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Cough MedicinesMar 30 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Read labels and take as directed. Contact physician if symptoms persist. Check expiration dates. Throw out left over cough medications after using and buy fresh for the next round.
I believe strongly that the best medicine is not usually bought at a pharmacy, but is good nutrition. Even with the best nutrition and all the reasonable preventitive steps you take, however, coughs, colds and the flu happen. When it comes time to help with existing illnesses, sometimes the store-bought stuff is the best. Sometimes you can go for a make it yourself variety. In any case, some basic cough remedy advice and then a recipe for make it yourself cough syrup. 1) I keep a box of over-the-counter cough drops on hand. I try to buy those that come individually wrapped because they stay fresher and more sanitary that way. If I end up with those that come in a single container and unseparated, I tend to toss them after the cough has passed. These are no longer sterile, and while I'd guess that whatever germs are on the surface would be gone by next time I need them, why play games. Furthermore, that best if used by date that is stamped on the box is for unopened and unexposed to the elements. Once you open it, these things can deteriorate in quality. Cough drops tend to be relatively cheap. You can find some varieties for under a dollar. Of course, the sky is the limit where price is concerned with medicine. However, where over-the-counter cough drops are the issue, I've never found that cost necessarily means quality. I like cough drops with a slight menthol content. Menthol is the active ingredient in many cough drops. You may also find some cough drops with zinc these days. There is some studies that indicate that zinc may help reduce the duration of certain illnesses. I have not found it so, but it's worth a try if you find these. If you find yourself without cough drops, a simple hard candy can often help by increasing saliva production and soothing the throat. 2) After each cold passes I watch for sales and when I find cough syrup on sale, I buy a the smallest bottle I can of cough syrup. I try and by the simplest cough syrup formulations possible. Of course, coughs differ. I find, however, that my standard cough is a productive cough with a slight nasal congestion. I have other friends who also get coughs but of different types. However, each of us seems most prone to one particular type. After the cough has passed, I toss out the open bottle of cough syrup. I'm not going to chance this stuff going bad or losing potency. Like anything else, once exposed to air, it can go bad. Better to spend another few dollars on a fresh bottle. Also, keep an eye on expiration dates. Even if you haven't opened it, if it's past the expiration date, you should get some fresh stuff. Don't be like my father who when I have a cold offers me cough syrup that he has had in his medicine chest since I graduated high school 20 years ago. 3) Finally, for adults and older children only - if you do not have cough syrup, you can make a mild version at home. Dice an onion fine. (White is best, but brown works well.) Put it in a glass custard cup or some other small glass container/non-reactive container. Cover the onion with honey and let sit a few hours - overnight is best. I usually cover by filling the custard cup almost to the rim. The honey will thin as the onions release their juices. This sounds disgusting but is actually quite tasty. (It makes a good glazing sauce for cooked carrots, too.) For coughs, take 1 tablespoon as needed. The honey comforts and sooths and the onions and honey both have antibacterial properties. Honey has many healthful properties but should NEVER be given to infants or small children. Remember that most over-the-counter cough medications are intended for temporary relief of minor irritation, pains, coughs, sore mouths or sore throats. If symptoms are severe or persistent, contact your physician. Also remember that all medicines can have side-effects. If you experience any further irritation or a rash appears after taking a medicine, contact your doctor before you continue using it.  |
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