Brillia Health vs Mucinex for Cough Control
In the first ever Mucinex® commercial featuring brand mascot Mr. Mucus back in 2004, the brusque snot monster decides to make his new home inside some sick person’s chest.1 But thanks to the expectorant qualities of Mucinex, he gets evicted (i.e. coughed up), taking his hastily packed luggage with him.
Designed to relieve cough and chest congestion caused by the common cold, flu, and allergies, Mucinex is one of the most common over-the-counter (OTC) medications, but research shows it may not be as effective as people think. In fact, one study found that Mucinex did not work any better than placebo at getting rid of mucus buildup.2 And the medication has been linked to numerous adverse side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, and even anxiety.3
While expectorants like Mucinex are designed to make coughs more productive so you can clear mucus from your lungs and breathing passages, they do not calm the coughing reflex. That is the job of a cough suppressant. One OTC cough suppressant that achieves these effects without harsh, synthetic chemicals or harmful side effects is Brillia Health Cough Control. Find out how the medication compares to Mucinex and why we think it’s the right choice this cold season.
How Does Brillia Health Work?
Brillia Health Cough Control is a homeopathic cough suppressant. The medication uses targeted antibodies to help calm the cough reflex and ease inflammation that may be worsening the cough. And though Cough Control is not an expectorant, the medication can still help relieve fluid-up in the chest because it contains an antihistamine. This ingredient thins mucus in the lungs and chest without affecting any other systems in the body or causing any harmful side effects.
Brillia Health Cough Control contains the following antibodies:
- Lapine bradykinin immune globulin: This antibody reduces the activity of bradykinin, a molecule that acts as a cough promoter and plays a crucial role in inflammation. By targeting this molecule, Cough Control reduces both the severity and the prevalence of cough.
- Lapine histamine immune globulin: This antibody binds to histamines and prevents them from causing inflammation, effectively reducing wet and dry coughs.
- Lapine morphine immune globulin: Not to be confused with the powerful narcotic morphine, this antibody reduces pain signals to the brain, relieving cough discomfort and duration so your body can rest and recover faster.
Unlike other OTC cough suppressants like Robitussin® or DayQuil® containing the chemical dextromethorphan, Cough Control does not cross the blood-brain barrier to calm the cough reflex. Using groundbreaking antibody science, the medication works as an antitussive to calm your cough without overloading it with harsh chemicals that end up making you feel drowsy, nauseous, or agitated. The medication is also clinically proven to shorten the duration and severity of your cough so you can feel like yourself again.
How does Mucinex Work?
Mucinex contains the chemical guaifenesin, which is meant to work by thinning mucus in the airways, clearing congestion, and making breathing easier. Despite the conflicting evidence around its claims, the medication may help to control symptoms associated with wet coughs, but it will not treat the cause of symptoms or speed recovery. Mucinex works in the opposite direction of a cough suppressant because it does not calm the coughing reflex; on the contrary it makes coughs more productive in efforts to clear out mucus from the system.
Mucinex DM is another Mucinex product that contains guaifenesin as well as dextromethorphan, the same chemical mentioned above, which crosses the blood-brain barrier to suppress coughs. Unlike Brillia Health Cough Control, Mucinex DM is associated with side effects like constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and rash. More serious side effects include confusion, agitation, and kidney stones when used at a high dosage.4 Both Mucinex and Mucinex DM may also have dangerous interactions with other medications like those that treat depression, other psychiatric disorders, and Parkinson’s disease. It is always recommended to consult your doctor before using this medication. Mucinex is also not suitable for children under six years old unless specifically directed by the doctor. And some of the long-acting tablets and capsules are not recommended for children under 12, whereas Cough Control can be taken by children as young as three years old.
Does Mucinex Help with a Cough?
Though Mucinex DM contains the chemical that works as a cough suppressant, it comes with the added risk of experiencing adverse side effects. And when it comes to the medication’s expectorant qualities, there are a number of studies that show Mucinex may not be as effective as people think. One study found that even maximum strength Mucinex (1200 mg of guaifenesin) did not have a significant effect on mucus or cough compared to placebo.5 And another study found that the medication had no effect on thinning or loosening mucus and would likely make no difference in treating an upper respiratory infection.6
Understanding Cough Medicine: Suppressants vs Expectorants
When choosing a cough medicine, there are two main types: suppressants and expectorants. Expectorants like Mucinex work by thinning mucus in the airways so you can expel it from the body. Suppressants like Brillia Health Cough Control work by stopping the cough altogether and helping the body recover from the stress that coughing places on the body.
Which is the Better Option for Cough Control?
People typically choose cough expectorants when they’re dealing with a wet cough, while suppressants are often the first choice when treating a dry cough. Brillia Health Cough Control is considered a cough suppressant because it works directly on the cough reflex to stop coughing in its tracks, but it also effectively relieves congestion and fluid build-up thanks to its antihistamine component, making it ideal for both wet and dry coughs. And it does so without any harmful side effects or contraindications with other medications.
This cold and flu season, we recommend taking a gentler and more effective route to easing your cough and other cold and flu symptoms. Because when you’re already feeling miserable, the last thing you want to do is overload your system with chemicals that might not even work.
Find out more about how Brillia Health products work and why Cough Control is the best medicine for cough and congestion this season.
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