Any pharmacists out there??

[Donbean]

I bought some Benylin for ds,
I think that it is fab stuff.
My sis says that its effect is purely psychological and of no help to a cough.
Does it not contain a cough supressant?
Do you think that it works or that it is psychological?

Bump.....because i have GOT to win this argument. {grin]

Not a pharmacist but my GP says the same and I think there is an element of truth. However, if it is working who cares how

Not a pharmacist but I did work in my dads pharmacy when I was a teen. I think that what your sister is getting at is that cough medicines have been proven not to cure or reduce the length of a cough. They do contain decongestants which ease the tightness in your chest and tickly cough medicines can suppress the tickle. Childrens cough medicines often make kids drowsy which means everyone gets more sleep. Personally I like the placebo effect, anything that does they job.

I guess it depends on where the cough is.... If you have a chesty cough then I don't see how these medicines can help as they go NOWHERE NEAR your lungs or your trachea.

Cough linctuses (is that a word ? I dunno) were orginally developed as part of the ancient ideas of 'humours' affecting your health - this is why most cough medicines are hot and spicy flavoured, it isupposed to balance your humours (coughs were thought to be an overbalance of the 'cold' humour).

(Can you tell I've been doing the history of medical models and treatment fashions ????)

why "yawn" NDP?

My Dh is a GP and says the same as your sister but my arguement is if it works who cares if it's psychological or physiological - it works!!

oh i see, thought you were bored by my question!

Sorry, yawn at myself banging on about humours, not at your thread Donbean.

yes, i meant the symptoms of a cough. Obviously cough medicine has no antibiotic properties but they do calm down the horrid effects of coughing day and night dont they.
Bugger, think i shall keep quiet about this....

I guess with their thick syrupy texture they do line the throat a bit and protect it a little from the harsh rawness of constant coughing

Depends on the type of benylin!

Look here

Benylin for dry coughs does contain a cough suppressant, according to the manufacturers.

Does it work? I don't know!

Well DH is a pharamacists and swears that cough suppressents have no proven effect other than to coat the throat. However, that doesn't stop him swigging the stuff when he's coughing his guts up. So there you go - a definitive answer!

I thank you Sugar xxx