![]() ![]() Don't give them to children younger than 6 years old, because they don't work for children that age and can even be harmful. Be careful with cough and cold medicines.Do not take someone else's prescription cough medicine.Some cough medicines contain a large percentage of alcohol. Read the label so you know what the ingredients are.Use them with caution if you give them to an older adult or if you have chronic respiratory problems.Read the package carefully or ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you choose one. Cough preparations may also interact with other medicines, such as sedatives and certain antidepressants. Cough medicines can cause problems for people who have other health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma, or an enlarged prostate.Massage can reduce soreness and help you rest and relax better. If you have sore muscles from coughing a lot, have someone massage your chest and back muscles a few times each day. If you have a dry, hacking cough that does not bring anything up, ask your doctor about an effective cough suppressant medicine.Coughing is useful, because it brings up mucus from the lungs and helps to prevent bacterial infections. Don't suppress a productive cough too much, unless it is keeping you from getting enough rest. Suppressants may control or suppress the cough reflex and work best for a dry, hacking cough that keeps you awake.Look for expectorants containing guaifenesin.Use an expectorant if you have a cough that produces thick mucus and you are having difficulty coughing up the mucus.Expectorants may make it easier to cough up mucus when you have a productive cough.There are two kinds of cough medicines: expectorants and suppressants. It is generally better to treat each symptom separately. Avoid cold remedies that combine medicines to treat many symptoms. footnote 1But some people may find them useful. There is not enough evidence to determine whether cough medicines work. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to find out which types will give you the most benefit. Avoid exposure to inhaled irritants, such as smoke, dust, or other pollutants, or wear a face mask that is appropriate for the exposure.For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking. Most cough drops have no effect on the cough-producing mechanism. Expensive medicine-flavoured cough drops are not any better than inexpensive candy-flavoured ones or hard candy. Try a cough drop to soothe an irritated throat.Elevate your head with extra pillows at night to ease a dry cough.Do not give honey to children younger than 1 year of age. Dry, hacking coughs may respond to honey in hot water, tea, or lemon juice. Water may help loosen mucus and soothe an irritated throat. Drink fluids to keep from getting dehydrated.Home treatment can help you feel more comfortable when you have a cough. Sometimes, though, coughs are severe enough to make breathing difficult, cause vomiting, or prevent rest. Coughs are often useful, and you should not try to stop them. Coughing is your body's way of getting foreign substances and mucus out of your lungs and upper airway passages.
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