Prescribe drugs for dry cough in cases when the patient has bronchospasm without sputum secretion, or when it has a viscous consistency and there is little of it. A variety of reasons can provoke such a condition, depending on which an effective medicine is selected. Modern drugs can be made on the basis of synthetic or natural substances, many of them have contraindications, therefore, the choice of therapy must be treated very responsibly.
Tasks of drugs
Before deciding how to treat a dry cough in an adult, you need to find out what exactly triggered its appearance. The absence of sputum during bronchospasm or its increased viscosity is evidence of an inflammatory process in the airways. It is this condition that is characteristic of an incipient infection. The walls of the mucous membranes are inflamed, overdried and very sensitive, they react to the slightest irritation. Dry cough remedies should not only relieve unpleasant symptoms, but also help to separate mucus and remove it from the body.
Coughing up will bring relief to the patient, along with the secreted secretion, pathogenic microorganisms will come out. Dry cough drugs should fulfill their main task - to translate unproductive (dry) bronchospasm into productive (wet) bronchospasm. Only then can a quick recovery be achieved.
When a severe dry cough occurs in an adult, the doctor should decide how to treat it. The following reasons can provoke a pathological condition:
- viral lesions of the respiratory tract;
- bacterial infections;
- allergic reactions;
- negative effects of the external environment (too cold or dry air, inhalation of smoke or other irritating substances);
- the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract.
Types of funds
To understand what to take with a dry cough, you need to decide on the types of funds and their mechanisms of action on the body. In official medicine, it is customary to divide drugs into the following groups:
Antitussives - they can act at the level of the central nervous system, inhibiting the work of the cough center in the brain, they also have a dulling effect on the nerve endings located in the airways, or the mucous membranes of the respiratory system. Antitussives for dry coughs are used with extreme caution and only when no sputum is released at all.- Bronchodilators - relieve spasm in the airways by relaxing smooth muscles. These funds help to alleviate the patient's condition with bronchitis, pneumonia and other disorders that provoke severe bronchospasm.
- Mucolytics - help to cure dry cough, which is accompanied by the release of viscous and difficult mucus. They contribute to the dilution of phlegm and its discharge from the respiratory tract. It is forbidden to combine with antitussives, since the secret will accumulate in the lungs and bronchi, this can lead to the formation of suppuration and the spread of infection to other organs.
- Anti-inflammatory - helps to treat a severe dry cough that is accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes. They act on inflammatory mediators, suppressing their production, this eliminates not only spasm, but also such unpleasant sensations as sore throat, dryness, pain syndrome.
- Combined - effective drugs that have a complex effect on the body. They will help soften the throat with a dry cough, reduce spasm, thin out phlegm and remove it, and they also fight the pathogenic microflora that provokes infection.
Antitussives - they can act at the level of the central nervous system, inhibiting the work of the cough center in the brain, they also have a dulling effect on the nerve endings located in the airways, or the mucous membranes of the respiratory system. Antitussives for dry coughs are used with extreme caution and only when no sputum is released at all.Choice of medicines
Only a doctor can decide how to treat a dry cough in adults after a detailed examination of the patient and obtaining the results of laboratory tests. Only a thorough study of the picture of the disease and determination of the cause of the disorder will help to choose the most effective therapy.
It is impossible to prescribe antitussives or other medications on your own, as this can lead to the development of serious complications. Based on the results of the examination and diagnosis, a specialist may prescribe the following therapy:
Means for the treatment of dry cough, which is not accompanied by sputum discharge, causes painful sensations, disrupts sleep and the normal functioning of the patient, should be antitussive.- When there is an increased sensitivity of the bronchi to the flow of air, the patient cannot inhale it in full and at the same time a spasm appears, enveloping expectorant drugs are prescribed.
- If the cough is dry and unproductive, how to treat it is determined based on the patient's condition. When the spasm is unobtrusive, does not interfere with sleep and does not interfere with normal life, expectorants may be prescribed.
- If, after a complete recovery from pneumonia, bronchitis or a viral infection, bronchospasm remains, drugs made on a natural plant basis are prescribed against dry cough.
- A remedy for dry cough, which is accompanied by scanty secretion of viscous sputum, must have mucolytic properties.
Means for the treatment of dry cough, which is not accompanied by sputum discharge, causes painful sensations, disrupts sleep and the normal functioning of the patient, should be antitussive.Effective and popular
To understand what to drink with a dry cough, you need to familiarize yourself with the range of drugs currently offered by manufacturers. Almost all medicines have a complex effect on the body, which helps to eliminate not only the unpleasant manifestations of diseases, but their causes.
Let's get acquainted with the range of products and study their features.
| Name | Mechanism of action | Peculiarities |
|---|---|---|
| "Sinekod" | The main active ingredient of the drug is butamirate, it suppresses the activity of the cough center at the level of the central nervous system, but does not inhibit the activity of the respiratory system, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. | A powerful combined drug, helps to cope with a cough of any origin, is available in the form of tablets, syrup and drops, can cause nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, is contraindicated for women during lactation and gestation. |
| "Gerbion" | The active components of the syrup are extracts of lanceolate plantain and mallow flowers, they facilitate and stimulate coughing, relieve inflammation on the mucous membrane, actively fight bacteria. | A syrup of combined action, has a minimum number of contraindications: fructose intolerance, individual intolerance to plant components, may be prohibited for use in diabetes mellitus. |
| "Codelac" | A powerful drug that has an antitussive effect by blocking the cough center in the brain, the main active ingredient is codeine, auxiliary components: extracts of thyme, licorice and thermopsis. | It helps well to suppress a strong spasm, is available in the form of a syrup and an elixir, can be addictive, since it contains codeine, has many contraindications. |
| "Stopussin" | The active substance guaifenesin liquefies phlegm and promotes its excretion, butamirate citrate locally relieves pain, relaxes the soft muscles of the respiratory tract and reduces the urge to cough. | An effective combined drug, which is suitable for the treatment of dry cough for both adults and children, is available in the form of tablets and drops, can cause negative reactions in the form of nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, the dose of the drug taken depends on the patient's body weight. |
| "Bronchicum" | It is made on the basis of an extract of thyme and primrose root, which reduce coughing urges, relieve inflammation and promote expectoration. | A universal drug, which can be taken with both dry and wet coughs, is available in the form of lozenges, syrup and elixir; the drug should not be taken by patients who have problems with the functioning of the kidneys or liver, and it is also not suitable for use during pregnancy and lactation. |
| "Bronholitin" | The main active ingredient of glaucine hydrobromide inhibits the activity of the cough center in the brain, it also relieves inflammation and pain relief, basil oil fights microbes, relieves spasm and gives a mild sedative effect, ephedrine improves breathing by expanding the bronchi and narrowing of blood vessels, this leads to the elimination of edema ... | It is produced in the form of a syrup, has a powerful combined effect, is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation, heart failure, can cause side effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, insomnia, increased sweating, skin rash, vomiting, difficulty urinating. |
| "Libeksin" | It helps to reduce the sensitivity of the nerve receptors of the bronchi to irritants, expands them and has a local analgesic effect. | It is produced in the form of tablets, the best remedy for dry cough in chronic bronchitis, the effectiveness of the drug is comparable to codeine, but, unlike it, this drug does not cause dependence with prolonged use, it is forbidden to use with abundant bronchial secretion, pregnancy and breastfeeding, from side effects include dry mouth, itching and rash, drowsiness, occasional numbness of the oral mucosa. |
| "Linax" | A herbal preparation made on the basis of more than 10 medicinal herbs, among which there are flowers of hyssop, violets, marshmallow, onosma, alpinia, licorice roots, long pepper fruits and other components that have an expectorant effect, thin phlegm, relieve inflammation, to a small extent inhibit the cough reflex. | Natural plant syrup, with the help of which dry cough is treated in adults and children from 6 months, is prescribed with great caution to patients with diabetes mellitus and personal intolerance to plant components. |
Inhalation for sputum discharge
If you are not sure how to treat a severe dry cough and how to alleviate it, use inhalation. With their help, you can quickly translate unproductive bronchospasm into productive bronchospasm and achieve relief. Healing vapors will act directly on the affected mucosa, they will relieve inflammation and edema, stop the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, facilitate breathing and eliminate unpleasant symptoms.
For the preparation of mixtures, you can use the following dried herbs:
- pharmacy chamomile;
- eucalyptus leaves;
- mother and stepmother;
- peppermint leaves;
- sage.
All these remedies for dry cough will be effective and will not harm your health if you do not have allergies. To prepare the mixture, pour the raw material with hot boiling water and leave or simmer in a water bath for 30 minutes, after which the broth must be placed in a wide bowl, over which it will be convenient to breathe.
To enhance the effect of inhalation, you can add 2 drops of coniferous essential oil to the container with the medicinal collection.
You need to breathe over the steam for 10-15 minutes, covered with a towel, then lie down under a warm blanket, do not eat or drink for 30 minutes. The procedures are carried out 2-3 times a day. If the body temperature is elevated, they are completely prohibited until the condition stabilizes.
In conclusion
Only your doctor can tell you exactly which cure for dry cough is the best. The same pill or mixture can act differently on patients, since each organism is individual and has its own characteristics.
Different types of remedies are selected for dry coughs for adults, focusing on many factors, and not only on the causative agent of the disease. Modern medicine offers drugs with various mechanisms of action, therefore it is possible to alleviate the patient's condition in any pathology. However, it is strictly forbidden to select drugs on your own, it can harm your health.
