International, 16 January 2024 (ATB Digital). – A cold brings with it the symptoms of a cold, along with a horrible cough and a horrible runny nose. In fact, nasal mucus is the most common symptom experienced by people with constipation, followed by nasal congestion (the result of a runny nose), fatigue, sore throat, and headaches. It’s true that some colds don’t have mucus, but most colds, especially in cold weather, have this symptom.
As MarĂa Sanz Almazán, a member of the Respiratory Pathology Working Group of the Spanish Society of General Practitioners and Family Doctors (SEMG), told CuĂdatePlus, “The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract, usually caused by a virus, and is self-limiting. Over time, it can cause different Symptoms, such as phlegm, cough, sore throat, headache, sneezing, fever, etc. The main difference between a cold without mucus and a cold with mucus is “the direction of treatment, because the purpose of treatment is always to relieve symptoms, not to treat the cause itself; In other words, the treatment methods for colds with mucus and colds without mucus are different. “
So what are the treatments for mucus? Should they be eliminated? According to experts, “Mucus is a secretion produced by the nasal mucosa and submucosal glands. Its function is to protect the respiratory tract from infectious agents, pollution, dust, irritants, etc. In addition to regulating the temperature and humidity of the nose.”
Therefore, we can say that our bodies physiologically produce mucus, however, “When the mucus membranes become inflamed, such as from an infection or allergy, mucus production increases and can become thicker and sometimes very annoying.”.
Tips for getting rid of mucus
As mentioned above, there is no cure for the cold, but there are symptoms, such as a runny nose. In this case, the main advice is to “drink a lot of water”, as LucĂa Galán, better known as LucĂa My Pediatra, explained to CuĂdatePlus. As experts point out, “Water-based hydration is one of the most scientifically studied recommendations out there.”
Other tips are:
Lavados nasales con suero fisiolĂłgico
Medidas posturales y de confort: elevar la cabecera de la cama, posición más incorporada, etc.
HumidificaciĂłn del ambiente
Evitar contacto con agentes irritantes: humo, polvo, agentes tĂłxicos, etc.
No tomar nada para eliminar la tos. Si eliminamos la tos, será más difĂcil expulsar el moco. Use a mucolytic, yes or no?
In many cases, the desperate search for a treatment or measure to relieve mucus leads many people to the pharmacy to purchase mucolytics. As Judit Carrera from the Medical Information Center (CIM) of the School of Pharmacists of Barcelona explained to CuĂdatePlus, these drugs have the “ability to alter the production, secretion, properties and composition of mucus and/or interact with it”. Mucociliary epithelium. Mucolytic agents “primarily function by reducing the viscosity of bronchial secretions to facilitate sputum drainage, but are also intended to reduce bronchial hypersecretion.”
Its effects vary depending on the type of mucolytic agent. Therefore, the pharmaceutical company details, “some act by directly disrupting the chemical structure of certain components of the mucus, others by altering the composition of the glands and mucus secretions and/or their water content, and finally, others Some have some surfactant action.”
Accordingly, mucolytics “will be suitable for the symptomatic treatment of upper respiratory tract processes involving excessive mucus secretion, such as the common cold, influenza, etc.,” reports Sanz Almazán.
It is important to note that mucolytic agents should not be confused with expectorants. Both “are used to promote the elimination of mucus from the respiratory tract, but have different mechanisms of action.” Mucolytic agents “change the consistency of mucus, making it thinner; while expectorants stimulate the elimination of sputum, increase its water concentration, or activate coughing reflex.” The purpose of expectorants is to “convert a dry cough into a productive cough that eliminates mucus.”
Types of Mucolytic Agents
There are different categories of mucolytics, but if we go into clinical practice, the most commonly used ones are:
AcetilcisteĂna y carbocisteĂna
Bromhexina y ambroxol
Menos extendidos son la dornasa alfa y mesna, indicados en el tratamiento de la fibrosis quĂsticaThey are sold in different forms such as: syrups, effervescent tablets, sachets, dispersible tablets, suppositories, oral inhalation solutions, capsules and injectable solutions.
In the case of “carbocysteine ​​and acetylcysteine, they are also indicated for chronic respiratory diseases that require mucus thinning, such as COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, etc.,” the doctor said.
How should it be used?
Generally speaking, there are many active ingredients, with many different presentations and different manufacturers, so “the most appropriate approach is to consult a clinical pharmacist and/or consult the technical sheet for each product to use them correctly,” explains doctor. .
According to the pharmacist, “When mucolytics are recommended, their use will be associated with an improvement in the patient’s symptoms and will in most cases be primarily a short-term treatment.” Therefore, as stated in its technical instructions, “If the patient In the absence of improvement or worsening after 5 days of treatment, the clinical situation must be evaluated before continuing treatment.”
Generally, “its use is accompanied by other hygienic dietary measures designed to promote the drainage and fluidization of phlegm.”
It is important to remember that these drugs should not be used with other cough medicines because if the cough is suppressed and the mucus becomes more liquid, it may remain in the lungs and may not be excreted. This is yet another reason to consult a doctor before using such medications alone.
Many of these medications are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, so it’s important to understand what they are used for and the warning signs that tell us when we should go to the emergency room. In this sense, as LucĂa Mi Pediatra points out, “Alarm symptoms are fever lasting more than 3 or 4 days, foul-smelling mucus, pain in the forehead that may be complicated by sinusitis, and difficulty in resting or breathing A sharp cough.”
Not recommended for use
Although mucolytics are “well tolerated” drugs, it should always be taken into account that “in certain pathological situations their use is not indicated, such as:
Pacientes asmáticos
Con insuficiencia respiratoria grave
Con Ăşlcera gastroduodenal.
Insuficiencia renal e insuficiencia hepática. SEMG experts report that it is also not recommended for use in children under 2 years old “due to the risk of bronchial obstruction,” and that “its use is best avoided during pregnancy and lactation, if necessary. It.” A prescription is always required. “And medical supervision is required,” the pharmacist added.
If it is a child, will it be noted?
Physicians report that the use of mucolytics in children younger than 2 years “is contraindicated because of its association with bronchial obstruction due to increased secretion production.”
Studies show that acetylcysteine ​​and carbocysteine ​​are safe, although “they may have limited effectiveness when used for acute respiratory infections, so it is always better to recommend hygiene measures that improve symptoms,” the experts concluded.
Source: Take Care Plus