There are several different methods used to suppress a cough, but doctors don’t generally recommend any of them very often. As a general rule, they would prefer patients to allow their coughing to continue because it is helpful in clearing the lungs. According to doctors, the very best way to suppress coughing is to get rid of the illness causing the problem, which may require more coughing in the short term. In order to increase the productivity of their coughs so that they can hasten their recovery, some people use expectorant medicines and take in large amounts of fluid. To make coughing less uncomfortable during the day, doctors recommend the use of lozenges—in cases where coughs are disrupting the ability to rest, doctors allow for the use of over-the-counter or prescription cough suppressant medicines.
Lozenges generally work by soothing the air passage, which can sometimes make a cough less psychologically troublesome and may decrease the amount of coughing to a small extent. These come in many different flavors with a variety of ingredients, but doctors say there really isn’t that much difference between brands. These lozenges are considered the best way to deal with daytime coughing because they don’t necessarily hinder the body’s ability to heal itself.
Cough expectorants have the effect of thinning out the mucus produced in different parts of the body. In the short term, this can actually make a person cough more, but in the long term, it can lead to quicker healing and a general decrease in symptoms. If a person looks at it from this perspective, an expectorant could be seen as a way to suppress a cough. The general idea behind expectorants is that coughing is a cleansing mechanism, so the best treatment may be to help it along instead of going against the grain.
Cough suppressant medications come in several different varieties, but they all generally work in the same way. They are designed to inhibit a person’s coughing reflex. They aren’t always entirely successful in doing that, but they usually work to a certain extent. When people use these, doctors generally see them as a temporary fix to deal with discomfort, and they don’t suggest that patients should use them for a long time. As a general rule, prescription cough suppressants are known to be significantly more effective than most over-the-counter options.
