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Pharmacy Care provides information about self-care, that is how to treat minor medical conditions with products available at the pharmacy. Find out how your pharmacist can help you to manage minor conditions yourself.
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A dry cough is non-productive and irritating, and sometimes causes a tickly throat. Your chest is not congested, your breathing is alright, and you may feel quite well, apart from the cough.
A dry cough may be the result of a recent head cold or the flu. This is sometimes called a post-viral cough. Dry coughs may be caused by a dry atmosphere, air pollution or a change in temperature.
The cough may also be a sign of other problems, such as asthma, heartburn or stomach acid reflux, heart failure or a side effect of some medicines. Therefore it is important to tell your health professional all your symptoms and medication history.
See Your Pharmacist or Medical Professional
if the person with the dry cough is under five years old
if you begin coughing up mucus or blood
if you feel short of breath or wheezy
if your dry cough is mainly at night, is painful, changes or lasts longer than 10 days
if you are a smoker
if you have a temperature, a persistent headache, sore ears or a rash
if you have recently lost weight or have aching muscles
if you have high blood pressure, a heart condition, a respiratory illness such as asthma, or stomach problems
if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as some medicines may not be suitable
if you have other medical conditions or take other medicines
if you have allergies to any medicines
Treatment Tips
avoid dry environments and drink plenty of water
gargle with plain water for one minute, three times a day; this can ease symptoms
cough suppressants are best to stop a dry, irritating cough
two cough suppressants, pholcodine and dextromethorphan, are contained in most cough mixtures as they have fewer side effects than older cough suppressants, such as codeine
if you feel there is something from your chest to cough up, such as mucus, then cough suppressants are not appropriate. Discuss the use of a chesty cough medicine with the pharmacist
if you have a runny nose and cough when you lie down, your nose could be causing the cough and you need to treat this; see your pharmacist for advice
match the ingredients of a cough mixture to your symptoms; check with your pharmacist
avoid products for wet coughs, such as guaiphenesin and bromhexine, when you have a dry cough
some ingredients in combination products should be avoided by the very young, elderly women and pregnant or breastfeeding women; check with your pharmacist
Treatment Options
Cough suppressants (antitussives)
[PHARMACY ONLY]
e.g. dextromethorphan (Benadryl for the Family Dry Forte, Bisolvon Dry Oral Liquid, Cepacol Cough +, Robitussin Dry Cough Forte, Strepsils Cough Relief), pholcodine (Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid)
pholcodine is available in cough medicines and lozenges
dextromethorphan is available in cold and flu tablets, cough medicines and lozenges
if you only have a dry cough, use a cough suppressant
if you only have a dry cough, avoid combination medicines containing ingredients that treat other symptoms, such as a blocked nose
dextromethorphan can interact with other medications; seek advice from the pharmacist
cough suppressants are also in some cold and flu tablets; check with your pharmacist
Cough soothers (demulcents)
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g. glycerol, honey, syrup
cough soothers coat the throat to reduce irritation, dryness and soothe a cough
cough soothers are contained in cough medicines and some cough lozenges
sucking on a lozenge produces extra saliva to soothe a cough
these are safe for most people but some include sugar, so people with diabetes should be careful
sugar-free mixtures and lozenges are available
Combination products
[PHARMACY ONLY]
e.g. dextromethorphan + phenylephrine + brompheniramine (Demazin Cough & Cold Relief); pholcodine + phenylephrine (Durotuss PE Dry Cough Plus Nasal Decongestant)
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