Active ingredients in cough liquids

Coughing is a super annoying symptom to deal with. But you should know that coughing is a natural response to help protect your airways. This uncontrollable – involuntary – cough reflex is triggered when nerves in your airways are stimulated. But while that bit of knowledge doesn’t help you feel better, this bit might: DURO-TUSS has you covered with a range of cough liquids to help switch off your cough.

Whether you’re dealing with a chesty cough, a dry cough, or a lingering cough at the end of a common cold, it’s good to know that there are over-the-counter medications that can help. Let’s take a look at what ingredients you’ll find in these different cough liquids – and how they can help relieve your cough and get you back to feeling your best.

For a dry cough – you know, that one where you have a scratchy feeling and tickle in your throat that you just can’t seem to shift – using a cough liquid may help. Let’s explore the DURO-TUSS range of liquids for dry cough.

What’s inside and how does it help: contains Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to soothe an irritated throat and associated dry cough.

What’s not inside: contains no artificial colours, and is lactose-free and gluten-free.

What else you need to know: available in Blackberry and Vanilla flavour.

Dosage: for children 3 – 11 years*, 5 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily); for adults and children 11 years and over, 10 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily)

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

*Use in children aged 3 to 11 years only on the advice of a doctor, pharmacist, or nurse practitioner. Do not use in children under 3 years.

Got a dry cough? Seek advice from your pharmacy for an effective dry cough solution

So now you know what can help get you back to feeling your best when you have a dry cough, but what about when you have a chesty cough? Chesty coughs develop when your body produces more mucus than normal – the cough is your body trying to clear out the mucus from your airways. 

Cough liquids that help relieve chesty coughs usually contain a mucolytic that helps to break down mucus and may also contain an expectorant to help loosen and thin mucus. These ingredients make it easier for your body to expel excess mucus from your airways. 

Knowing you can get relief from your cough symptoms can make all the difference when you want to feel better again. Let’s see what options are in the DURO-TUSS range of chesty cough liquids to help switch off your cough and get you back to feeling normal.

DURO-TUSS Chesty Cough Liquid 200mL

  • What’s inside and how does it help: contains the mucolytic bromhexine hydrochloride to break down mucus and clear chest congestion 
  • What’s not inside: free from sugar, lactose, gluten, and colour
  • What else you need to know: available in Forest Fruits flavour 
  • Dosage: for adults and children 12 years and over, 15 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily); for children 6 to 11 years*, 5 mL to 10 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily)

DURO-TUSS Chesty Cough Liquid Double Strength 200mL

  • What’s inside and how does it help: contains double strength bromhexine hydrochloride to break down and clear stubborn chest congestion 
  • What’s not inside: free from sugar, lactose, gluten and colour
  • What else you need to know: available in Strawberry flavour 
  • Dosage: for adults and children 12 years and over, 5 mL to 10 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily); for children 6 to 11 years*, 5 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily)

DURO-TUSS Chesty Cough Liquid Forte 200mL

  • What’s inside and how does it help: double-action formula contains bromhexine hydrochloride to break down heavy chest congestion plus the expectorant guaiphenesin to help expel mucus from the chest
  • What’s not inside: free from sugar, alcohol, lactose, gluten, and colour
  • What else you need to know: available in Strawberry flavour 
  • Dosage: for adults and children 12 years and over, 10 mL every 4 to 6 hours as required (maximum 4 times daily); for children 6 to 11 years*, 5 mL every 4 to 6 hours as required (maximum 4 times daily)

DURO-TUSS PE Chesty Cough Liquid Plus Nasal Decongestant 200mL  

  • What’s inside and how does it help: contains bromhexine hydrochloride to clear chest congestion and the nasal decongestant phenylephrine hydrochloride to clear a blocked or runny nose
  • What’s not inside: free from sugar, alcohol, lactose, gluten, and colour
  • What else you need to know: available in Tropical flavour 
  • Dosage: for adults and children 12 years and over, 15 mL every 6 hours as required (maximum 4 times daily); for children 6 to 11 years*, 7.5 mL every 6 hours as required (maximum 4 times daily)

But what about that in-between cough? The one that is mainly a nagging dry cough  but comes with a bit of mucus that triggers a coughing fit right when you don’t need it? Good news – DURO-TUSS has a product for that too!

DURO-TUSS Lingering Cough Liquid Plus Immune Support 200mL or 350mL

  • What’s inside and how does it help: contains Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to soothe an irritated throat and associated dry cough, Ivy Leaf (Hedera helix) to clear chest congestion, and zinc to help support a healthy immune system
  • What’s not inside: contains no added sugar, no artificial colours, and is lactose-free
  • What else you need to know: available in Blackberry and Vanilla flavour 
  • Dosage: for adults and children 12 years and over ^, 10 mL every 8 hours as required (maximum 3 times daily)

Whatever type of cough is getting in your way, look no further than DURO-TUSS cough liquids to help switch off that cough and get you back to feeling your best!

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

*Use in children aged 6 to 11 years only on the advice of a doctor, pharmacist, or nurse practitioner. Do not use in children under 6 years.

^Do not use in children under 12 years.

Natural remedies in combination with cough liquids

In addition to taking over-the-counter cough liquids, here are some things you can try to help relieve your cough symptoms and get back to your normal self:

  • Get plenty of rest
  • Drink adequate amounts of fluids to stay hydrated 
  • Take a hot shower or bath – the steamy air may help loosen your mucus
  • Consider hot drinks with honey to help soothe your throat

When to see a doctor

If you’ve had a cold, your cough should clear up on its own in a few weeks. It is important to see your doctor if you have any concerns about your cough or any other symptoms, or if:

  • Your cough gets worse or lasts longer than 10 days to 3 weeks
  • You have a fever, difficulty breathing, or chest pains
  • You cough up blood, or green or yellow mucus
  • Your coughing causes vomiting

If you have cold and flu symptoms follow health advice. For the most up-to-date information, please visit https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19

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 FAQs about cough liquids

A.

Cough medicines work in several different ways and your selection of medicine will depend on the kind of cough you’re suffering from. Cough medicines may work by reducing the cough reflex with a cough suppressant, breaking down mucus with a mucolytic, or thinning mucus and expelling it from the airways with an expectorant.

A.

There are different types of cough medicines for different types of coughs. Explore the DURO-TUSS range to find a cough medicine that can help switch off your cough.

A.

Always follow the directions for use, take only the recommended dose, and read the product label before purchase. If you take more than the recommended dose of cough medicine, speak to your pharmacist or doctor or call the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126.

A.

A wet cough usually suggests a build-up of mucus in the airways. Consider a cough syrup that contains a mucolytic and/or an expectorant to break down and expel mucus. Explore the range of DURO-TUSS products for wet, chesty coughs.