the syrup as it will lose all its properties. Take the syrup every hour.
Plantain syrup
Ingredients: 100 g of fresh plantain leaves, 100 g of sugar.
Preparation:
Cut off fresh plantain leaves and mix with 100 ml of boiled water. Squeeze the juice out of the resulting pulp, then filter it and dissolve 100 g of sugar in it. Finally, heat it to a boil over low heat, but do not boil it. Take the syrup a spoonful several times a day. Plantain syrup has a bacteriostatic and expectorant effect, which helps in the case of diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
Dandelion syrup
Ingredients: 1 liter of dandelion flowers, 1 tablespoon of spirit, 1 kg of sugar.
Preparation:
Place fresh flowers in a jar, sprinkle with layers of sugar and knead. Then add one tablespoon of spirit and one tablespoon of sugar on top. Take the syrup a spoonful several times a day. Please note that due to its alcohol content, it should not be given to children.
Also read:
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- The doctor assesses the vaccination campaign in Poland: we have failed. And he gives two main reasons
- Vaccination against COVID-19 increases the risk of a heart attack. True or false?
- How much risk are the unvaccinated against COVID-19? The CDC is straightforward
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