Expectorants are better for breaking up wet, productive coughs, but don't take them near bedtime. If a wet cough is plaguing you, take a suppressant that includes a decongestant, which can provide relief without exacerbating your cough.
Response and effectiveness. Some effects of guaifenesin should be noticed within 30 minutes of taking it orally; however, up to two days of regular dosing may be needed before the full effects are seen. Liquid guaifenesin lasts for approximately four to six hours.
Expectorants work to loosen congestion and help each cough more effectively clear phlegm and mucus from the lungs.
Expectorants.
| Medications | Percentage of Pharmacists' Votes | |
|---|
| #1 Mucinex Most Pharmacist Votes | 81% | View on Amazon |
| #2 Robitussin | 19% | View on Amazon |
A person can soothe symptoms and get rid of bothersome mucus using the following methods:
- Warm fluids. Hot beverages can provide immediate and sustained relief from a mucus buildup in the chest.
- Steam.
- Saltwater.
- Honey.
- Foods and herbs.
- Essential oils.
- Elevate the head.
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
What can sputum tell us? Sputum is produced when a person's lungs are diseased or damaged. Sputum is not saliva but the thick mucus – sometimes called phlegm – which is coughed up from the lungs.
Guaifenesin or glyceryl guaiacolate is the most popular medicinal expectorant used in cough syrups and other cough medicines. Some natural expectorants are honey, steam and peppermint. These work best when taken with a medicinal expectorant.
An expectorant is something that helps loosen mucus so you can cough it up. It does this by increasing the water content of the mucus, thinning it out, and making your cough more productive.
Expectorants reduce the thickness or viscosity of bronchial secretions thus increasing mucus flow that can be removed more easily through coughing. Mucolytics break down the chemical structure of mucus molecules. The mucus becomes thinner and can be removed more easily through coughing.
The only expectorant available in OTC products is guaifenesin (2 brand names: Mucinex, Robitussin Chest Congestion).
Self-help
- drink plenty of fluids, which can help thin the mucus and make it easier to cough up;
- take a hot, steamy shower to help break down the mucus (phlegm) and make it easier to cough up; and.
- get plenty of rest.
Expectorants. Secretagogues (expectorants) increase the volume of water and mucus in the airway. Although medications such as guaifenesin are proposed to be expectorants, data suggest that they are not clinically effective. Commonly used aerosol expectorants include hyperosmolar 7% saline and mannitol.
Potassium iodide is used to loosen and break up mucus in the airways. This helps you cough up the mucus so you can breathe more easily if you have long-term lung problems (e.g., asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema). This medication is known as an expectorant.
Its adverse effects include headache, nausea, vomiting, gastric discomfort and bleeding, diarrhea, and rash. It has, however, been shown to be an effective mucolytic which is generally well tolerated with few adverse effects [1]. The place of mucolytic drugs in respiratory disease has recently been reviewed [2].
The expectorant helps thin and loosen mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough up the mucus. The decongestant helps relieve stuffy nose, sinus, and ear symptoms. A narcotic cough suppressant (antitussive) affects a certain part of the brain, reducing the urge to cough.
BENYLIN® EXTRA STRENGTH MUCUS & PHLEGM PLUS COUGH CONTROL Syrup works in your lungs to break up your tough mucus and phlegm, and clear it from your chest. This EXTRA STRENGTH fast-acting syrup is specially formulated to loosen and thin out mucus and phlegm so that you can expel it when you cough.
Guaifenesin is considered as a safe and effective expectorant for the treatment of mucus-related symptoms in acute URTIs and stable chronic bronchitis. Its clinical efficacy has been demonstrated most widely in chronic respiratory conditions, where excess mucus production and cough are more stable symptoms.
Expectorants that help to bring up phlegm contain ipecacuanha or guaifenesin but they can make you feel sick, drowsy and give you a headache.
Is Bromhexine an expectorant? Bromhexine is used to treat a condition in which the airways are clogged with thick phlegm. As a mucolytic, it aids in the relief of productive cough by thinning phlegm in the airways and making mucus removal easier.
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.
Side effects and risks. One of the risks of taking an expectorant is that people sometimes use them for persistent or chronic coughs. People should not use expectorants to mask the symptoms of a chronic cough that is due to smoking, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema.
Overdose with guaifenesin is unlikely to produce toxic effects since its toxicity is low. Very large doses may cause nausea and vomiting. Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using guaifenesin. All medicines can have side effects.
