‘Twas not the cough that carried ’im off, but the coffin they carried ’im off in. —English epigram

By Patricia Lush

A little coughing is normal and necessary, but how do you get rid of that annoying cough?

First, drink lots of liquids, especially water, to help thin and loosen mucus and make a cough more productive. A home-made remedy of lemon juice, honey, hot water and cayenne pepper is also effective. Hot showers or using a humidifier or vaporizer can also loosen congestion.

Suck on hard candy or cough drops, or drink juices or tea sweetened with honey to ease a sore, dry throat.

Over-the-counter cough medicines can make a cough more productive or quiet a disruptive cough, but they need to be used with caution.

Expectorants loosen mucus in the airways; suppressants dull the brain-controlled urge to cough. If a cough brings up mucus, it’s better not to suppress it.

Avoid taking two drugs designed to treat the same symptoms. Be aware of how the ingredients may interact with other medications you’re taking, or with a health condition or with alcohol.

Watch out for cold, cough and allergy products that contain phenylpropanolamine, sometimes called PPA. Last November, after a Yale University study showed it increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, most Canadian drug companies and drug stores removed drugs with PPA from their shelves. Medication that contains "phenylpropanolamine", "phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride", or "phenylpropanolamine bitartrate" should not be used.

Other precautions on anti-cold and cough medicines:

Antihistamines can cause drowsiness and increase the effects of alcohol and other medicines, including anti-anxiety medications and prescription pain relievers.

Antihistamines also cause drying and could aggravate glaucoma, asthma and some prostate problems.

Decongestants constrict blood vessels, so people with high blood pressure need to be wary.

Suppressants that contain narcotics (codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone) add to the effects of alcohol and other medicines that slow your nervous system.

Check your other medicines to see if any contain analgesics, including the salicylates diflunisal or bismuth subsalicylate.

Some products contain alcohol or are too strong for children under two years.

Don’t give a medicine containing aspirin or other salicylates to a child or teen with a fever or symptoms of a viral infection, especially flu or chickenpox. Salicylates may cause Reye’s syndrome, a serious and often life-threatening condition.

Finally, remember what your mother said: Cover your mouth when you cough and wash your hands – frequently, and with soap.

Sources: Health Canada, USFDA, About.com, Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Drug Trading Co. Ltd., SmithKline Beecham, the Mayo Clinic

According to TreeCanada

The rings of a tree are usually farther apart on the tree’s southern side, so rings on stumps can be used to determine compass points.

One large tree can lift as much as 100 gallons (Cdn) of water out of the ground and discharge it into the air in one day.

It takes about 500 fully-grown trees to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by an average car driven 20,000 km a year.

The Tree Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1992.

You can explore the website at:
www.treecanada.ca