People who have a post nasal drip cough should realize their condition is now being called upper airway cough syndrome (UACS). This is a situation where a person has a cough for a long period of time with nasal congestion. It is often caused by mucus dripping down the back of their throat. This causes a person to have a regular sensation they must clear their throat. UACS can cause a person to have a hoarse voice as well as wake up in the morning with something noticeable in the back of their throat. UACS can result from a person having an allergic or a nonallergic reaction to something in their environment. It could also be the result of sinusitis.
Here are some effective post nasal drip cough treatments that actually work:
Nasal Steroid Spray
For the first line of post nasal drip cough treatment it is recommended you use intranasal steroids before oral antihistamines. You can now conveniently purchase these two types of post nasal drip cough medicine over the counter: Nasacort Allergy (triamcinolone acetonide) and Flonase Allergy (luticasone propionate) can be purchased without a prescription from a doctor. You may may feel the effects within a few hours and it may eliminate your cough after a few days. In which case you can continue to use it for up to 3 months.
Antihistamine Nasal Spray
Another type of good post nasal drip cough medicine relief are antihistamine nasal sprays. Azelastine (Astepro or Astelin) is able to decrease the impact of a cough and runny nose; Atrovent (ipratropium bromide) nasal spray is just as effective. Please note that Astelin may cause drowsiness but ipratopium bromide does not.
Oral Antihistamines
These do provide post nasal drip cough relief but will cause drowsiness. It is possible to get them over the counter such as Tavist (clemastine) and Chlor-tabs (chlorpheniramine). There are also combination drugs such as Lodrane-D and Bromide (pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine) or Dimetapp (phenylephrine and brompheniramine). Oral antihistamines may be a good idea to use before going to sleep. Taking them during the day may make it difficult to function.
Non-Drowsey Oral Antihistamines
There are oral antihistamines that are and effective post nasal drip cough medicine and do not cause drowsiness. It’s possible for a consumer to purchase at least three different versions over the counter. Allegra (fexofenadine), Claritin (loratadine), Zyrtec (cetirizine) and a more costly “prescription only” Xyzal.
Oral Decongestants
Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) is a common choice that can also be taken with antihistamines like Allegra, Claritin and Zyrtec and be effective for post nasal drip cough relief. Any medication that has the letter “D” behind it already contains pseudoephedrine; example: Allegra-D or Claritin-D. Also you need to be advised that oral decongestants have been known to make a person a bit nervous and can cause an increase in blood pressure.
Oral Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists
The two most common types are Accolate (zafirlukast) and Singular (montelukast). Both can be obtained in generic form so you don’t have to pay as much.
eDrugSearch.com
A safe and easy way for people to compare drug prices is by visiting eDrugSearch.com. Consumers that use eDrugSearch will save up to 60-90 percent off their costs for medications. Be sure to click on the “Coupons” tab after you compare prices to copy, paste and save even more before you checkout!
See Your Doctor
If your post nasal drip medicine is still not effective after two weeks, your upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) may not be the source of the problem. In which case it is time for you to schedule an appointment with your doctor.
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