Are Cough Suppressants or Expectorants Better When You're Sick?
Erica Garza
“Finding a cough suppressant that is free of harsh chemicals, such as Brillia Health Cough Control, can help you address your cough symptoms and support your immune system.”
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What Are Cough Suppressants?
Also known as antitussives, cough suppressants work directly on receptors in the brain to suppress the cough reflex. Some cough suppressants sold over the counter include dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine, which are common ingredients in multi-symptom cold and flu medications. They are often recommended by doctors when the cough is not accompanied by mucus, or considered a dry cough. However, dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine may cause undesirable side effects, such as upset stomach, drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth.1 Common prescription cough suppressants include codeine and hydrocodone, but these powerful narcotics are habit-forming and can cause serious side effects if abused.2 Finding a cough suppressant that is free of harsh chemicals, such as Brillia Health Cough Control, can help you address your cough symptoms and support your immune system without synthetic harsh chemicals or harmful side effects. Brillia Health products are homeopathic, non-prescription medications that use targeted antibodies to ease the cough reflex and the discomfort of coughing while reducing fluid buildup in the lungs and the inflammation that may also be contributing to the cough. This is achieved with zero off-target effects.What Are Expectorants?
An expectorant is a medicine that is often recommended for wet coughs, or coughs that produce mucus. This is because expectorants thin the secretions in the airway and loosen up mucus, so the cough can be more productive. However, Brillia Health Cough Control, which is not an expectorant, can also help relieve wet coughs due to its antihistamine aspect, which minimizes fluid buildup that can lead to secondary infections. Like suppressants, expectorants are available as standalone drugs or as an ingredient in multi-symptom cold and flu medications. Popular over-the-counter expectorants contain guaifenesin, found in Robitussin and Mucinex, which may cause side effects such as nausea, upset stomach, dizziness, and headache.3 An example of a prescription expectorant is potassium iodide, which can also cause an upset stomach and nausea, as well as swelling of the jaw.4 Use of potassium iodide should be carefully monitored because taking too much may lead to iodine poisoning.Why You Should Suppressants Over Expectorants
Suppressants are superior to expectorants when it comes to stopping your cough at its source. Instead of masking your symptoms with harsh chemicals, a suppressant will block the cough altogether by targeting the part of the brain responsible for the cough and letting your body recover from the stress that coughing inflicts upon it. This is especially true for dry coughs, in which mucus does not need to be cleared. But it’s not enough to pick up any old cough suppressant at the drugstore. Choosing a gentle and effective product that targets your cough without harsh chemicals will give you the best results without side effects.How Brillia Health Works to Relieve Cough Symptoms
Brillia Health’s Cough Control is a homeopathic cough medicine that uses targeted antibodies to calm the cough reflex, reduce fluid buildup in the lungs, and ease inflammation that may be making the cough worse. These ingredients include:- Lapine morphine immune globulin: This antibody targets and reduces morphine’s effect and ability to send pain signals to the brain, reducing cough discomfort and duration. This should not be confused with the powerful narcotic morphine.
- Lapine bradykinin immune globulin: This antibody reduces the activity of bradykinin (a cough promoter), reducing both the severity and the prevalence of cough.
- Lapine histamine immune globulin: This antibody binds to histamines and prevents them from instigating inflammation, effectively reducing wet and dry coughs.
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Erica Garza is an author and essayist from Los Angeles. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and a certificate in Narrative Therapy. Her writing has appeared in TIME, Health, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and VICE.
