Staying hydrated and drinking up to 8 glasses of water a day, in conjunction with expectorants, will help loosen mucus. What does an expectorant do? Expectorants are used in the treatment of wet coughs due to cold or infection.
How does an expectorant work? During a cold or respiratory infection, the airways in the lungs become infected and produce excess phlegm. This causes blockages in the lungs and throat, leading to congestion, shortness of breath and a wet cough.
An expectorant thins and loosens phlegm, breaking up the congestion and clearing the phlegm from the airways. This makes it easier to expel phlegm via coughing. Dry Cough Irritated Throat. Once thinned, the mucus loosens up so you can cough it up and out. Robitussin and Mucinex both come as an oral liquid and oral tablets, depending on the specific product. In addition, Robitussin is available as liquid-filled capsules. Mucinex also comes in the form of oral granules, which are called mini-melts.
Dextromethorphan, which is in Robitussin and Mucinex DM, may be safe to use while pregnant. Still, check with your doctor before taking it. More research is needed on using dextromethorphan while breastfeeding. Guaifenesin, the active ingredient in Mucinex and several Robitussin products, has not been adequately tested in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
For other options, check out how to treat a cold or flu when pregnant. Side effects from dextromethorphan and guaifenesin are uncommon when taking the recommended dose, but they may still include:. Not everyone experiences side effects with Robitussin or Mucinex.
Do not use medications with dextromethorphan, including Robitussin and Mucinex DM, if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor MAOI within the past 2 weeks. If you take other medications or supplements, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Robitussin or Mucinex. Either one may affect the way some medications work. You should also never take Robitussin and Mucinex products that have the same active ingredients at the same time. Not only will this not resolve your symptoms any faster, but it could also lead to an overdose.
Taking too much guaifenesin can cause nausea and vomiting. Role of guaifenesin in the management of chronic bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections. Multidiscip Respir Med. A pilot study of safety of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and guaifenesin in pediatric and adult patients with acute bronchitis. BMC Res Notes. Antitussive and expectorant activities of licorice and its major compounds. Bioorg Med Chem. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth.
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Call your healthcare provider immediately if you develop a rash while taking dextromethorphan. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.
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