So what cough medication should you take? For your everyday cough from a common cold, a good choice is cough medication that contains an older antihistamine and a decongestant. Older antihistamines include brompheniramine, diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine.
19 natrual and home remedies to cure and soothe a cough
- Stay hydrated: Drink lots of water to thin mucus.
- Inhale steam: Take a hot shower, or boil water and pour into a bowl, face the bowl (stay at least 1 foot away), place a towel over the back of your head to form a tent and inhale.
- Use a humidifier to loosen mucus.
Suppress (reduce the amount of coughing): Since coughing is generally a way for the body to get rid of excess mucus or infection, suppressing a cough isn't a great idea unless #1 it is a dry cough and/or #2 the individual with the cough needs a good night's rest.
A smaller study involving 20 school-age children found that cetirizine (Zyrtec) clinically improves cough due to pollen allergy. In that study, the antihistamine was significantly more effective than placebos in reducing chronic cough in children with allergies.
Keeping your body hydrated will help it function at its best. Increase your fluid intake when you have a cough or cold. Drinking water or herbal tea is a great way to get more fluids. Try to avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol while you have a cough.
2) Oral antihistaminesEach of these are available over the counter as low-cost generics: Loratadine (Claritin) Fexofenadine (Allegra) Cetirizine (Zyrtec)
A dry cough is a cough where no phlegm or mucus is produced (known as non-productive). A dry cough is irritating and usually associated with a tickly throat. Dry coughs are often caused by viral illnesses such as colds and flu, but they can also be caused by allergies or throat irritants.
Over-the-counter decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) can help reduce congestion and eliminate postnasal drip. Newer, nondrowsy antihistamines like loratadine-pseudoephedrine (Claritin) can work to get rid of postnasal drip. However, these are more effective after you take them for several days.
Continue taking Benadryl with meals and at bedtime for the rest of the time you will be in a motion-sickness situation. As a sleep aid, take Benadryl within 30 minutes before bedtime. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache, cough, or skin rash.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve symptoms of allergy, hay fever, and the common cold. These symptoms include rash, itching, watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, cough, runny nose, and sneezing. It is also used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness caused by motion sickness.
If you cough mostly when you lay down to go to sleep at night, that may be post-nasal drip. A decongestant or intranasal steroids (like Flonase or Nasacort) can usually help calm the situation, Dr. Taliercio said.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve symptoms of allergy, hay fever, and the common cold. These symptoms include rash, itching, watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, cough, runny nose, and sneezing. It is also used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness caused by motion sickness.
How to stop coughing
- drinking plenty of water.
- sipping hot water with honey.
- taking over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines.
- taking a steamy shower.
- using a humidifier in the home.
Examples of medications that may interact with Benadryl include:
- antidepressants.
- stomach ulcer medicine.
- cough and cold medicine.
- other antihistamines.
- diazepam (Valium)
- sedatives.
If your sore throat is due to allergies and post-nasal drip, you can try over-the-counter antihistamines such as Benadryl or Claritin.
These symptoms include rash, itching, watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, cough, runny nose, and sneezing. It is also used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness caused by motion sickness. Diphenhydramine can also be used to help you relax and fall asleep.
Diphenhydramine is an antiallergic which relieves allergy symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Ammonium chloride is an expectorant which decreases the stickiness of mucus (phlegm) and helps in its removal from the airways.
Postnasal drip typically occurs when your body is producing more mucus than normal. It can happen when you have a cold, flu, or allergy. As mucus drips down the back of your throat, it can trigger your cough reflex and lead to nighttime coughing.
Herbs and supplements
- Honey. For adults and children ages 1 and up, honey can be used to treat day and nighttime dry coughing.
- Turmeric. Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound which may have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties.
- Ginger.
- Marshmallow root.
- Peppermint.
- Masala chai tea.
- Capsaicin.
Honey. Honey is a time-honored remedy for a sore throat. According to one study , it can also relieve coughs more effectively than OTC medications that contain dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant. You can create your own remedy at home by mixing up to 2 teaspoons of honey with herbal tea or warm water and lemon.
Medications used to treat chronic cough may include:
- Antihistamines, corticosteroids and decongestants. These drugs are standard treatment for allergies and postnasal drip.
- Inhaled asthma drugs.
- Antibiotics.
- Acid blockers.
If you notice that your asthma symptoms are worse after you've had a cold (rhinovirus) or flu (influenza), or you've been ill recently and you're now experiencing an ongoing cough that won't go away, you may have post-viral asthma.
Cough expectorantsThe OTC expectorant drug is guaifenesin, with popular brand names including Mucinex and Robitussin Chest Congestion. Combination medications are available that contain both cough expectorants and suppressants, and are often effective treatments to alleviate symptoms of dry cough.
