When you encounter cough and unable to recover for a days or weeks, is time for you to think about seeking medical practitioner. Here are some of the ways using western medicine to treat cough.
Visit a doctor
Your doctor will probably check for the sustainability and seriousness of your cough. If you visit a doctor, chances are he will ask you the duration and nature of your cough, then check your head, neck and chest. Doctors can also perform a nasal swab or throat. In rare cases, chest x-rays, blood tests, or respiratory therapy would be necessary.
Make sure that you are taking the medicine as instructed by your doctor. In the case of antibiotics for bacterial infections, make sure that you spend all of your antibiotics even though your condition has improved.
Discuss drug use (OTC) with your doctor
You should discuss with your doctor first before taking any medication, especially if you have chronic health problems, have drug allergies, take other medications, or if you give medicine to children under 12 years of age. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also consult their health care provider before taking any medication.
Know that the study did not show consistent benefits of many OTC drugs for coughs and colds.
Try consuming the expectorant on the market.
Expectorant able to free your upper and lower respiratory tract from secretions. The best ingredient that can be found in expectorants is Guaifenesin. After consuming the expectorant, try coughing as productively as possible and remove anything that goes up your throat.
Some expectorants containing Guaifenesin include Robitussin and Mucinex
Consumption of antihistamine drugs for cough associated with allergies. Antihistamines medicine like Loratidin (Claritin), Cetirizine (Zyrtec), Fexofenadine (Allegra), Difenhidramin (Benadryl) and Klorfeniramin, able to help to ease allergy symptoms such as cough, sneezing, and runny nose
Know that antihistamines make most people drowsy, especially Klorfeniramin, Benadryl, and Zyrtec. Claritin and Allegra provide a milder drowsiness effect. Make sure that you try new antihistamines before going to bed and avoid driving or operating heavy machinery before you know exactly what your reaction to the drug is.
Try a decongestant drug
Many types of decongestants are available, but the two most common are pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine. Know that if you have thick secretions and consume decongestants alone, your secretions can become very thick.
Maybe you need to talk to the pharmacist to get drugs with pseudoephedrine. The restrictive sales conditions require these drugs to be stored on separate shelves at pharmacies. Make sure that you have asked the safety of this medicine for your use to the doctor. If you’re trying your best to handle thick, blocky secretions, the most powerful way you can try is to combine decongestants with expectorant (Guaifenesin).
If you have a productive cough, do not use cough suppressants. However, if you have a persistent dry cough, cough relief can help you.
OTC cough medicine generally contains dextromethorphan, but this type of drug is not always effective. For a more serious cough more serious, visit your doctor. Your doctor will need to eliminate the cause of a more serious cough and may provide cough medicine that requires a prescription (usually containing Codeine).
Brush your throat
Making your throat feel “smeared” with something can reduce your desire to cough unproductively (in the sense that it no longer removes mucus or phlegm).
Take OTC syrup cough medicine
Take lozenge cough medicine or candy. Gel contained in lozenge can coat the throat and reduce cough. Hard candy can also help.
Do not give lozenge cough medicine, hard candy to toddlers. Young children may choke on sweets. Choking is the cause of accidental death number 4 for children under 5 years old.
If you cough more than a week, consult your doctor for medical attention.