Expectorants are medications designed to thin out mucus, primarily by adding more water to the mucus. Some expectorants are also intended to improve the productivity of coughing, which helps to get more mucus out.
They’re often prescribed to help treat excessive mucus production, especially in cases where a person has respiratory tract infections, but they’re used for other conditions as well. Some patients with a chronic cough or bronchitis may also benefit from using an expectorant. There are two main types of prescription expectorants.
What expectorants treat
The most common condition treated with expectorants is excessive respiratory secretions. The medication helps relieve chest congestion and is often part of combination medications designed to serve as cold remedies. The drugs are designed to increase the water content in mucus. When the body produces mucus in excessive amounts, it can cause mucus accumulation in the airways, sinuses, and several other areas. This can make breathing difficult and lead to a chronic cough during illness.
Other conditions are also treated with expectorants. In some cases, respiratory tract infections are treated with this cough suppressant. The medication will not treat acute respiratory infections but help produce a more productive cough in these cases. The medication may also help to reduce chronic mucus hypersecretion, especially in people with stable chronic bronchitis and similar conditions.
There are also several cases where expectorants form part of flu medications. This can help to reduce the chest congestion that people experience with the flu and even the common cold.
The medication works on mucus in the lungs, as well as in the throat. When the mucus is thick, it is difficult to cough it out. This can also cause difficulty breathing in some cases. Expectorants are available to help thin out the mucus, which means the mucus is easier to come out when the person coughs.
