An article on Medicines/Drugs for Cough and Catarrh in Nigeria including Cold, best cough medicine for adults in Nigeria, cough tablets in Nigeria, mucus thinning cough medicine in Nigeria, cough medicine list for adults in Nigeria, cough syrups in Nigeria.
Before the advent of COVID-19, cough and catarrh is a common medical condition we all battle with daily…..cough, usually associated cattarh could be disturbing and actually disturbs one’s quality of life. Cough, catarrh with/without fever is known medically as flu or upper respiratory tract infection (URTI).
Cough and catarrh is self resolving but here are some drugs that can help relieve your symptoms and you go about you daily activities.
Here are some cold, catarrh and cough medicines in Nigeria
1. Vitamin C
Cheap and an over the counter drug that is readily available in all drug stores in Nigeria. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system to fight the the viral infection causing the cough.
2. Antihistamines
Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, throat and nasal itchiness, and other allergies. Typically people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic, over-the-counter drug that can provide relief from nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, or hives caused by flu, pollen, dust mites, or animal allergy with few side effects. However, careless use of antihistimines may dry out mucus and make them thick and harder to expel from the airway.
Examples are loratidine,diphenylhydramine etc. Antihistamines may come as as tablets or nasal spray.
3. Paracetamol
An over the counter drug that helps the relief the fever and chest pain that may be associated with cough and catarrh. It helps soothes the body aches also. Dicofenac also perform the same function but watch it…..diclofenac causes ulcer.
4. Antibiotics
Most times, cough is associated with sore throat and fever which may be caused by bacteria. Antibiotics such as as amoxyl or erythromycin may be a helpful regimen in the treatment of cough/flu.
5. Antitussives (Syrup)
Antitussives are cough suppressants. They relieve your cough by suppressing the cough reflex. A common antitussive is dextromethorphan (some brand names: Triaminic Cold and Cough, Robitussin Cough, Vicks 44 Cough and Cold).
6. Expectorants (Syrup)
Expectorants help thin out mucus. This makes it easy for your cough to clear the mucus from your airway. Drinking extra fluids also helps keep mucus thin. The only expectorant available in OTC products is guaifenesin (2 brand names: Mucinex, Robitussin Chest Congestion).
7. Rhinathiol (Syrup)
An expectorant. Rhinathiol® is a syrup, containing carbocisteine 100 mg and promethazine HCl 2.5 mg per each 5 ml of syrup. It is commonly used for alleviation of unproductive and irritative coughs in adults and children ≥2 years, particularly when coughing occurs at night.
8. Monteget
It is a brand of montelucast…used by asthmatic patients for their persistent nocturnal cough…monteget helps clear the airways in asthmatics.
When to see a doctor
You should stop taking cough medicine and call your doctor if your cough lasts for more than 2 weeks, or if it keeps coming back.
Other medications like cough syrups in Nigeria are highly controlled or have been outrightly banned because they contain codeine – a addictive and a drug of abuse. I will discuss them in another article.
Sources:
Family doctor
Wikipidia
