How to choose a cough syrup

The choice of cough syrup - demanding procedure, as different types of syrups for various diseases and bought the wrong syrup, you risk not to cure the cough, and to aggravate the situation and start the disease.

Types of cough

There are two types of cough - wet and dry (productive and nonproductive), wet cough, the body tries to clear the lungs and bronchi of mucus. To prevent this cough is not necessary, on the contrary, we must try to thin out the mucus so she can more freely out from the body. In this case, you need to buy cough syrup with expectorant.

If you suffer from incessant dry cough, you will help tools that inhibit the activity of the cough center in the brain. Suppress the cough syrups should be used with caution, as they only hide the symptoms but not help the body to heal. You cannot use these syrups to combat the so-called smoker's cough, and emphysema and bronchial asthma.

Drugs that suppress cough

Syrups that suppress the cough center, most are composed of codeine or dextromethorphan, these substances effectively cope with a cough, but their use, especially prolonged, can cause addiction. Medications with codeine are sold by prescription only.

There are other substances that can suppress the cough, but with fewer side effects, so drug "Pour" contains a part of butamirat citrate, which is not addictive.

There are herbal cough medicines. It is known that psyllium effectively suppresses a dry cough, so many manufacturers make syrups on the basis of this plant, for example, syrup "Gerbion" or syrup of plantain Dr. theis.

Tools that suppress coughing, can contain substances to thin phlegm.

Mucolytic agent

Mucolytic agent designed to help the body get rid of phlegm, it is their doctors recommend to use for colds when to suppress the cough does not make sense.

Syrup with mucolytic action can contain as extracts of various herbs and artificial chemical substances that can thin out the mucus, for example, syrup "Mucosolvan" contains Ambroxol hydrochloride.

The most famous natural expectorants - Althaea officinalis, thermopsis, thyme.

In herbal syrups can also be added to plant extracts, which do not affect the cough, but help the body fight cold, flu, rosehip extract.

If, despite the use of syrup, the cough persists, you must consult a doctor.

Baby cough syrups

Usually have kids there is no dry cough, so they are seldom prescribed syrups suppress the cough. For the treatment of cough in children usually use syrup based on herbs, as well as they help kids and their application has minimal side effects.