If you have a dry cough, a preparation containing an antitussive such as dextromethorphan or pholcodine is the most suitable to try. If you have a chesty cough, a preparation containing an expectorant such as guaifenesin or ipecacuanha is the most suitable to try.
The first choice of treatment should be guaiphenesin or bromhexine, however, do remember that although these medicines will relieve cough symptoms, they will not cure the underlying medical condition which is causing you to cough. You should also take paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage any accompanying pain or fever.
A cough is a reflex action to clear your airways of mucus and irritants such as dust or smoke. It's rarely a sign of anything serious. Most coughs clear up within 3 weeks and don't require any treatment.
Signs and symptoms of a chest infection
The main symptoms of a chest infection can include: a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
Chesty coughs are often triggered by a virus, meaning that antibiotics won't be an effective treatment. They also often follow a sore throat, a cold or the flu. Other chesty cough causes include more serious conditions like asthma, heart failure, chronic bronchitis or a respiratory infection.
Ease a cough
It's the obvious one - but Vicks VapoRub is great for easing coughs that are caused by colds. The chest rub is perfect for relieving the catarrh and phlegm that give you a chesty cough.
It interacts with cold receptors in the nose and throat, helping to stop coughing. Vicks VapoRub contains 2.6% menthol to help stop constant coughing fast. Vicks VapoDrops are also an effective remedy for coughs. Allow 2 drops to dissolve slowly in your mouth to help stop constant coughing.
A dry cough is one of the most common coronavirus symptoms, but some people may have a cough with phlegm (thick mucus).
A: For cough suppression, rub a thick layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and throat. Cover with a warm, dry cloth, if desired. Keep clothing loose about your throat and chest to help the vapors to reach the nose and mouth.
Vicks is your friend:
Not only is it antiviral (most chest coughs are viral infections), but it relieves your cough and loosens up mucus.
The main symptoms of a chest infection can include: a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
Coughing often worsens at night because a person is lying flat in bed. Mucus can pool in the back of the throat and cause coughing. Sleeping with the head elevated can reduce the symptoms of postnasal drip and GERD. Both can cause coughing at night.
See a GP if you have a chest infection and:
you feel very unwell or your symptoms get worse. you cough up blood or blood-stained mucus. you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks.
"With a viral cough, you often have a fever which tends to go up and down," explains Coffey. "With a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, you tend to have a consistently high fever - usually around 38-40°C." If your fever remains persistently high, it's worth giving your GP a call.
There's no evidence that putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet will relieve a cold, congestion, or cough. But it might help moisturize your heels and relieve toenail fungus.