Frequent spells of coughs can reduce your productivity levels. A wide variety of drugs are available to treat coughs; especially those triggered by common cold. Most of these drugs can also arrest coughing due to respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. Of the various types of medicines, benzonatate is prescribed to stop coughing. Though it is generally considered as safe, it is not administered to those aged less than 11 years. Also, this drug may trigger a few adverse reactions when co-administered with other drugs.
The reflexive action in your lungs is the key reason behind coughing. Hyper-reflexive lung muscles only mean the odds of coughing are very high. Benzonatate is a drug widely administered to bring relief from coughing triggered by flu or other forms of cold. It is available mainly with prescriptions, issued by a qualified medical practitioner. The key task of benzonatate is to reduce the urges to cough and in essence, suppresses the need to cough more. Highly dense mucus or phlegm is noticed while you are living with respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD), bronchitis, etc. This drug is often compared with cough-reducing drugs like codeine. In general, benzonatate is more effective than many other drugs of the same genre; its efficacy is measured by the reduction of urges to cough. Comparative studies show that benzonatate decreases coughing frequency to a markedly low level than several other medicines.
It is important to tell your treating physician about prior allergies or hypersensitivity associated with the intake of benzonatate. If you already have medical conditions like constipation, allergies such as rhinitis, seizures, convulsions or epileptic fits, your medical team needs to know about such disorders. Also, if you are living with mental conditions like being in a confused state of mind, experiencing weird thoughts or actions, etc., you may need to inform your treating physician or pharmacist about such mental conditions. It is a good practice to keep your medical team informed prior to starting your treatment plan.
Safety precautions associated with the intake of benzonatate
It is essential to take benzonatate under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner. This medication is unsafe when taken as a self-medication drug. You also need to know that this medicine is labelled as a category C medication by the food and drug administration (FDA); this means that its effects on women who are pregnant remain largely unknown. In general, this drug is administered to pregnant women only when it is direly needed.
Also, it is not safe to administer benzonatate to children aged under 11 years. Ingestion of this drug has led to fatal outcomes among children. Other fatal outcomes include heart arrest or cardiac attack, coma as well as acute epileptic seizures. The pill resembles a candy, hence younger children tend may get attracted and can consume it. It is one major reason why this pill is kept out of reach of younger children as well as pets.
Co-administration of benzonatate with mucinex
You need to understand more about the likely side effects or adverse reactions this drug may cause, especially when co-administered with other drugs. You need to be careful if you are taking benzonatate with Mucinex. The latter is used for reducing chest-congestion; in essence, it makes it easier to cough. Thus, mucinex acts as an expectorant; it is used for removing phlegm triggered by allergies, infections as well as common colds.
Both these drugs treat coughs in their own unique ways. You need to understand that Mucinex makes it easy to cough and eliminate phlegm. Your respiratory channel is covered by membranes which produce mucus; these membranes prevent foreign bodies to enter into your lungs. On the other hand, benzonatate reduces the urges to cough by reducing muscular reflexes of your lungs. At times, your treating physician may advise you to take both these drugs together. However, the combined use of benzonatate and Mucinex is not recommended for all forms of coughing or respiratory conditions. It is best to follow your doctor’s decisions and follow the instructions carefully at all times.
There are no known interactions reported when these two drugs are taken together. Intake of Mucinex can make way for an easier flow of sputum; in the absence of its active ingredients, you may only witness unproductive or a dry spell of coughing. Clinical research done in controlled environment indicates that taking these two drugs may expedite the treatment process. However, there are some studies which also advise about the likely risks of consuming these two drugs together. The reasoning here is – while Mucinex loosens phlegm, benzonatate may control coughing spells; as a result, loosened or thinned-out sputum may remain deep inside your respiratory tract. Despite such warnings, in many instances – intake of both these drugs has only hastened the control of coughing and elimination of phlegm / thinned-out sputum from your air pathways.
In sum, the efficacy of benzonatate is measured by its ability to decrease your urges of cough. This drug is known to control coughing in a much better manner than other drugs such as, say codeine. On the other hand, consumption of Mucinex makes it easier for sputum to flow out or get eliminated with ease. In other words, this drug can help you discharge phlegm with greater ease. Studies done on humans show that intake of these two drugs can hasten your treatment and bring about a faster cure from coughing. It is always safe to talk to your treating doctor and / or pharmacist to understand the benefits as well as the potential risks associated with taking these drugs together.
In case of any adverse side effects, those in the US need to call 911 as quickly as possible. You can also reach out to the emergency helpline contacts of the food and drug administration for needful medical attention and clinical care. On the other hand, residents of Canada can either reach out to Health Canada or rush to a poison control center operating in your province.