Does Cough Mixture Serve Any Useful Purpose?

[ToraToraTora]

I have a bit of cold at the mo with something of a cough and err indoors keeps telling me to take cough mixture but all it does is soothe for about 3 seconds and you can only have a certain amount anyway so what is the point?

[bednobs]

Well for those three seconds you feel better:)

[ummmm]

I think medicines work differently for different people.

[agchristie]

Maybe you need a holiday TTT? Somewhere exotic, Covonia perhaps? ;)

[jomifl]

Cough mixture contains cough suppressants (codeine)that last longer than 3 seconds.

[RATTER15]

Placebo effect for some I think, I have never found them to serve any useful purpose in reality.

Pareacetamol is as good as anything, unless you can get hold of some codeine, codeine is apparently the best cough suppressant you can get.

[RATTER15]

*paracetamol.

[Svejk]

Whatever's in Night-Nurse seems to work for me.

[MallyJ]

At least you should enjoy your medicine .... I always find that rum/whiskey + honey + lemon juice and hot water makes one feel better very quickly ... regular doses of course. I have no faith in the efficacy of shop bought remedies that only seem to have paracetamol as an active ingredient. Of course with the above mixture you can add paracetamol as you require it. Lot more fun too!!

[Khandro]

They used to be very good, but sadly no longer;

http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-todays-illegal-drugs-were-marketed-as-medicines-510258499

[ummmm]

Mally....that's what we do, head straight for the hot whiskeys....

[retrocop]

My wife insists that cough linctus might soothe an irritable throaty cough for a few minutes as it slides down but at the end of the day it just sits in your stomach doing nothing.

[whiskeryron]

// Pareacetamol is as good as anything, unless you can get hold of some codeine, codeine is apparently the best cough suppressant you can get.//

If you like sitting on the loo straining & straining to go then Codeine is the stuff for you. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

[AB Editor]

Covonia is useful for when you have a difficult cough that you need to soothe for long enough to get to sleep.

It doesn't "fix" anything though, it's just a respite to appear human for brief periods while being ill.

[RATTER15]

whiskeryron, That issue is easily rectified by taking something to keep you regular, either way I would rather spend a day or two with a little constipation than a savagely sore throat or cough.

[woofgang]

yes it serves a useful purpose, it makes a fortune for the people who make it.

[MallyJ]

Yes ummmm you can imagine the supermarket list... bread, eggs ,fruit .... oh and I may get a cold this week...1 litre of rum. If no cold then prevention is better than the cure!!

[Buenchico]

Quote from the NHS website:
"Although some people find them helpful, medicines that claim to suppress your cough or stop you bringing up phlegm are not usually recommended. This is because there's little evidence to suggest they're any more effective than simple home remedies, and they're not suitable for everyone.

A homemade remedy containing honey and lemon is likely to be just as useful and safer to take".

Source:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cough/Pages/Introduction.aspx

How to make it:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/honey_and_lemon_tea/

Even easier, if you've got an Asda nearby:
http://groceries.asda.com/product/cordial/belvoir-fruit-farms-honey-lemon-ginger-cordial/910001438839
(It's what I use myself. It's absolutely lovely and effective too!)

[murraymints]

manuka and honey...with paracetomol if you have a fever. otherwise get the missus in for a cuddle !!!

[smurfchops]

Covonia Spray every time.

[murraymints]

yeuch !