Whatever the cause, a cough can be a very uncomfortable thing to deal with. Not only can it feel itchy and irritating, but it can interfere with breathing, and make things like sleeping and engaging in conversation unpleasant.
Cough treatments are available to relieve the symptoms of a cough and make the experience less uncomfortable. In particular, herbal cough medicines have long been used to naturally treat coughs and provide soothing relief to sufferers. In comparison with synthetic cough relief medicines, herbal remedies contain ingredients that work in harmony with your body, rather than against it. The ingredients often also provide other benefits to your immune system and your response to a cough, as well as being soothing to swallow. Compared with synthetic cough treatments, herbal cough remedies tend to be more gentle on users, and have may fewer potential side effects.
Important information on taking Cough Plex Herbal Medicine:
Always follow the dosing recommendations on the label, and if symptoms persist, see your healthcare practitioner.
DOSAGE:
Adults: 5mL three times daily
Children 3-12 years: 1-2.5mL three times a day
Not to be used in children under 2 years of age without medical advice.
Duration of use:
A maximum of 3 weeks continuous treatment only. If symptoms persist or worsen, talk to your healthcare practitioner.
Directions for use:
Shake bottle well before use. Can be diluted with water, fruit juice or other fluids if necessary and consumed immediately.
Interactions: Information not available. Talk to your healthcare practitioner.
Shelf life: 36 months from date of manufacture
Storage Conditions: Store below 30°C.
Cautions: Safety during pregnancy and breast feeding has not been evaluated.
WARNING:
USE ONLY AS DIRECTED AND CONSULT TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER IF SYMPTOMS OR COUGHING PERSIST. NOT TO BE USED IN CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE WITHOUT MEDICAL ADVICE. CONTAINS ALCOHOL 19% V/V. USE ONLY IF CAP SEAL IS UNBROKEN. Store below 30°C.)
Coughs and their causes
There are a few different types of cough, including dry coughs, wet coughs, paroxysmal coughs and croup-related coughs. These coughs have varying causes. Herbs for coughs can be very effective in providing temporary relief of symptoms, no matter the type of cough.
Types of Cough
Dry Cough
A dry cough tends to involve minimal mucus production, but can still be very irritating. You may feel an itch or tickle in the throat, and continually cough to try to alleviate that itch. These sorts of coughs can be caused not only by allergies, colds and flu, but also by GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). Additionally, laryngitis and tonsillitis can cause dry coughing.
A dry cough will usually resolve itself, however using a natural remedy for a cough can help to soothe the throat. Indeed, herbal remedies for acid reflux cough are some of the best ways to relieve symptoms, as they often include ingredients that also assist digestion.
Wet Cough
Also referred to as a ‘Productive Cough’, a wet cough is one where your body is producing a lot of mucus, which you’re bringing up with your cough. In some cases, the mucus may be lodged in the airways or lungs, and a herbal remedy for cough that involves a decongestant can be helpful in thinning the mucus and helping it to exit the chest.
Wet coughs may be caused by asthma, cold and flu, pneumonia or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, where the airways or other parts of the lung are damaged). Wet coughs may have accompanying chest pain and wheezing, and if there is an infection involved, mucus may be a yellow to green colour.
Usually a wet cough shouldn’t last longer than 3 weeks, however chronic wet coughs may last months. Natural remedies for cough can help relieve symptoms of a wet cough, but if there is thick mucus involved, a high fever, chest pain or shortness of breath, you should see your healthcare practitioner for an assessment.
Paroxysmal Cough
This is when you experience uncontrollable sessions of coughing that result in pain, discomfort, vomiting, or just exhaustion. These types of coughs are commonly caused by asthma, whooping cough, pneumonia, tuberculosis, COPD, and also by choking incidents.
Paroxysmal coughs are difficult to shake, and can result in sufferers feeling very weary. Natural remedies for chesty coughs are helpful to relieve symptoms, however if the coughing worsens after 1-2 weeks, it’s important to seek a diagnosis from your healthcare practitioner.
Herbal Cough Remedies to Treat Cough – Do They Work?
Herbs have long been used for cough treatment. Though not a cure, herbal cough remedies are there to assist you to feel relief while you suffer a cough. Depending on their active ingredients, they may do different things.
In the case of Cough Plex Herbal Medicine, the formulation contains some of the best herbs for cough and cold and associated symptoms. Ingredients in Cough Plex act to reduce inflammation in the throat and the chest. They also work as a decongestant, to thin and clear mucus, so you cough more up and clear your airways. Additionally, some of the ingredients have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
Advantages of Choosing Herbal Medicine for Treating Coughs
Unlike synthetic cough treatments, herbal cough remedies provide a cough treatment that uses natural, plant-sourced ingredients. The ingredients selected in herbal cough medicines tend to be known for their therapeutic properties, and have been used in traditional medicine for long periods of time, and across various cultures.
The natural ingredients used in herbal remedies for cough often offer benefits to those suffering more than one condition, especially when those herbal ingredients have antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
All in all, herbal medicines are known to have a gentle effect on the body.
Cough Plex Herbal Medicine
If you’re looking for the best herbal remedy for wet or dry cough, you can’t look past PPC’s Cough Plex Herbal Medicine. This medicine combines a range of natural ingredients that help coughs, including natural remedies for chesty cough, as well as for cough associated with dry cough and Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
One of the great things about Cough Plex is that it is made in Australia from high-quality herbal ingredients.
As mentioned earlier in this article, always follow the dosing recommendations on the label, and if symptoms persist, see your healthcare practitioner.
What’s in Cough Plex Herbal Medicine?
Cough Plex Herbal Medicine contains ingredients known to assist with alleviating inflammation associated with coughs and clearing congestion, in the format of a pleasant-tasting medicine that’s soothing to the throat.
Key Ingredients
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a perennial herb in the mint family. The leaves and flowers have been used in herbal cough remedies for some time, as well as being used for indigestion-related issues. Chemicals in the plant are thought to thin mucus secretions as well as reduce inflammation. Hence, white horehound is often used in infusions or as an extract, and is found in a range of teas, syrups, lozenges, and herbal medicines.
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been traditionally cultivated in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. It has been used as a traditional remedy for cough, as well as to treat lung, circulatory, kidney and liver conditions. These days, licorice root is a common ingredient in lozenges, gargles and herbal remedies that treat coughs and sore throats.
Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) is the flower of the elder tree. It has long been used in herbal medicines to treat colds, bronchitis, influenza and sinusitis. It is known for its pleasant flavour.
Thyme leaf (Thymus vulgaris) is used in herbal medicine to treat respiratory concerns including coughs and bronchitis. A traditional remedy for cough, thyme leaf functions both as an antibacterial agent and also as an expectorant to help thin and loosen up mucus so congestion may clear.
Lemon Essential Oil (Rutaceae), extracted from lemon skins, is used as a natural remedy for colds and sore throats. Mostly, the aromas of the lemon are what assist sufferers of the common cold, as lemon oil can help to relax muscles in the throat.
Aniseed Essential Oil (Pimpinella anisum) is distilled from the seeds of the anise plant. It has a sweet, liquorice scent that enhances the flavour of herbal remedies. Aniseed oil also has strong anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Preventing Coughs
Sometimes, prevention is better than treatment or cure. If you want to keep your immune system strong so that viral coughs don’t take hold, you may wish to consider taking an immune system support supplement. (Read our recent article on Herbal Medicine for Healthy Immune Function to find out more about how you can prevent illness.)
FAQs
Is Cough Plex safe for my child?
Cough Plex may be used by children between 3-12 years of age, at a dosage of 1-2.5mL three times a day (always abide by the directions on the bottle). Cough Plex should not be administered to children 2 years or under, unless you have received medical advice to say otherwise. (Cough Plex contains 19% ethanol, amongst other ingredients.)
Can I use Cough Plex during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
The safety of the ingredients used in Cough Plex has not been evaluated for those who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding.
Is Cough Plex easy to store?
Unless you live in very hot conditions, Cough Plex Herbal Medicine should be fine to store on the shelf at home. It must be stored below 30°C, so it does not require refrigeration. As with any medicine, herbal or otherwise, keep Cough Plex out of the reach of children.
What’s the best way to take Cough Plex?
Cough Plex herbal remedy for cough can be taken on its own, or diluted with water or fruit juice. Some people enjoy the soothing effect of taking the medicine straight, whilst others want a milder taste, so it’s up to you. Just remember to shake the bottle well before use, and if you do administer yourself a dose, consume it immediately, rather than leaving it on the kitchen bench.
How long does Cough Plex dry cough natural remedy last?
Cough Plex has a shelf life of 36 months from its date of manufacture. Each bottle contains 200 mL of oral liquid, and the daily dose is 5 mL three times a day for adults, which means you get 40 adult doses out of a bottle.
It’s advised that you don’t use Cough Plex for more than a 3-week continuous treatment period.
I’ve been using Cough Plex for three weeks, but my cough is still here. When should I see a doctor?
We recommend that if your cough symptoms persist or worsen at any time during your use of Cough Plex, you should consult with your healthcare practitioner. Coughing can be caused by severe conditions like pneumonia, so it’s vital you receive a thorough assessment and use prescribed treatments sooner rather than later. Coughs may also be a result of GERD or obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), so it’s important to consult with a medical professional to discuss your concerns.
I’m using other medications. Can I use Cough Plex as well?
As with any herbal medicinal, it’s important to read about the individual ingredients in Cough Plex to ensure that they don’t interfere with other medications you are taking, and to make certain they won’t negatively impact any existing health conditions you experience. You also need to ensure you take only the recommended dosage, and no more, as even herbal ingredients can cause problems if taken in excessive doses.
Our Plex Range
We at PPC Herbs have formulated a number of herbal medicines to assist with various complaints. See our full Plex Herbal Medicine range here if you need support with your health. Our range includes remedies to help with sleep, stress, liver health, fungal complaints, immune health, sinus health, fluid retention and more.