Coughing up phlegm can really interfere with your daily activities. To relieve it, there are several choices of cough medicine with phlegm that you can use, both natural and prescription drugs. Anyway, let's not get phlegm between us, okay!
Coughing is the body's natural mechanism for expelling mucus, irritants, dirt, and germs through the mouth or nose. The goal is to clean and smooth the respiratory tract. Cough can be categorized into two types, namely dry cough and cough with phlegm.
Cough with phlegm is a type of cough that is accompanied by phlegm or mucus. When you cough up phlegm, phlegm or mucus from the respiratory tract accumulates in the throat so that it can interfere with breathing.
Coughing with phlegm is generally caused by viral or bacterial infections in the respiratory tract, for example in flu, ARI, pneumonia, and bronchitis, exposure to pollution or cigarette smoke, as well as asthma and COPD.
Medicines for coughing up phlegm that can be found at home
Coughing up phlegm caused by a viral infection usually goes away on its own within a few days. However, if coughing up phlegm is very disturbing to your activities, you can take cough medicine to relieve it.
There are several natural ingredients that are effective as a cough medicine with phlegm. The following are some types of natural cough medicine with phlegm that you can find at home:
Water
Coughing up phlegm is often caused by respiratory infections, such as flu and ARI. To reduce irritation in the respiratory tract and expel phlegm, drink plenty of water, especially warm water.
When coughing, you are advised to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. In addition to relieving coughs, drinking more water can also prevent dehydration.
Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain which is efficacious for treating coughs, including coughs with phlegm. A study shows that the bromelain in pineapple can relieve coughs and reduce phlegm that builds up in the throat.
To get the benefits of pineapple, you can consume a few pieces of pineapple or fresh pineapple juice.
Honey
Honey contains antibacterial and antioxidant substances that are able to overcome infections and irritations in the respiratory tract, so that it can relieve coughs. In addition, honey can also help thin phlegm. That is the reason why honey is considered an effective natural cough remedy.
To help relieve coughing, you can take 2 tablespoons of honey directly or mix it with a cup of warm water, warm tea, or lemon water. However, you need to remember, honey should not be given to children who are under 1 year old because of the risk of causing botulism.
In addition to the three natural ingredients above, you can drink warm tea mixed with mint leaves or gargle with salt water to help relieve coughing with phlegm.
Medically Proven Cough Cough Medicine
If natural cough medicine is not effective in relieving cough with phlegm, you can use over-the-counter cough medicines or those prescribed by a doctor. The following are types of medical drugs that can be used to relieve cough with phlegm:
Mucolytic
Mucolytic cough medicine works to thin phlegm, making it easier to expel when coughing. One of the most commonly used mucolytic cough medicines is bromhexine.
Expectorant
Expectorant cough medicines can stimulate the secretion of phlegm from the respiratory tract as well as thin the phlegm. This medicine can make breathing easier. An example of a cough medicine ingredient that is an expectorant is guaifenesin.
Cough medicines containing bromhexine and guaifenesin do not cause drowsiness, so you can still carry on with your normal activities after taking them. You can also buy this cough medicine without a doctor's prescription.
In addition to these two types of drugs, cough with phlegm can also be treated with antibiotics. However, antibiotics are only used to treat coughs with phlegm caused by bacterial infections. Antibiotics should also not be used carelessly and can only be obtained through a doctor's prescription.
Coughing up phlegm caused by a virus usually goes away on its own within 1-3 weeks. To relieve the complaint and help expel phlegm so that the cough gets better quickly, you can take natural or over-the-counter medicines for coughing up phlegm.
However, if your cough doesn't improve after 3 weeks, gets worse, or is accompanied by fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood, see a doctor immediately.