Common household ingredients can be used to provide relief for cough. Here are some you can try
MANILA, Philippines – An itchy throat and a persistent, tickly cough are the usual symptoms for colds or flu, especially during rainy season. Dry cough, in particular, can be a nuisance – when it strikes, the constant discomfort can ruin your day, off your game, and keep you from sleeping well at night.
Once dry cough starts to develop, don’t just ignore it or wait for it to ‘die down.’ Cough is your body’s way of getting rid of anything that doesn’t belong in your lungs or windpipe. If you have a prolonged episode of dry cough – one that lasts for a few days – don’t hesitate to seek relief.
There are many natural remedies that can help alleviate dry cough. Get to know a few of them in the infographic below. – Rappler.com
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If your child has a sore throat, cough or runny nose, you might expect the doctor to prescribe antibiotics. But most of the time, children actually don’t need antibiotics to treat these illnesses. In fact, antibiotics can do more harm than good. Here’s why:
Antibiotics do not fight viruses.
Most childhood infections are caused by viruses. Viruses can make your child feel very sick. If your child has a virus, antibiotics will not help your child feel better or keep others from getting sick.
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The common cold and flu, RSV and COVID-19 are all viruses.
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Most sore throats are caused by viruses, especially when there is also a runny nose or cough.
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Chest colds, even when the cough thick, sticky phlegm or mucus last a long time, are most often caused by viruses. Cigarette smoke and pollution can increase a child’s risk of getting one of these viruses, but bacteria are not usually the cause.
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Most sinus infections (sinusitis) are caused by viruses. The symptoms are a lot of mucus in the nose and post-nasal drip. Most sinus infections will go away on their own without antibiotics. Mucus that is yellow or green does not necessarily mean your child has a bacterial infection.
Antibiotics have risks.
Side effects from antibiotics are a common reason that children go to the emergency room. Common side effects from antibiotics include:
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Diarrhea or vomiting
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Abdominal pain
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Rash
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Allergic reaction: Some allergic reactions can be serious and life-threatening.
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Antibiotic resistance: When antibiotics are not use correctly or used too often, they can cause bacteria to change. That means the medicines won’t work as well when they are needed. These antibiotic-resistant infections are harder to cure.
There are other ways to treat your child’s symptoms.
Antibiotics kill bacteria but they do not treat symptoms of an illness, such as ear pain, fever, cough or congestion.
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Fever is treated with an ‘anti-pyretic’ such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. It is important to know the correct dose to give your child.
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Pain, such as ear pain or throat pain, is treated with ibuprofen or acetaminophen. As always, it is important to know the correct dose to give your child.
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Congestion can be helped by using a humidifier.
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Cough can be helped by a spoonful of dark honey if your child is over 1 year of age.
Ask your doctor about treatments to help your child’s symptoms.
When does your child need antibiotics?
There are some infections that should be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics may be needed in these situations:
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For infants younger than 3 months old, call your pediatrician for any fever above 100.4° F.
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If your child has been diagnosed with strep throat, based on a rapid strep test or a throat culture. If strep is not diagnosed with a test, antibiotics should not be given. No test is needed if your child has a runny nose and cough with a sore throat. Those are symptoms of a virus.
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If your child’s breathing started to get better and then worse again with new fever or new symptoms. In these cases, your doctor might evaluate your child for bacterial forms of pneumonia or sinusitis.
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If whooping cough (pertussis) is diagnosed.
Note: Antibiotics and cough and cold medicines have been identified by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as specific treatments that are commonly given to children but are not always necessary. The designation is part of the Choosing Wisely® campaign, an initiative of the ABIM Foundation. The full list of specific tests or treatments gives more detail as to the reasons for taking a closer look at each treatment and cites evidence related to each recommendation.
Remember
Don’t hesitate to talk with your child’s pediatrician if you have any questions about their health.
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MANILA, Philippines – An itchy throat and a persistent, tickly cough are the usual symptoms for colds or flu, especially during rainy season. Dry cough, in particular, can be a nuisance – when it strikes, the constant discomfort can ruin your day, off your game, and keep you from sleeping well at night.
Once dry cough starts to develop, don’t just ignore it or wait for it to ‘die down.’ Cough is your body’s way of getting rid of anything that doesn’t belong in your lungs or windpipe. If you have a prolonged episode of dry cough – one that lasts for a few days – don’t hesitate to seek relief.
There are many natural remedies that can help alleviate dry cough. Get to know a few of them in the infographic below. – Rappler.com
Culprit: Mucus
One of the main coughing culprits is mucus. Normally, mucus in the body is thin and fluid. It protects and moistens the lining of body’s organs such as the lungs and intestines, and also helps remove bacteria.1 But when you get sick, your body often produces more mucus, which can get thick and stuck in your lungs and airways1. This makes it hard to breathe and easy to get infections. The expectorants in certain Robitussin formulas can thin mucus and loosen it, making it easier for your body to cough it up.
Calm the Cough
Certain Robitussin formulas also contain cough suppressants to keep the cough reflex under control. Prolonged coughing can cause unpleasant side effects, such as chest pain, difficulty sleeping and lightheadedness.2 Cough suppressants also aid what’s known as “dry cough,” or “unproductive cough,” where no mucus is produced. A dry, hacking cough may develop toward the end of a cold or after exposure to an irritant such as dust or smoke.3 See the Robitussin formulas below to find one that’s right for you. Always read and follow label directions. Consult your doctor with any questions.
#StopCovidCZ
A dry, irritating cough is typical for the disease caused by the COVID-19 virus,even though a productive cough has been described in certain cases. You have probably encountered it many timesin your life: it is more or less difficult to cough out the phlegm that runsfrom your nose or cavities – it is referred to as post-nasal drip syndrome(PNDS).
But, as said above, a dry cough is characteristic of COVID-19, when you essentially do not cough up anything. Cough is a regular defence mechanism that keeps your respiratory passages clear. It helps the body rid itself of the viruses that have attacked the mucous membranes. The objective in treating a dry, irritating cough is to supress the cough, as it is exhausting for the patient, whereas in the case of a productive cough, the essential thing is to improve expectoration and dilute the mucus. How to go about it?
Many registered over-the-counter pharmaceutical products are available at pharmacies for treating cough. Many of them are products based on natural substances. Products for treating a cough are most often available in the form of tablets, powder soluble in water, lozenges, drops, and syrups.
Cough-suppressant medications
Medications that supress the coughing reflex are used in treating irritating cough. These include dextromethorphan, which is contained, for example, in the following products: MedDex Vicks dry-cough syrup with honey, ROBITUSSIN ANTITUSSICUM, and ROBITUSSIN JUNIOR for a dry and irritating cough, Stopex for a dry cough, Dinarex, Mugorussol, and sugarfree Tussidrill. The active pharmaceutical ingredient butamirate has similar effects. It is contained in the following products: Sinecod, Tussical, Tussin, and Stoptussin. A dry irritating cough can also be suppressed with the substances dropropizine (Ditustat) and levodropropizine (Levopront).
Medications supporting expectoration
On the other hand, medications that support expectoration include mucolytics. They help to modify the character of mucus, reduce its viscosity, thereby easing expectoration. These include products containing ambroxol (Ambrobene, Ambroxol AL, Ambrosan, Ambrospray, Mucosolvan, Neo-bronchol, Solvolan) and bromhexine (Bromhexin 12BC, Bromhexin 8-KM, Bromhexin 12-KM, Bromhexin-Egis). Furthermore, the active pharmaceutical ingredient acetylcysteine is used. It is contained, for example, in the following medications: ACC, Acetylcystein, Belomyx, Fluimucil, Mucobene, Mucofortin, Solmucol, Nac AL. A somewhat more effective substance is carbocystein (medication: Pectodrill for a wet cough). They always come in the form of drops, syrups, lozenges, or, most frequently, as soluble tablets. All depends on your preference. Given that these medications help remove mucus, harmful substances do not accumulate in the body and breathing is eased once mucus is removed.
Medications loosening mucus
It is also possible to use medications with the active ingredient guaifenesin, which helps loosen mucus. It eases its transport and expectoration (the medications Robitussin expectorans, Medexpecto Vicks honey and ginger syrup, and Stoptussin). Herbs are also used in treating cough, such as common ivy (Hedelix, Hedecton, Hedemax, Helixir, Herbion, Mucoplant against cough with ivy, Prospan), in combination with thyme (Bronchipret thyme and ivy), and plantago and wild thyme (Thymomel).
The plant-based medication Sinupret is also available on the market, which contains extract from elderberry flowers, gentian root, verbena and laurel leaves, and primula flower. They help dissolve and expel mucus and help fight viruses that cause upper respiratory track diseases. The plant-based medication Kaloba, containing an extract from the root of South-African pelargonium, helps remove mucus from the respiratory passages.
Do not combine medications
In any case, aside from medications, it is necessary to get a lot of rest in bed and get enough vitamins. Sufficient intake of liquids and humification of the air in your house help dilute mucus.
Another important consideration is that usually, substances that ease expectoration and that supress cough should not be combined. Before using over-the-counter cough medication, you should always consult with a pharmacist or at least read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication, to make sure that we do not take a medication that is not appropriate for us or our children.
