Cough Drops: HSA Eligibility

What is a cough drop?

A cough drop can also be referred to as a throat lozenge and is a small tablet intended to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to temporarily stop coughs and soothe irritated tissues of the throat. Cold symptoms can be difficult to bear so people seek a whole host of remedies to help mitigate or suppress cold symptoms. Some of these include over the counter medicines, home remedies, and quite often these cough drops.

What is in a cough drop?

Medicated cough drops such as mentholated cough drops can have some effect on cough symptoms. The “menthol” are local anesthetic agents that can create temporarily numbness in the nerves in the through that are irritated by cold symptoms, providing brief relief.

Lozenges may also contain benzocaine (Drugs.com), another kind of anaesthetic, or eucalyptus oil. Non-menthol throat lozenges generally use either zinc gluconate glycine or pectin as an oral demulcent - a substance that relieves inflammation or irritation. Several brands of throat lozenges contain dextromethorphan which is a cough suppressant (LIVESTRONG).

When should you use a cough drop?

Coughing is your body's way of removing foreign substances and mucus from your lungs and upper airway passages. Productive coughs are often useful, but sometimes coughs are severe enough to impair breathing or prevent rest (WebMD). Cough drops can be helpful to relieve symptoms and allow you to rest or fall asleep more easily at night (WebMD).

In addition, a lot of over the counter cold and cough medications can cause many side effects and provide few benefits for younger children. Cough drops can be a safer and simpler alternative to give to a small child.