What Are The Possible Side
Most people who take cough medicines do not have side-effects. Some cough preparations can cause drowsiness. If you are drowsy after taking a cough medicine, you should not drive and you should not operate machinery. The leaflet that comes with your medicine will state if the medicine can cause drowsiness.
Pholcodine may cause constipation.
Note: the above is not the full list of side-effects for these medicines. Please see the leaflet that comes with your particular brand for a full list of possible side-effects and cautions.
How Do I Get A Pcr Covid Test
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate and request a PCR test online. If you cant use the online service, call 119 to order or book a test by phone.
You can order a PCR test kit to be sent to your home or book an appointment at a walk-in or drive-through test site.
Its important to get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. In England and Northern Ireland, you need to get the test done within the first eight days of having symptoms. In Scotland and Wales, you need to have the test done within five days.
Wherever you are in the UK, you can ask for a test:
- for yourself
- for someone you live with.
In England, you can ask for a test for a child who lives with you, however old they are. In Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can only get a test for a child if they are aged five or over.
The test involves using a long cotton bud to take a swab from the inside of your nose and the back of your throat. You can do the test yourself or someone can do it for you.
Use lateral flow tests if you don’t have symptoms;
Everyone in the UK can now get hold of free lateral flow tests for self-testing at home.
Testing yourself;at least twice a week, particularly if you are going out to work, or meeting others regularly, can help stop the spread of COVID-19.;
Find out how to get tested if you’re asymptomatic.
Children Under 6 Years Old
For children under 6 years of age, only give them simple preparations such as glycerin, honey, and lemon. Do not give children who are younger than 6 years old cough medicines with any of the active ingredients listed above . This is because the risk of a young child having a side-effect to one these preparations is greater than any possible benefit of the medicine.
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What Are Cough Medicines
Cough medicines aim either to suppress a dry cough, or to help you to cough up the extra phlegm of a chesty cough when you have a URTI. There is little good evidence that they do help. This is partly because many coughs get better quickly on their own anyway, so it is hard to tell if the medicine has helped or if the cold has simply got better.
Lots of cough medicines are available to buy from pharmacies or supermarkets. They usually contain one or more active ingredient .
A glycerin, honey and lemon cough medicine is also available to buy. This preparation does not have an active ingredient as such. It is thought to have a soothing action.
Cough medicines can also contain other medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Some contain alcohol.
Explaining Your Symptoms To Your Gp
Its a good idea to start a diary of your symptoms before speaking to your GP. Taking note of when symptoms flare-up may help you to understand your triggers. This diary will then help your GP to understand and properly assess your condition. You could also try filming your symptoms if they are hard to describe.
There are several different tests for asthma – so your GP wont be able to diagnose you straightaway. Our advice on diagnosing asthma explains this process in more detail.
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What Is The Treatment Of Asthma Which Medications Are Commonly Used To Treat Asthma
The main goals in asthma treatment are to prevent asthma attacks and to control the disease. Avoiding triggers that induce or aggravate asthma attacks is an important aspect of prevention. Medications used to prevent asthma attacks focus on decreasing the airway inflammation that causes attacks. Rescue medications help open up your airway and are used for quick relief when asthma symptoms occur despite the use of controller medications.
Most of the inhaler therapies have been changed recently because of the government mandate to remove chlorofluorocarbons from the devices in an attempt to prevent further damage to the earth’s ozone layer. These inhalers have changed to a new propellant, hydrofluoroalkane , or powder devices. This change in delivery system resulted inadvertently in removing all generic inhalers from the market and only proprietary options were available until recently. The FDA approved levalbuterol as a generic for the rescue inhaler known as Xopenex. Additionally, this medication is also available as a generic in nebulized form along with the inhaled steroid budesonide .
Beclomethasone , budesonide , flunisolide , fluticasone , mometasone , and triamcinolone are used as first-line asthma medicines. A small amount of inhaled corticosteroids is swallowed with each dose, but it’s much less than that contained in oral corticosteroids. Therefore, inhaled corticosteroids decrease the likelihood of adverse effects from long-term use of steroids.
Use
Side effects
What Should I Avoid While Taking Dimetapp Cold & Cough
Dimetapp Cold & Cough may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of this medication.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, cough, or sleep medicine. Antihistamines, cough suppressants, and are contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of a certain drug. Check the label to see if a medicine contains an antihistamine, cough suppressant, or decongestant.
Avoid taking this medication if you also take diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants . Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. This medication can decrease sweating and you may be more prone to heat stroke.
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Choices Choices Choices Of Cough Medications
OTC cough and cold medicines come in a bewildering number of varieties. We say cough;and;cold remedies because while there are some products marketed purely as cough remedies often called tussins many have additional ingredients that are supposed to control cold symptoms, too.
It may be a little easier to make a choice if you realize that most of these products contain the same few active ingredients, in a limited number of strengths and combinations. Here’s a rundown of the five main types of ingredients:
Expectorants. These cough medications work chiefly by affecting the production, consistency, and clearance of mucus in various ways. Guaifenesin , which thins mucus, is the most common OTC expectorant. The cough guidelines cite studies showing that guaifenesin is effective, but also point to others showing that it’s not. Want a free, reliable way of loosening mucus? Just try drinking plenty of water the next time you have a cold.
Suppressants. These cough medications work by suppressing the cough reflex in the brain. Dextromethorphan is one of the most common ingredients in over-the-counter cough medicine products.
Still, exactly how the older drugs suppress a cough is unclear. Some researchers say they may work by blocking histamine in the central nervous system. In the brain, histamine is a neurotransmitter, one of the many chemicals that enable cell-to-cell communication. Products billed as “multi-symptom” solutions often include these older drugs.
Facts You Should Know About Asthma
- Asthma is a lung disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the breathing passages of the lungs .
- Seek medical care if you’re experiencing a spasmodic cough at night, wheezing, trouble breathing, and chest pain or tightness.
- Treatment involves the use of quick-relief and long-term control medications.
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Are People With Asthma At Higher Risk Of Getting Covid
So, there is no hard evidence that people with asthma get sicker with COVID-19 . But is there any evidence that people with asthma are more likely to catch the coronavirus? Again, not that we are aware of. A study of 140 cases showed no link between coronavirus infections and asthma.
Some people with asthma may wonder if they are immunocompromised and what that means. Immunocompromised means that your immune system is weakened, either by a disease or by a medication. It means you are more likely to catch an infection and more likely to have a more severe illness than someone who is not immunocompromised.;
Some people with asthma can be immunocompromised because of the medication they take. Here are some asthma medications and treatment combinations that can blunt the immune system:
- Any biologic therapy such as omalizumab ;
- Daily corticosteroid tablets or liquid
- Antibiotic tablets or liquid taken for asthma every week
- Tiotropium , a prescription asthma medication
- A combination inhaler that contains a high daily steroid dose
- Taking an inhaler with a high daily steroid dose and montelukast together
Check with your provider if youre not sure about whether your medications could be making you immunocompromised.;
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- Don’t have written asthma action plan from your doctor
- Use an inhaler, but don’t have a spacer
- Miss more than 1 day of school per month for asthma
- Asthma limits exercise or sports
- Asthma attacks wake child up from sleep
- Use more than 1 inhaler per month
- No asthma check-up in more than 1 year
- You have other questions or concerns
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Are People With Asthma At Higher Risk Of Poor Outcomes From Covid
Despite the lack of hard data, the WHO, the CDC, and lung disease specialists are in agreement: People with asthma have a higher risk of severe illness and death with respiratory infections in general. Because of this, any child or adult with moderate to severe asthma should consider themselves at risk for severe COVID-19 disease and take extra precautions with their health.;
This is especially true for anyone who has been admitted to the hospital for asthma in the last 12 months, or who has ever been admitted to an intensive care unit for their asthma.;
Why is this recommendation in place when there is no hard evidence? Heres why.;
Any infection in the lung can trigger an asthma attack, causing the smallest airways in the lung to tighten up and let very little air in and out. The symptoms are sudden and severe: shortness of breath, wheezing, and cough. If the infection is mild, for example with a common cold, asthma symptoms can usually be managed at home. Most people with asthma have an asthma action plan that tells them how to manage their symptoms when they get worse, and when to seek medical attention.;
If the infection is more serious, a person with an asthma attack may need emergency treatment in the hospital with oxygen, nebulizers, and corticosteroids. Usually things improve pretty quickly. Antibiotics help to treat a bacterial lung infection if there is one, and flu treatments like Tamiflu can help shorten symptoms if the infection is caused by the flu.;
A Soothing Honey Drink
Honey is another very effective natural cure for CVA. The sweetness of honey stimulates your salivary glands to produce more saliva, which in turn lubricates your airways, easing your cough. It also has antioxidant properties that fight inflammation and boost immunity.
As store-bought honey often comes packed with additional taste-enhancing ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup or sugar, itâs best to visit a local health store to get premium-quality unadulterated raw honey.
- Add 1 tablespoon of raw honey to 1 glass of warm water or milk and drink it slowly. Repeat a few times a day. This drink will have a soothing effect on the throat.
- Alternatively, mix equal quantities of honey, ginger juice, and pomegranate juice. Consume 1 tablespoon of this mixture 2 or 3 times a day.
- Before going to bed, consume 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw honey with a little cinnamon powder.
- Add 1 tablespoon of raw honey to 1 glass of warm tea with lemon and drink slowly.
Note:Clostridium botulinum
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Hat Should I Avoid While Taking Alka
Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.
Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other cough or cold medicines that may contain similar ingredients.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. This medicine can decrease sweating and you may be more prone to heat stroke.
What Are Mast Cell Inhibitors For Asthma
Cromolyn sodium and nedocromil are used to prevent allergic symptoms like runny nose, itchy eyes, and asthma. The response is not as potent as that of corticosteroid inhalers.
How mast cell inhibitors work
These drugs prevent the release of histamine and other chemicals from mast cells that cause asthma symptoms when you come into contact with an allergen . The drug is not effective until four to seven days after you begin taking it.
Who should not use these medications
Individuals who are allergic to any components of the inhaled product should not take these drugs.
Use
Frequent dosing is necessary, since the effects last only six to eight hours. Mast cell inhibitors are available as a liquid to be used with a nebulizer, a capsule that is placed in a device that releases the capsule powder to inhale, and handheld inhalers.
Drug or food interactions
Since these drugs have little or no effect beyond the area applied, they are unlikely to interact with other drugs. Mast cell inhibitors may cause a cough, irritation or unpleasant taste.
Side effects
These drugs are only effective for prevention and are not to be used to treat an acute asthma attack.
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What Do I Need To Know About Otc Cough And Cold Medicine Overdose
An overdose means you have taken too much cough and cold medicine. An overdose can become life-threatening. You may have any of the following if you have had an overdose of OTC cough and cold medicine:
- Blurred vision, dilated pupils, or severe headache
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
- Anxiety, irritability, restlessness, or hallucinations
- Slurred speech, trouble thinking, or unusual behavior
- A fast heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, or trouble breathing
- Seizures, loss of consciousness, or not waking up
Tips For Wearing A Face Mask With Asthma
The Public Health Agency of Canada currently recommends that Canadians wear non-medical face masks while in public spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained such as on public transit, or at the grocery store.
Be sure to check your provincial or territorial authority for up-to-date guidance.
Wearing a face mask is NOT a substitute for physical distancing or frequent handwashing. Wearing a non-medical face mask is an extra measure that can be taken to protect those around you. When worn properly, a person wearing a non-medical mask can reduce the spread of their own infectious respiratory droplets.
Make sure you wear your mask properly. It should cover both your nose and mouth. If your mask gets soiled or wet, be sure to wash and dry it before wearing it again. You can read information about appropriate use of non-medical masks, and how to properly place, remove and clean a non-medical mask from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The vast majority of people with asthma can wear a non-medical mask safely. If you are unable to wear a non-medical mask without experiencing breathing issues, do not wear a mask. Instead, make sure you are practicing physical distancing by maintaining a 2-metre distance. Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to go over your Asthma Action Plan and review your asthma symptoms and control. Your healthcare provider may suggest or ask you to consider other options to protect yourself.
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A Multitude Of Cough Causes
While coughing exists to protect us from infections of the respiratory tract, it is commonly found with other conditions, too. We associate asthma with wheezing and difficulty breathing, but for many, its main symptom is a cough. Heartburn is the cardinal symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease , but the stomach acid irritating the esophagus and the back of the throat can also produce a nasty cough.
Coughing is also a side effect of several drugs, most notably ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril and enalapril, which are mainstays in the treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure. The ACE inhibitor cough sometimes begins months after you start taking the drug. Fortunately, there are good alternatives for those who have this problem.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , bacterial sinusitis, lung cancer all may announce their presence with a cough. And, of course, there’s the infamous smoker’s hack.
Several other conditions can also cause postnasal drip and its resulting cough, including sinusitis, exposure to air pollution, hay fever , and other allergies that cause nasal congestion.
Identifying An Asthma Cough
The purpose of a cough is to remove foreign particles and bacteria to prevent a possible infection. There are two types of coughs: productive and nonproductive. When a cough is productive, it means that a noticeable amount of phlegm expelled. This enables the lungs to get rid of harmful substances.
Coughing in people with asthma can be helpful because its one of the bodys natural defense mechanisms. A productive asthmatic cough will expel phlegm and mucus from the lungs. In most cases of asthma, the cough is considered nonproductive. A nonproductive cough is a dry cough. Its a response to an irritant that forces the bronchial tubes to spasm . Swelling and constriction of the airways, which prompts this type of nonproductive cough, characterize asthma.
An asthma cough is also often accompanied by wheezing. This is a high-pitched whistling sound caused by a constricted airway.
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