The type of cough medicine recommended for use depends on the type of cough you have. Coughs can be dry or productive in nature, and using the wrong cough syrup can interfere with your recovery.
Generally, cough medicine for a dry coughs soothe the throat or inhibit the cough reflex. Cough medicine for wet or productive coughs acts by thinning out secretions to help wit h their elimination.
Ideally, you should only take cough medicine as prescribed by your doctor, as a doctor can assess your cough and other symptoms to recommend the best syrup for you. Babies and children should only take cough syrup when prescribed by a doctor.
Cough syrups for dry cough or allergies
Syrups used to treat dry coughs or allergy-related coughs will typically be referred to as suppressants or antitussives. They will usually have one of a combination of the following ingredients:
- Dextromethorphan
- Doxylamine succinate
- Diphenhydramine
- Promethazine (available with a prescription only)
- Codeine (available with a prescription only)
If your dry cough lasts for over 2 weeks or if you are unsure of what is triggering it, you should be assessed by your doctor
Cough syrups for productive cough
Cough syrups for wet coughs are usually referred to as expectorants (which help you to cough up phlegm), mucolytics (which help to loosen or dissolve phlegm). Some ingredients commonly used in these syrups include:
- Guaifenesin
- Bromhexine
- Acetylcysteine (available with a prescription only)
If you are looking to use a more natural option, you can also check out our list of homemade cough syrup recipes to treat wet and productive coughs.
