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Coughs


There are two basic types of cough Chesty and Dry. A chesty cough is characterised by the presence of mucus or phlegm on the chest, this is absent in a dry cough. The action of coughing is therefore of benefit in the case of a chesty cough as the mucus needs to be moved from the chest. However in a dry cough there is no benefit to coughing.

Chesty coughs are further divided into Productive and Non-Productive. An individual with a productive chesty cough will notice the presence of the mucus on the chest because they are coughing some of this phlegm off their chest. In the case of a non-productive cough the mucus is not being moved from the chest despite the coughing.
If any phlegm coughed up is coloured green/yellow or contains any blood it is important to consult a doctor.

If you are still unsure which type of cough you have talk to your pharmacist about your symptoms, you could use Simple Linctus until you are sure which type of cough you have as it can be safely used in both types of cough, both chesty and dry.


Select Your Cough Type


General Advice for Coughs


There are some simple things you can do that will relieve the symptoms of coughs.
  • Inhaling steam helps to break up any phlegm on the chest in the case of a chesty cough. It may also soothe the chest in the case of a dry cough. The steam can also be fragranced with menthol or Olbas Oil to help breathing. Taking a hot bath or shower will expose your chest to natural steam.
  • During the night when coughs are often most trouble, use of a vaporiser in the bedroom may help you get a restful nights sleep.

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