There is no tool that can quickly cure a cough, but there are non-prescription drugs, which can greatly facilitate the patient's condition. There are three main types of non-prescription medicines that help temporarily relieve coughs caused by the common cold or bronchitis Bronchitis - protection if the body has malfunctioned .

• Antitussive drugs that suppress the cough reflex
• Mucolytic means to facilitate the removal of phlegm
• Expectorants

In addition, there is a cough medicine for external use and many folk remedies.

Often, doctors believed that cough caused by cold, not to be treated. Coughing up mucus helps easy to clean, which is especially true if you smoke, and if you have asthma or emphysema.

If you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) for the treatment of depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood   and other conditions, you may not be suitable for some cough syrups, especially those that contain dextromethorphan. This drug, as well as MAO inhibitors can cause drowsiness, and their combination can give a too strong sedative effect, which sometimes has a depressing effect on the psyche.

In addition, many cough medicines containing decongestants substance; people with high blood pressure and heart disease should avoid these drugs. Decongestants can cause high blood pressure Blood pressure - dangerous if his swing? .

Medications that suppress the cough reflex

The most common drug of this group is dextromethorphan. It has no analgesic or addictive (capable addictive) properties as codeine - a powerful prescription drug. (However, if the recommended dose is significantly exceeded dextromethorphan can cause changes in the level of consciousness, hallucinations. Its recreational use is widely known as what is its use can be deadly)

Dextromethorphan is particularly effective in a dry cough. Cough syrup is not usually used to suppress cough in which the patient cough up phlegm. Wet or productive cough, needed to clear the airway. If productive cough keeps you awake, talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking the means to suppress the cough reflex in the evening.

Expectorants

Expectorant drugs thin the mucus, causing it easier to cough up. Although many experts believe that the best way to achieve such a result - is excessive drinking, drugs such as gaufenizin, are also effective. Sometimes expectorants observed side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

Cough medicines for external use

For the treatment of cough often use camphor and menthol, rubbing them into the skin of the neck and chest. Their evaporation soften sore throat, promote and facilitate the liquefaction of sputum cough. You can also do inhalations with camphor and menthol.

Folk remedies for cough

There are a lot of people's treatment of cough. Many of them are familiar to all from childhood: hot milk with honey, honey and garlic Garlic health: almost a panacea , Raspberry tea, mint tea and so on.

• Mix honey with pepper or dried ground ginger; take a tablespoon 3-4 times a day. Honey - one of the most effective natural remedies for cough.
• Eat as many grapes. It is a potent expectorant.
• Brew green or black tea and add the ginger powder or pieces of fresh ginger. Tea will fragrant and pungent; it liquefies phlegm and eases cough.
• Squeeze the juice of one onion and mix it with half a teaspoon of sugar or honey. Take this remedy one tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Types of cough

Cough - a protective reaction of the body that occurs when irritation of the respiratory tract. There are two kinds of cough: productive and non-productive. It called productive cough if it is accompanied by the release Discharges in women when there is cause for concern   secretion and some particles inhaled from the environment. The so-called useless cough when respiratory not released anything called unproductive.

A productive cough - a defense mechanism to suppress it and do not follow unless it depletes the patient or becomes dangerous, for example, after surgery on the eyes. Nonproductive cough must be suppressed, but if it is due to the formation of thick secretions, which is difficult to cough up, it should be translated into productivity.

To prescribe treatment for coughs doctor listens to the lungs of the patient, and only then decide which tool to assign.

When you want to suppress the cough

Severe dry non-productive cough Dry non-productive cough: where to look for the cause   may occur, for example, lung cancer Lung cancer - prevention is better than cure . This cough does not bring relief to the patient, because the tumor that causes irritation of the respiratory tract, is not going anywhere. Constant irritation from the cough irritates the mucous membrane pushes the upper respiratory tract, which contributes to inflammation and further aggravates the patient's condition.

To suppress such cough commonly used antitussive drugs acting on the cough center in the brain and nerve receptors in the airways, stimulation of transmitting information to the central nervous system (afferent receptors).

By antitussives, acting on the cough center in the brain, are drugs with narcotic effects (eg, codeine), and drugs that have a non-narcotic antitussive effect (eg libeksin, tusupreks). Action latter usually accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of the bronchial tubes and the reduction of spasm

Drugs affecting the afferent receptors in the bronchi - is often light painkillers, relieves irritation with increased areas of afferent receptors. These drugs are drugs with a shielding effect of plant origin (eg, chamomile, eucalyptus). To suppress the cough reflex they are best used in the form of inhalations during which moistening the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, which also decreases the irritation. All lozenges Cough is usually provided by enveloping effect.

In some cases, to suppress the activity of afferent receptors bronchi apply a local anesthetic (eg, lidocaine, benzocaine) - is often done before a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the bronchi and lungs (eg, before bronchoscopy).

Expectorants

A productive cough requires the removal of the airway as much sputum, together with phlegm from the bronchial tubes and lungs removed products of inflammation and tissue breakdown.

Expectorants - is medications that help remove the pulmonary airways of sputum. All of them are divided into two groups: stimulating expectoration and mucolytic.

Medications that promote expectoration, to enhance the motility of small bronchi that promotes mucus toward the center. This mechanism of action is usually associated with increased secretion of mucus glands located in the bronchi and a slight decrease in viscosity of sputum. All drugs in this group are divided into two subgroups: the reflex and resorptive action.

For drugs reflex action are, for example, thermopsis, marshmallow, Terpin hydrate. They have a slight irritating effect on the gastric mucosal receptors simultaneously reflex (via their innervating nerves) affecting the bronchus.

The drugs resorptive actions have an effect (after ingestion) when the allocation of the mucosa of the respiratory tract. They irritate the bronchial glands and cause liquefaction of sputum. Such drugs include, for example, iodine - sodium iodide and potassium iodide.

Mucolytic means phlegm due to changes in the structure of mucus, reducing its viscosity and adhesion to the walls of the bronchi (adgezivanye properties). These tools include enzymes (eg, trypsin) and synthetic (bromhexine, ambroxol) drugs. Mucolytics only liquefies phlegm, without increasing its volume.

As an expectorant guaifenesin is often used today. He is a member of tools such as broncho-koldreks, Tussin and other combined expectorants. The mechanism of action of guaifenesin - a combination expectorant and mucolytic effects.