Expectorants are medicines used for treating cough problems. They help in
loosening and clearing mucus and phlegm from the respiratory tract. Almost
all cough medicines have expectorants which loose the mucus and phlegm. The
patient coughs up the mucus and takes it out from his body. An expectorant
drug gives relief to the cough by getting the mucus out of the body, but it
is to be noted that all expectorants initially will cause more coughing. The
basic purpose of an expectorant is to expell mucus and phlegm from the
respiratory system. One should never swallow the mucus, but instead spit it
out. As the mucus decreases, the cough stops eventually.
How do expectorants work?
When there is thick mucus and phlegm in
the body, coughing is the way to get rid of these substances. Expectorants
help in thinning the mucus. It makes the process of coughing easier and less
painful by relaxing the throat and lungs. Expectorants are of two types:
Stimulating Expectorants: They stimulate a part of the body like the
digestive tract. This is called stimulating reflex expectorants in which
person vomit thus ejecting the mucus and phlegm. Popular expectorants of
this type are Lobelia and Ipecac. There are some expectorants that work
directly within the respiratory system. Another type of expectorant thins
the mucus which helps the body to cough it up, thereby relaxing the throat
and lungs and make coughing less painful. They are called relaxing reflex
expectorants.
Direct Expectorants: Inhaling steam is a direct expectorant. Some
use direct expectorants in the form of rubbing it on the chest or under the
nose. The person breathes in the vapors. This is turn loosens and thins the
congestion. The person can breathe easily as his congestion turns into
water, which the body expels by running out the nose. The person may also
cough up some mucus.
Important Ingredient in Expectorants
Gualifenesin is a common
ingredient in expectorants like as anti-Tuss, Dristan Cold & Cough,
Guaifed, GuaiCough, and some Robitussin products. Some products that contain
Gualifenesin are available only with a physician's prescription; others can
be bought OTC. They come in several forms, including capsules, tablets, and
liquids.