There's no quick way of getting rid of a cough that's caused by a viral infection. It will usually clear up after your immune system has fought off the virus.
The simplest and cheapest way to treat a short-term cough may be a homemade cough remedy containing honey and lemon. The honey is a demulcent, which means it coats the throat and relieves the irritation that causes coughing.
Cough medicines
There's little evidence to suggest that cough medicines actually work, although some of the ingredients may help to treat symptoms that are associated with a cough, such as a blocked nose or fever.
Some contain paracetamol, so don't take more than the recommended dosage. Cough medicines should never be taken for more than two weeks.
They can be used for any type of cough and are generally safe, but diabetics should note that they're usually sugar-based.
Treating children
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn't be given to children under the age of six.
The MHRA is the government body responsible for ensuring that medicines are safe and effective.
The agency has made this recommendation because it feels there's a potential risk of these medicines causing unpleasant side effects, such as allergic reactions, sleep problems or hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that aren't real). These would outweigh any benefit provided by the medicines.
Instead, give your child a warm drink of lemon and honey or a simple cough syrup that contains glycerol or honey.
However, honey shouldn't be given to babies under the age of one, due to the risk of infant botulism.
For more information, see News: child cold medicines Q&A.
Cough suppressants
Cough suppressants, such as pholcodine, dextromethorphan and antihistamines, act on the brain to hold back the cough reflex. They're used for dry coughs only.
- Pholcodine and dextromethorphan have few side effects or interactions with other medicines.
- Antihistamines sometimes cause drowsiness, which can be helpful if your cough is disrupting your sleep. Other possible side effects are a dry mouth, constipation, difficulty in passing urine and blurred vision. Antihistamines might interact with other medicines, such as antidepressants and those that cause drowsiness.
Check with your GP or pharmacist before taking cough suppressants.
Expectorants
Expectorants help bring phlegm up so that coughing is easier, which may help chesty coughs. They include:
- guaiphenesin
- ammonium chloride
- squill
- sodium citrate
- ipecacuanha
These compounds are all found in small quantities in cough mixtures, so they're unlikely to have any side effects or interact with other medicines.
