It may be a little easier to make a choice if you realize that most of these products contain the same few active ingredients, in a limited number of strengths and combinations. We say cough and cold remedies because while there are some products marketed purely as cough remedies - often called tussins - many have additional ingredients that are supposed to control cold symptoms, too. OTC cough and cold medicines come in a bewildering number of varieties. Postnasal drip triggers a cough because mucus and other secretions from nasal membranes flow down the back of the throat and irritate the upper airways.Ĭhoices, choices, choices of cough medications Several other conditions can also cause postnasal drip and its resulting cough, including sinusitis, exposure to air pollution, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), and other allergies that cause nasal congestion. This ticklish situation becomes even more so because some infections seem to make upper airways more sensitive than normal. One result is postnasal drip, a trickle of mucus and other secretions that stimulates nerves at the back of the throat and triggers coughing. When the viruses take up residence in the moist, dark recesses of the nose and upper respiratory tract, the tissue lining those cavities doesn't take kindly to the intrusion and responds by producing mucus above and beyond the normal output of 1–2 quarts a day. At least 200 viruses are capable of causing a cold, which is one reason why it's so common.

And, of course, there's the infamous smoker's hack.īut among nonsmokers, the most common cause of a cough is that humdrum malady, the common cold. Fortunately, there are good alternatives for those who have this problem.Ĭhronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bacterial sinusitis, lung cancer - all may announce their presence with a cough. The ACE inhibitor cough sometimes begins months after you start taking the drug. Heartburn is the cardinal symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but the stomach acid irritating the esophagus and the back of the throat can also produce a nasty cough.Ĭoughing is also a side effect of several drugs, most notably ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril and enalapril, which are mainstays in the treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure. We associate asthma with wheezing and difficulty breathing, but for many, its main symptom is a cough. While coughing exists to protect us from infections of the respiratory tract, it is commonly found with other conditions, too. But many of these over-the-counter cough medications have little evidence of effectiveness. Most people first seek relief from one of the countless number of over-the-counter cough medicines. This reflex and that unceremonious expulsion of air, mucus, and microbes spares us all sorts of infectious and inflammatory pulmonary misadventures.īut who hasn't had too much of a good thing? When the hacking becomes relentless, it can keep us up, wear us out, and lay us low. The cough is one of our basic defense mechanisms. Cough experts say many over-the-counter cough medications probably aren't worth the money.

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