Cough medicines have no benefit

Found this news bit recently just shows how most of todays pharma companies are scamming people to purchase useless medications with promises of "fast relief", etc....

seriously, when's was the last time you took some medicine and it actually worked as promised??

this is one story of many.......

"Two active ingredients in many cough medicines do little to speed recovery, US researchers have suggested.
Night-time cough and sleep quality were no better with cough mixtures than with a simple, non-medicated syrup.

The team from Penn State Children's Hospital, writing in Pediatrics, say their findings call in to question if these medicines should be used. UK experts said they would do no harm to those who took them - but said they also did not provide any benefit."

Cough medicines don't do any harm to people who take them, but...neither do they have any medical benefits beyond those of non-medicated syrup

BBC source

This year I have had terrible allergies. Claritin didn't help. Benedryl made me a sleepy zombie etc.etc. Last night I tried Naselcrom and I haven't sneezed in 12 hours. Although this isn't an endorsement, I'm hopeful!!!

joey

I don't know if it's just me but I had a cold (the first time in my life) this year, and I took some cheap Walmart cough syrup. I did experience temporary relief along with the token drowsiness. Maybe it's just me though...

When I had bronchitus is December I was just taking codeine for cough supression. It works wonders, makes you feel better too, when the cough is coupled with the flu.

Originally posted by parrhesia
makes you feel better too.

yeah cos its metabolised to morphine

Cough medicines don't do any harm to people who take them

I'm gonna call BS on this, for the simple fact that I've seen people consume cough syrup in order to catch a buzz. One of the primary ingredients in most of the cough syrups out there is Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide, a dissassociative agent along the lines of Ketamine, but not as potent. Granted thats not really comparable to normal perscribed usage, but DXM does do harm to your body, and in specific your liver. Its not a good chemcial, while the buzz may be all nice for a while, your still doing some hefty damage to your body. Given what that stuff does to an abusers body, I don't think I woudl be advising anyone to consume products containg DXM, hell a hot-totty (honey, tea, liquer) would probably be better in the long run.

Personally I believe it is a placebo effect. Studies show that the power of suggest can be enough to heal a person. An article from the FDA even states this fact.

"Expectation is a powerful thing," says Robert DeLap, M.D., head of one of the Food and Drug Administration's Offices of Drug Evaluation. "The more you believe you're going to benefit from a treatment, the more likely it is that you will experience a benefit."

Placebo Effect

Here is another article related to the cough syrups. They even say the placebo cough medicine had a better effect.

All the children improved as a result of taking their �medication�. However THOSE ON THE FLAVOURED WATER, THE PLACEBO SYRUP, HAD THE BEST RESULTS!!!!

Cough syrups a waste of money, water is better for night time coughs

So if a bottle says stronger, faster acting, new and improved, your subconcious may believe it, therefore help you heal faster.

Cough medications only cover symptoms, they don�t fix the cause.

I've never been able to gain anything when it comes to taking cough syrup- it just doesnt work for me.

I had bronchitis several years ago, and i was prescribed codeine, which did help with the breathing, but did make me feel a little too "high", since it does metabolize to morphine.

the only time i ever take cough syrup now is when i'm having trouble sleeping- I take Zoloft for depression, and have trouble sleeping occasionally, and my shrink says the best way to fall asleep without getting prescription pills is to take a little cough syrup.

It doesnt surprise me at all that the truth has finally come out about the effects, or lack of effects, with cough syrup.