Coughs
How to Make Your Own Cough Syrup
What do you do for a nasty cough? You might smear Vicks VapoRub on the soles of your feet; many readers find that approach helpful. Or you might look for an over-the-counter cough syrup. In the US, th…
Twins Demonstrate the Benefits of Vicks VapoRub …
When we first heard about putting Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet to calm a cough, we thought it was a little odd. In fact, the nurse who told us about it described this remedy as "wacky." None…
How to Calm a Cough with Crystallized Ginger
Even a spring cold can sometimes produce a troublesome cough. Nobody wants to be wakened in the middle of the night with a cough. It isn't pleasant, either, to be coughing through a concert or church …
Will a Whiff of Garlic Stop a Stubborn Cough?
How do you calm a cough? We've heard about numerous home remedies for this common problem. One reader surprised us recently with a way to stop a stubborn cough that we had never encountered before. T…
Terpin Hydrate Cough Medicine Disappearance Can …
One of the most popular cough medicines in pharmacies for over 100 years was terpin hydrate. It was an expectorant, meaning that it was prescribed by physicians to loosen mucus and ease congestion. It…
How to Soothe Your Cough with Cayenne Pepper
In the winter, when colds and flu viruses are common, one of the most common complaints is a cough that lingers long after the infection has cleared up. Of course, the congestion, sneezing and general…
How to Calm a Cough with Thyme Tea
After a cold or the flu, a cough may linger for weeks. What do you do to calm a cough like this? Drinking Thyme Tea to Calm a Cough: Q. I had the flu four weeks ago and still have a cough despite taki…
Does Tasting Garlic Through Your Feet Offer Clue…
Many health professionals think that using Vicks for coughs is at best an old wives' tale. This is especially true when we describe the technique. Instead of applying Vicks VapoRub to the chest or nec…
Will Cough Syrup Recall Protect Kids from Overdo…
The maker of several store-brand cough syrups for children has recalled several batches of grape and cherry-flavored cough medicine. The plastic cups provided with the syrup to measure the proper dose…
Misdiagnosed Cough from Hell Makes Life Miserabl…
Q. I have had the cough from hell with retching and even vomiting for six months now. The first doctor suggested I have a "post-viral hyper-reactive cough." The second recommended drugs for acid reflu…
Skeptical Aussie Embraces Vicks VapoRub on the S…
As cold and flu season arrives, people all around us have begun coughing as well as sniffling. Having a cough that keeps you awake at night is terrible, especially when you are already feeling lousy. …
If You Are Sensitive to Drug Side Effects There …
Q. I have been unable to tolerate most medicines without experiencing bad drug side effects. My doctor does not believe me. She prescribes medications with names I don't recognize and I react badly to…
Why Do So Many Doctors Ignore Obvious Drug Side …
Some adverse drug reactions are subtle and easy to overlook. For example, doctors could be forgiven for not catching a vitamin B12 deficiency associated with long-term prescriptions of popular acid-su…
Lisinopril Cough Caused Loss of Consciousness
We are constantly amazed by the number of reports we have received about ACEi (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) and cough. These are among the most widely prescribed blood pressure drugs in t…
Childhood Cough Remedy Is Gone, but Home Remedie…
Many people wonder what happened to the medicines they used as children. Although nostalgia may alter our perceptions of effectiveness, modern-day medicines don't always seem to live up to our expecta…
How to Calm a Cough: Drugstore Vs. Grandma
At this time of year, when folks squeeze into crowded shopping centers, gather for holiday parties or lift their voices for seasonal songs, viruses can travel fast. What doctors term "upper respirator…
Natural Cough Remedies
Q. My husband is getting over a nasty cold, but he is still coughing non-stop. The cough syrup we had on hand isn't working. What can you suggest? We are desperate for advice. A. Readers sometimes rep…
OTC Cough Medicine Effectiveness Questioned
Americans spend billions on over-the-counter cough medicine. How well do they work? Better Than Placebo? Several years ago researchers reported that there was no good evidence showing that the common …
Skeptical Rheumatologist Wants Info on Turmeric …
Q. I have osteoarthritis and recently became unable to take NSAIDs due to a spike in my liver enzymes and a family history of heart disease. Then I read in a recent column of People's Pharmacy that tu…
Which Facts About Asthma Are Really Myths?
In observance of National Asthma Awareness Month, we share five facts and five myths about asthma with you. Fact: Asthma affects about 18 million adults in America, or roughly 8% of the population. Fa…
Candied Ginger Serves as Natural Cough Remedy
Do you have a favorite cough remedy? You could presumably carry cough drops around in your pocket for an emergency. Some people do. But others prefer a natural cough remedy. That is what this reader d…
Changing Doctors Ended Drug Nightmare
Patients want to trust their doctors. These health professionals are among the best and the brightest. Their training is rigorous and long. Most people assume that physicians do their homework when it…
Lisinopril Side Effects Can Be Lethal
How do you keep your blood pressure under control? Managing blood pressure is an important pillar for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of strokes or heart disease. Regular exercise, a di…
Lisinopril Side Effect Made Her Miserable
Q. I was on lisinopril for two years without symptoms. Then I developed a cough that woke me up at night. I coughed so hard I urinated. I couldn't laugh without coughing and I irritated all who were n…
Easing Kids’ Coughs and Colds
Ask a pediatrician how to treat a child's cold, and you'll probably learn that there are few, if any, medicines that speed recovery or even ease symptoms. Dextromethorphan (abbreviated DM) is the main…
Cough: Calming a Child’s Nighttime Hack
Q. Our family has had several bouts of respiratory infections this fall. Our 5-year-old daughter is still coughing through the night and keeping everyone awake. We tried over-the-counter cough remedie…
German Cold & Cough Remedy Works Great!
European cold and cough remedies have won converts when U.S. visitors travel to the continent. There could be a reason for this success. Q. When I was in Europe last month, I caught a cold and develop…
Old-Fashioned Remedy Best for Kids’ Cough
The principal ingredient in most over-the-counter cough medicines, dextromethorphan, is no longer recommended for young children. Parents need not despair, however. Evidence is accumulating that an ol…
Horrible Cough from Blood Pressure Pill
Q. I was given a prescription for lisinopril last year to lower my blood pressure. During the winter I developed a constant horrible dry cough that just wouldn't go away. One day at work I started cou…
Cough Causes Loss of Bladder and Bowel Control
During cold and flu season, a terrible cough may accompany a nasty respiratory tract infection. It makes sense to check in with your doctor right away if you suspect you have caught the flu. Antiviral…
Unique Cough Remedy Worked Instantly
As we move into the season of coughs, colds and the flu, smart parents will be prepared with a unique cough remedy. Cough remedies containing dextromethorphan may not work well on young children (Smit…
Vitamin Shots Helped Chronic Coughs
A chronic cough can be a symptom of allergies, asthma, reflux or a side effect of certain kinds of blood pressure medication. Italian scientists now suggest that an unexplained cough may also be a res…
Treating Children’s Cough Safely
Q. My three-year-old daughter gets a bad cough every time she gets a cold (which is often). The colds are likely due to the daycare environment she is in just this year. The cough is sometimes so seve…
Old-Fashioned Vicks VapoRub Vindicated
Parents with young children are faced with a difficult dilemma. When their youngsters come down with colds, parents want to give something to soothe symptoms. Congestion and a nighttime cough can keep…
When Will Doctors Pay Attention to an ACE Cough?
We are dumbfounded! No one gets out of medical school without learning about a class of blood pressure medications called ACEi (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors). These are among the most comm…
Coughing Fix: How to Suppress an Annoying Cough
Learn how to treat a cough in this video with Joe Graedon.…
Pill Triggered Cough from Hell
Q. My insurance company refused the blood pressure drug my doctor prescribed (Hyzaar) and had me take lisinopril instead. After one month I got a cough from hell! I've had allergies, so my doctor and …
Cough Is Reaction to Blood Pressure Medicine
Q. I developed a dry cough soon after my doctor diagnosed me with hypertension and put me on Altace. I would cough and cough until I would gag and throw up at work into my trashcan because the coughin…
Calming a Cough Calls for Creativity
Once upon a time, before the end of the last century, Americans could buy cough medicines that worked. Codeine-containing syrups were widely available without prescription. Physicians also recommended…