Coughs?
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I've heard a few folks complain that they're experiencing a dry, irritated throat recently. When sbst275 asked for advice on what meds to take for his irritating cough, I thought it might be helpful to include some basic info on cough syrups in here.
Please, the advice here does NOT replace a sensible visit to the doc!
It's just for general knowledge!
Cough syrups can generally be categorised in two broad categories : EXPECTORANTS or COUGH SUPPRESSANTS.
EXPECTORANTS
If you have a lot of mucous clogging up your breathing airway, expectorants will help to thin the mucous and make it easier to cough out. Basically, expectorants are given for coughs that sound very 'wet'. The main expectorant used is guaifenisin, available under many brand names.
There are other ways to loosen and clear the respiratory secretions associated with colds. These include using a humidifier and drinking six to eight glasses of water a day.
Side effects are not common, and may include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, headache, skin rash, and hives.
COUGH SUPPRESSANTS
If you have a 'dry' and irritating cough that won't seem to stop, a cough suppressant will provide relief because it will help lessen the coughing episodes. It helps to suppress those cough episodes so you'll be able to sleep better at night. The active ingredient in most cough suppressants is dextromethorphan, available under many brand names.
You may experience the side effects of drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, and dizziness.
If you have a cough that lasts more than seven days, or are associated with fever, rash, sore throat, or lasting headache, you should pay a visit to the GP!
Take care and good health to all!
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Once i got a very bad sore throat which last for a month never go away no matter how much medicine i take.Then my mother give me slightly hot water drink everyday. i drank about 10 mugs a day then 2 weeks go away already
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Thank you nurse...
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A humidifier? In Singapore?Originally posted by Rhonda:There are other ways to loosen and clear the respiratory secretions associated with colds. These include using a humidifier and drinking six to eight glasses of water a day.
MG -
It's not the hot water!Originally posted by YummyGummy:Once i got a very bad sore throat which last for a month never go away no matter how much medicine i take.Then my mother give me slightly hot water drink everyday. i drank about 10 mugs a day then 2 weeks go away already
The sore throat had probably run its course already and would've gone away anyways, hot water or not! hehe!
BTW, when I start getting a sore throat, I'll quickly hop down to Guardian Pharmacy and ask the Pharmacist for Trachisan lozenges. It has an ingredient that's very a powerful antiseptic that works well against germs and bacteria BUT, before you get better, your throat will feel even worse the next day but after that, you'll start feeling better faster.
And oh, those lozenges might give you diarrhoea too. -
Yes... if you sleep in an air-conditioned room.Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:A humidifier? In Singapore?
MG -
You're very welcome!Originally posted by I_am_PeTe_Parker:Thank you nurse... -
100 days cough...what u eat also no point
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Eh... what is a '100 days cough'?? Some Chinese belief??Originally posted by kops21:100 days cough...what u eat also no point 
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Coughing for a "100" days. Unlike those normal cough with alot of phlegm, this "bai ri ke" can start u coughing non-stop till u turn red.Originally posted by Rhonda:Eh... what is a '100 days cough'?? Some Chinese belief?? -
Wah! Got such things...Originally posted by Camellias4me:Coughing for a "100" days. Unlike those normal cough with alot of phlegm, this "bai ri ke" can start u coughing non-stop till u turn red.
You wanna know why?
...
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Cuz, in the olden days, the folks here didn't know that there were cough suppressants available! So instead of taking meds that would ease them and put a stop to the hacking cough, they just bore with it.
Why '100 days'?
A mixture of agak-agak-ology and exaggeration. Can you imagine a Hokkien conversation going like this...
*Man is with his friend. Suddenly, man starts coughing like he's going to turn blue and die...
"Wah! Di eh ga sow ah nee jia lat! Wu jia yo bo?" (Wah! Your cough is so serious! Have you taken your medication?)
"Jia yo bo eng lah! Wah ga sow ah nee ku liao, simi yo poon bo eng! Wah ga di gong... wah ga sow zi bak jit liao!!" (Eat medicine no use! I have been coughing for so long, no medicine will be of use! I tell you... I've been coughing for ... 100 days already!!)
"Wah! Ah ni lee hai! Wu lai xiong (littlestream's favourite word! hahaha!) bo?"
(Wah! So long already! Have internal injury or not?)
So, that was probably how the '100-day cough' thing came about.
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Wah ! I cough one day also BTH liao. 100 days ???
I think I might contemplate suicide.... -
Aiyah... you should 'shi3 yong4 Jin1 Dong1 Nian4 Chi2 An1 Chuan1 Pei4 Pi2 Pa2 Gao1'!Originally posted by Ferret:Wah ! I cough one day also BTH liao. 100 days ???
I think I might contemplate suicide.... -
Sheesh. Do you know it took me 3 mins to work out that chinese thing. >_<'Originally posted by Rhonda:Aiyah... you should 'shi3 yong4 Jin1 Dong1 Nian4 Chi2 An1 Chuan1 Pei4 Pi2 Pa2 Gao1'!
That's ok lah. Very nasty sticky liquid. But effective. Anyway you are on leave already ? -
Yup! On leave!Originally posted by Ferret:Sheesh. Do you know it took me 3 mins to work out that chinese thing. >_<'
That's ok lah. Very nasty sticky liquid. But effective. Anyway you are on leave already ? -
wow Rhonda, i'm impressed by the cough write-up and your hokkien!
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how about smokers cough/?
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Originally posted by JLennon:wow Rhonda, i'm impressed by the cough write-up and your hokkien! My hokkien ah?
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Har?!Originally posted by Ferret:Sheesh. Do you know it took me 3 mins to work out that chinese thing. >_<'
That's ok lah. Very nasty sticky liquid. But effective. Anyway you are on leave already ?
I took so much effort to facilitate understanding by putting in the intonation for the hanyu pinyin also not effective, ah?
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Smokers' cough? Erm... not sure.Originally posted by thinger:how about smokers cough/?
Anyways, whatever one takes for smokers' cough, it won't be effective ... until and unless the smoking habit stops. Doesn't sound very nice, but oh well, the truth hurts sometimes. -
right, exactly what i thought and have been telling my friends.Originally posted by Rhonda:Smokers' cough? Erm... not sure.
Anyways, whatever one takes for smokers' cough, it won't be effective ... until and unless the smoking habit stops. Doesn't sound very nice, but oh well, the truth hurts sometimes. -
Not me?
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Wah good life le. Long leave >_<'Originally posted by Rhonda:Har?!
I took so much effort to facilitate understanding by putting in the intonation for the hanyu pinyin also not effective, ah?
Uh. I just am bad in long han yu pin yin lah. Not your prob. -
Pengz!Originally posted by Rhonda:Wah! Got such things...
You wanna know why?
...
...
Cuz, in the olden days, the folks here didn't know that there were cough suppressants available! So instead of taking meds that would ease them and put a stop to the hacking cough, they just bore with it.
Why '100 days'?
A mixture of agak-agak-ology and exaggeration. Can you imagine a Hokkien conversation going like this...
*Man is with his friend. Suddenly, man starts coughing like he's going to turn blue and die...
"Wah! Di eh ga sow ah nee jia lat! Wu jia yo bo?" (Wah! Your cough is so serious! Have you taken your medication?)
"Jia yo bo eng lah! Wah ga sow ah nee ku liao, simi yo poon bo eng! Wah ga di gong... wah ga sow zi bak jit liao!!" (Eat medicine no use! I have been coughing for so long, no medicine will be of use! I tell you... I've been coughing for ... 100 days already!!)
"Wah! Ah ni lee hai! Wu lai xiong (littlestream's favourite word! hahaha!) bo?"
(Wah! So long already! Have internal injury or not?)
So, that was probably how the '100-day cough' thing came about.
Rhonda, u'r very "imaginative"... can think of how it originated.. in hokkien somemore!
Luckily u didn't say.. "Jia yo bo eng lah.. ji kuan kio "Ba jit sow".. yi si dio si ai sow zi ba jit ka eh ho." (Eat medicine no use, its the "100 days" cough which means I muz cough up to 100 days den i'll recover.)
"Wah! Ah nee di sow gui jit liao? Ai gao zi ba jit buey?" (Wah! Like dat u cough how many days liao? Coming 100 yet?) -
looking at this thread suddenly made me feel like coughing.. ahem.. >_<
anyway thx for the info, rhonda... now when i hear ppl cough, i will go to them and explain to them whether they need an Expectorant or a Cough suppressant.