A dry cough, a headache, an unusual bout of fatigue, if it’s not the Covid, it’s one of the illnesses of winter. To treat themselves, some rush to the pharmacy and come back with a treatment that is not always really effective, or even dangerous. This is what tells us 60 Million consumers in its latest issue. Details from Sylvie Metzelard, editor-in-chief of this magazine.
franceinfo: We will start with treatments for dry cough, what is it better to avoid?
Sylvie Metzelard: For this type of cough, you can be prescribed codeine cough suppressants (such as Pulmoserum or Neo-codion, to name just two well-known ones) or you can buy over-the-counter antihistamine-based cough suppressants (such as Humex dry cough or Toplexil). It is better to avoid one and the other, because they all have possible side effects, more or less serious.
What type of side effects for example?
For syrups based on antihistamines, it can be constipation, drowsiness of course, dry mouth, but also heart problems or severe allergic reactions. For codeine products which are reserved for adults and on prescription (codeine is an opiate), there are concerns about drowsiness and breathing difficulties. You should know that some people have metabolisms that very quickly transform codeine into morphine, and can be exposed to overdoses even when following the dosages!
And for wet cough, there are also references to banish?
If it is important not to refrain from coughing and spitting when you have a wet cough, there is not much to keep in expectorants. All those containing ambroxol are to be banned: Muxol, Surbronc, Vicks expectorant. They contain terpene derivatives which can lead to seizures; Those based on Bromexhine can cause skin reactions.
Finally the stuffy nose: again, not everything is good to take?
No, actually! Treatments that combine paracetamol with a decongestant or antihistamines (Actifed Cold day & night, Dolirhume, Fervex Cold, Humex Cold) may present more risks than benefits: drowsiness, risk of cardiovascular disorders which can be very serious. The Independent Review Prescribe who contributed to this file considers that drugs with this type of association are really “to be ruled out” for the common cold.
What is recommended then?
Simple solutions! To clear the nose, the most effective way is to wash and moisten the ducts: – with physiological saline; with an isotonic seawater solution (Fluimer, Hexamer, Prorhinel, etc.)
And grandmother’s remedies in all this? Is this a solution?
It depends on which ones: to clear the nose, inhaling steam from boiling water is fine; there is no need to put products based on essential oils or terpene derivatives in it (camphor menthol and all the rest) For dry coughs, honey (but not before a year especially!) and a thyme herbal tea is perfect. In fact, the good medicine is patience. Most of the time, winter sores (cough, cold) are pathologies of viral origin for which there is no real curative treatment. Hence the little joke: a cold treated lasts a week, an untreated cold lasts seven days.
And for those who would dig into their own pharmacy, are there any treatments to get rid of?
Yes, all pholcodine-based syrups that the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) had permanently withdrawn from the market last September. They expose to a risk of allergy to muscle relaxants, these same products used during general anesthesia. Their name: Pholcodine (Biogaran), Biocalyptol, Broncalene and Dimetane.