5 Cough Remedies That Don't Really Help Ease Cough

By TGP / Categories: Cough

Most moms rely on home remedies for whatever sickness their child is experiencing. In this article, we will discuss the 4 most common cough remedies that don't really help ease cough.

1. Vitamins

According to Dr. Lauren Streicher on the Dr. Oz blog, all vitamins do is boost your immune system for virus protection. It doesn’t get rid or prevent symptoms such as cough from happening. Vitamin C – a very popular remedy for most sicknesses - only reduces the period of an and eases an ailment.

2. Antibiotics

In a similar vein, antibiotics do not cure a cough. What they do best is prevent the spread of the virus so other people do not become contaminated and end up passing the illness to others. They do not bring the symptoms down, according to research done by the New South Wales Ministry Of Health. Dr. Philipp Schuetz of Kantosspital Aarua in Switzerland advises that unless pneumonia is present, antibiotics are not necessary. Dr. Len Horovitz from Lenox Hospital in New York City says that viruses do not respond to them.

3. Over-the-counter meds

Self-prescription drugs have become the go-to remedies in the event of a cough, cold, or flu. But according to an article in Fox News, the top pulmonary specialists in the U.S. say that these are not helpful at all. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that over-the-counter drugs are not at all beneficial to children. Why? Side effects such as increased heart rate and seizures are present when taking self-prescribed medication. The risk of overdosing your child due to ingesting incorrect amounts of medicine is also possible.

4. Zinc

While zinc does have its benefits, the mineral is questionable at best because of the negative effects. According to Todd Neale, bad taste and nausea are a symptom of using zinc to combat a cold, while anosmia (permanent loss of smell) is probable due to intranasal ingestion according to an online article by the Mayo Clinic.

5. Vaccines

Yes, immunization does protect your from new strains of viruses, but it does not give perpetual protection says Dr. Anne Shuchat of the U.S. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Vaccines do wear out over time, so your child will still get the cough and colds, a study by the NSW Ministry Of Health shows. Referring to the same research, modern acellular vaccines offer 85% prevention of whooping cough and 71% – 78% deterrence against the onset of pertussis.

Though modern advances in medicine have shown positive effects in combating the common cough, it is undeniable that nothing beats this symptom better than bed rest, warmth, lots of fluids, and ever more bed rest. Medicine for cough wouldn’t hurt too, just to alleviate the symptom.

So parents, the next time your child contracts a cough, don’t rush out to your local drugstore for a quick fix. Just make him/her stay at home and sleep. In a few days, your kid will be right as rain!

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