Choice of cough with phlegm and dry cough

Coughing is a health problem that most doctors consult. Taking medicine will definitely be your solution when these symptoms do not go away. There are many types of drugs over the counter (OTC), aka OTC drugs, which can be used to cure coughs. However, of course you must understand well the type of cough you are experiencing, whether it is a dry cough or with phlegm. Identifying the type of cough you have will help you find the medicine that works best for your cough.

Choice of dry cough and phlegm

Cough can be treated independently by using drugs sold in pharmacies or supermarkets without a doctor's prescription. Most types of non-prescription cough medicines are usually packaged in syrup rather than tablet form.

Even though it's easy to get, that doesn't mean you can take any over-the-counter drugs. Instead of getting better quickly, the symptoms will get worse if you take the wrong medicine.

Generally, a cough with phlegm is caused by phlegm that has accumulated in the respiratory tract. Meanwhile, a dry cough is not accompanied by phlegm so that the throat often feels dry and sore during the cough.

Refer to the article inJournal of Pediatric Health CareThe following are recommendations for what OTC drugs are safe and effective enough to relieve coughs.

1. Decongestants

Decongestants are a type of medicine to relieve a cough with phlegm and a runny or congested nose due to a cold, allergic reactions, inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose, and sinusitis. Decongestants can also be used to treat dry coughs caused by allergies and respiratory infections.

The decongestants that are usually used to treat coughs are types phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine.

This drug works by reducing swelling of the blood vessels in the nose, thereby helping the airways open more. That way, you will tend to cough less frequently.

Children under 12 years of age should not take decongestants. Decongestants are only intended for short-term treatment of cough, not longer than 5 days. Decongestants are usually available in the form of sprays, liquids, capsules, and syrups.

2. Suppressant or antitussive

If you experience a dry cough, make sure the type of medicine you choose is labeled as a suppressant or antitussive. This drug acts directly on the brain. Suppressants or antitussives will inhibit the function of the brainstem that regulates cough responses and reflexes, thereby reducing the frequency of coughing.

There are various antitussive drugs, and most of them are included in the opioid class which has side effects such as drowsiness and dependence.

That is why, this drug is more potent and better if given as recommended by a doctor. Several types of antitussives that are widely used in dry cough medicines include:

• Dekstrometorpan: a type of suppressant medicine containing dextrometorpan can inhibit the cough reflex so that the frequency of dry cough will be reduced.
• Codeine: The content of codeine or opiate compounds (opium derivatives) is often present in antitussive drugs. Codeine has analgesic properties, which reduces pain from mild to severe, so that the pain when coughing is reduced.

3. Expectorant

Expectorants are especially useful when you cough and feel short of breath due to phlegm or mucus filling your lungs. Expectorants work by loosening phlegm so that you can breathe more smoothly and freely. Therefore, expectorants are the most effective cough medicine with phlegm.

Guaifenesin is an expectorant which functions to thin the phlegm that envelops the lungs. Guaifenesin usually works for 12 hours, but you should follow the rules for taking the medicine listed on the medicine package. This drug is usually available in syrup or tablet form.

4. Mukolitik

In contrast to expectorants, this phlegm cough medicine works by changing the physical properties of mucus so that it can break down clotted mucus to become thinner. The active ingredients in drugs that perform this function are bromhexineand acetylcysteine. Examples of mucolytic drugs are bromhexine, acetylsisitein, and ambroxol.

5. Antihistamines

When you experience an allergic reaction, your body releases histamine. The release of this histamine can trigger dry cough, runny eyes and nose. In order to cure a dry cough caused by allergies, you need to use drugs with antihistamines that can reduce the release effect of these substances.

There are two types of antihistamines that have different side effects in their use. Older versions of antihistamines such as chlorphenamine (CTM), hydroxyzine, and promethazine which can cause drowsiness. Meanwhile, newer antihistamines such as loratadine, cetirizine, and levocetirizine cause less drowsiness.

Several types of antihistamine drugs work by inhibiting the action of histamine in the central nervous system, but there are also types of antihistamine drugs that work by inhibiting the activity of one of the neurotransmitters in the brain, acetylcholine. This function has the effect of decreasing mucus production and widening of the respiratory tract.

Although effective in treating allergies, non-sedative (non-drowsy) antihistamines such as loratidine may be less effective at treating dry coughs.

6. Combination drugs

Combined drugs are composed of more than one active ingredient. It can be used to treat other symptoms, such as fever and pain.

This type of combination medicine can be drunk not only when you cough, but also when you have a cold or fever.

Usually combination drugs mix expectorants and suppressants with antihistamines, decongestants, and pain relievers. Antihistamines work to relieve itching in the throat and also have a sedative effect. Meanwhile, decongestants can relieve nasal congestion.

Combination drugs containing cough suppressantsshould not be used to treat cough with phlegm. This type is more appropriate to cure dry cough. If what you experience is a cough with phlegm, you should choose a combination treatment with expectorants and decongestants.

Try to read the composition of the combination drug, especially for those of you who are also taking other drugs because they can increase the risk of overdose. For example, taking a combination drug along with paracetamol is equivalent to taking a double the dose.

7. Topical drugs or balm swabs

To help relieve symptoms, you can also use topical types of drugs. This drug is used applied topically to the body or inhaled directly. This topical medication is usually also used to relieve other symptoms that accompany a cough with phlegm and dry, such as a stuffy nose.

The ingredients of this medicine are usually eucalyptus oil, camphor, and menthol which provide a warm effect that soothes the throat, reduces the frequency of coughs, and makes breathing smoother. This medication is usually in the form of a balm, inhaler, or vaporizer.

For those of you who have respiratory allergies or asthma, you are at risk of more frequent coughs. Therefore, it is important to keep the non-prescription drugs available as the first treatment.

Medicines for dry cough and phlegm that doctors prescribe

If the symptoms of a cough with phlegm or dry cough do not go away after more than 2-4 weeks (chronic cough), you should immediately see a doctor.

Medical treatment is usually determined after a doctor has successfully diagnosed the type of disease that causes coughing through a series of tests. At the beginning of the examination, when the doctor cannot determine the cause of your cough, usually the doctor will give you a suppressant type of medicine. From the diagnosis, the doctor can prescribe the most effective cough medicine.

The treatment prescribed by the doctor will depend on the disease causing the cough. Usually the doctor will recommend the following types of drugs:

• Antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants: In standard cough treatment, doctors usually give these three drugs to reduce symptoms caused by allergies, upper respiratory tract infections, and post-nasal drip.
• Corticosteroids and bronchodilators: It can effectively stop coughs caused by asthma because it reduces inflammation and relaxes the respiratory tract.
• Acid blockers: This type of medication will be given when the diagnosis shows that there is retained acid production in the body irritating the throat, usually caused by an acid reflux condition.
• Dornase-Alfa: drugs to thin mucus in cough with phlegm that are prescribed to patients with diseases cystic fibrosis. This medication is used by inhalation through a nebulizer.
• Antibiotics: antibiotics are given only if the cause of your cough is a bacterial infection, such as pertussis. Amoxicillin is a cough antibiotic that is commonly prescribed by doctors.

Antibiotics can only treat coughs caused by bacterial infections. When you continue to take antibiotics to treat a cough caused by a viral infection, antibiotic treatment will be ineffective.

In fact, taking antibiotics carelessly and not following your doctor's orders can put you at risk for antibiotic resistance. This is a condition in which the bacteria have become resistant to antibiotic resistance. The bacteria remain and continue to thrive, exacerbating the infection in the respiratory tract. As a result, your cough does not go away.

Pay attention to this before taking cough medicine

Read the rules for using drugs carefully before taking them, especially for over-the-counter drugs without a prescription. If the medicine is obtained from a doctor's prescription, make sure you drink it according to the recommended rules. Instead of getting better sooner, increasing the dose of drug use can cause dangerous side effects.

Avoid using two types of cough medicine at the same time other than those recommended by your doctor. The drug contains active substances that need to be filtered in the liver. The more medicine you take, the harder your liver will work. The risk of liver damage and overdose increases.

Can non-prescription cough medicine be consumed by children?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there is not much research evidence that shows the efficacy of OTC or nonprescription drugs to cure coughs in children.

The results of existing research do not show the drug does not work at all. However, researchers did not find evidence that the drug was effective enough to relieve cough severity.

OTC drugs are not intended to stop the source of the disease that causes coughing, but only help reduce the occurrence of the cough reflex.

As explained by the American Academy of Pedriatrics, there is a lack of solid evidence regarding the efficacy of OTC cough medicines The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits its use for children under 4 years of age. The reason is, unlike when consumed by adults, the risk of side effects of OTC drugs is higher when consumed by children in this age group.

You may want to try safer uses of natural cough remedies as well as home remedies that help cough quickly. In addition, do not hesitate to consult a doctor if the condition continues to worsen.