{"id":19936,"date":"2022-10-26T09:57:34","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T14:57:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=19936"},"modified":"2023-03-20T12:28:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T17:28:04","slug":"whats-the-best-cough-medicine-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/whats-the-best-cough-medicine-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Best Cough Medicine For You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nobody enjoys<\/span> cold and flu season \u2014 but if all that hacking is uncomfortable, cough medicine might make it a bit more bearable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, not all cough meds are created equal. Different symptoms call for different active ingredients to treat the underlying cause of your cough, and causes can range from allergies to asthma. Even then, when it comes to over-the-counter meds for cough symptoms, the jury is still out on <\/span>their effectiveness<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We talked to experts to learn how coughing works in the body and which medications to consider if your cough is getting in the way of sleep and daily life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

How does coughing work?<\/h2>\n

Coughing is the body\u2019s way of clearing an airway, says <\/span>Dr. Alin K. Abraham<\/span><\/a>, a pediatrician and internist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital outside Chicago.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>cough reflex<\/span><\/a> \u201cis triggered in our body by activation of cough receptors, which we have in several places,\u201d she says, including the respiratory tract, heart lining, esophagus, stomach and diaphragm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some common cough causes include allergies, postnasal drip, colds, medications, pneumonia, asthma, acid reflux, cigarette smoke and conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More serious conditions, like lung cancer, can also cause coughing. Ultimately, it\u2019s one of the body\u2019s built-in protective mechanisms, but it\u2019s possible to have too much of a good thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCoughing too much can cause muscle spasms, rib pain \u2014 even rib fracture, lightheadedness, passing out, disrupted sleep and urine leakage,\u201d Abraham says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

When to see a doctor<\/h2>\n

Hacking from a cold usually won\u2019t fracture your ribs, but it can become quite uncomfortable. You might consider medicine for a cough if it\u2019s getting in the way of sleep, breathing or daily functioning.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your cough comes with a fever that lasts more than a few days or other symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing up blood, rash or weight loss, or if your cough lasts more than a week, <\/span>make an appointment<\/span><\/a> with your doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Cough medicines<\/h1>\n

There are several over-the-counter and prescription options for a short-term, acute cough. To start, it helps to understand that doctors often refer to coughs as either productive (coughing up mucus) or nonproductive (a dry, crackly cough).<\/span><\/p>\n

Cough suppressants<\/h2>\n

For a dry, irritating cough, you might find relief from dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant and the active ingredient in medicines like Delsym.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuppressants like dextromethorphan block the cough reflex and can help with sleep by decreasing frequency and intensity of cough,\u201d Abraham says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although<\/span> researchers haven\u2019t been able to prove<\/span><\/a> the efficacy of dextromethorphan, they also <\/span>haven\u2019t proven that it <\/span>doesn\u2019t <\/span><\/i>work<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>Other studies<\/span><\/a> have shown dextromethorphan to be more effective than a placebo treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just be sure to avoid dextromethorphan if you\u2019re having a wet, productive cough.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to suppress a productive cough,\u201d says Jenny Hetzel, a clinical pharmacist and outpatient pharmacy coordinator at <\/span>UW Health<\/span><\/a> in Madison, Wisconsin. \u201cWhen your body is clearing things out, you don\u2019t want to stop that clearing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Cough expectorants<\/h2>\n

For a productive cough with chest congestion, expectorants like guaifenesin can help thin the mucus so you can cough it up more easily. It\u2019s the active ingredient in brands like Mucinex.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuaifenesin is going to work to loosen and thin some of that congestion,\u201d Hetzel says. \u201cIt\u2019s going to help thin those secretions to help clear them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although guaifenesin can loosen mucus, so can staying hydrated, Hetzel says: \u201cIf you\u2019re sick, sometimes drinking lots of water is not easy to do, but drinking fluids can also help with expectorating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Antihistamines<\/h2>\n

When allergies or hay fever are causing your cough, <\/span>antihistamines<\/span><\/a> can help.<\/span><\/p>\n

Antihistamines have a drying effect on the drainage that can cause coughing. <\/span>Older-generation antihistamines like Benadryl<\/span><\/a> tend to be more effective for a cough than newer medications like Claritin or Zyrtec.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut [Benadryl] also makes you drowsy, so it\u2019s not one you\u2019re going to take during the day,\u201d Hetzel says. On the flipside, that drowsiness might be a welcome side effect if you\u2019re trying to sleep better at night.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Decongestants<\/h2>\n

Is your stuffy nose and sinus pressure causing your cough? In that case, a decongestant like pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, taken as nasal sprays, might help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have nasal congestion and it\u2019s draining, sometimes your goal is to clear out the sinuses to get that congestion out the nose so it\u2019s not draining into the throat,\u201d Hetzel says. By clearing congestion and promoting better drainage, you can potentially alleviate some of the irritation causing your cough.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just be careful with decongestants if you <\/span>have high blood pressure<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDecongestants can cause elevated blood pressure; adults with high blood pressure should avoid decongestants,\u201d Abraham says. \u201cBe aware that this is an ingredient in several combination cold medications, so be sure to check the label or ask a pharmacist or doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Combination medications<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re experiencing a combination of symptoms, you might reach for a product like DayQuil, NyQuil or Robitussin DM that combines multiple active ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n

These products may combine decongestants, antihistamines, expectorants and\/or cough suppressants to treat multiple symptoms. It\u2019s a good idea to check with your doctor or the pharmacist before purchasing a combination product.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always caution against using the combo products, because if a person isn\u2019t having one of the symptoms, then you\u2019re adding extra things in and possibly extra side effects,\u201d Hetzel says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Prescription cough medicine<\/h2>\n

In some cases, doctors might prescribe a narcotic cough syrup, like codeine, if you\u2019re having a lot of trouble sleeping at night. Codeine is more likely to cause drowsiness than dextromethorphan, Hetzel says. Another prescription option is <\/span>benzonatate<\/span><\/a>, which helps numb the tickle in your throat that can cause a cough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors also sometimes prescribe albuterol inhalers to alleviate a cough caused by asthma or lung issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Nonmedical treatments<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re not sold on cough meds, there are other remedies you can try, including nonmedicated cough drops, saline nasal sprays, nasal rinses and neti pots, and topical treatments like Vicks VapoRub. These options won\u2019t address the root cause of your cough, but they can provide relief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes I go with the nasal saline before the decongestants,\u201d Hetzel says. \u201cWhen you\u2019re doing neti pots and sinus rinses, it\u2019s just kind of flushing all of that out, hopefully decreasing what\u2019s up there to drain out and decrease the cough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As for cough drops: \u201cThey help trigger salivation, which can help out with a dry throat,\u201d Hetzel says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Cough meds and safety<\/h2>\n

Cough medications are safe in general, as long as you\u2019re using them as directed. But they\u2019re not appropriate for everyone. A doctor or pharmacist can help you determine if you should avoid any particular medications. For example, people taking MAOI drugs (a certain class of antidepressants) <\/span>should avoid dextromethorphan.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

In most cases, doctors also don\u2019t recommend cough meds for young kids.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s just <\/span>no evidence<\/span><\/a> showing that there\u2019s benefits\u201d for kids, says Hetzel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, many coughs can be treated without medication. As for whether meds help make your symptoms more tolerable in the short term, your mileage may vary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no end-all be-all,\u201d Hetzel says. \u201cSituationally, some people see a difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Need a doctor’s appointment? Book one on Zocdoc.<\/a><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sick of hacking away? We break down what to pick up from the pharmacy. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":19937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat's the Best Cough Medicine For You? - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From cough expectorants to decongestants, there are many varieties of cough medicine out there. 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