Home Symptoms Cough

Cough — what to take?

Cough is a reflex for clearing the airways, not a disease in itself. It is divided into dry (non-productive) and wet (productive, with expectoration) cough. Treatment differs radically between the two.

5 recommended OTC drugs
5,363 pharmacies available

OTC — no prescription

What you can take for cough

Informativ. Nu înlocuiește sfatul medicului. Consultă medicul sau farmacistul înainte de a lua orice medicament.

Dry cough vs productive cough

Dry cough brings no secretions. It appears as irritation at the start of colds, on exposure to smoke, cold air, allergies, reflux or asthma. It can be distressing, especially at night, and responds to central antitussives.

Productive cough brings up sputum (mucus, phlegm) from the bronchi. It is useful - it clears the lungs. Do NOT suppress it with antitussives; help it with expectorants or mucolytics that thin the secretions.

OTC medicines for dry cough

Dextromethorphan (Tussin, Robitussin) is the central antitussive of choice, non-opioid, effective for irritative cough. Butamirate (Sinecod) is another option, well tolerated in adults and children over 3 years.

Plant-based syrups (plantain, thyme, linden) have emollient effect. Honey (for children over 1 year and adults) is as effective as dextromethorphan in comparative studies.

OTC medicines for productive cough

Acetylcysteine (ACC, Fluimucil), ambroxol (Mucosolvan) and carbocysteine are mucolytics that break the disulphide bridges in mucus, thinning it. Guaifenesin increases secretion and aids expectoration.

Important: do not combine antitussive with expectorant - you suppress the cough and are left with blocked mucus. Also avoid in children under 2 years without paediatric advice.

Rules for night-time cough

  • Raise the head of the bed by 15-20°.
  • Humidifier in the room.
  • Warm tea with honey before bed.
  • Avoid heavy evening meals (can worsen reflux, which triggers cough).

When cough is a warning sign

A cough that persists beyond 3 weeks (subacute cough) or 8 weeks (chronic) requires investigation - asthma, COPD, reflux, post-nasal drip, tuberculosis, heart failure, lung cancer in smokers. Chest X-ray and spirometry are first-line.

Medical disclaimer: the information in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a physician or pharmacist. For diagnosis and treatment, consult a healthcare professional.

Nights, weekends, holidays

24/7 pharmacies for cough

Cough doesn't wait for office hours. If you need a medicine at 2 AM or on a weekend, open the map with the 24/7 filter on and find the nearest on-call pharmacy. Major cities have several round-the-clock pharmacies — the per-city pages below list them all, with address, phone and verified opening hours.

Call ahead before you leave, especially at night — on-call schedules can change and stock for some prescription items may be limited between deliveries.

Search the pharmacy

Medicine categories for cough

Beyond the OTC products listed above, you can also browse whole medicine and supplement categories, with prices compared across Dr. Max, Catena, Tei, HelpNet and the rest of our network. Category pages are in Romanian — the comparator works the same way for you.

Step by step

How to find a pharmacy fast for cough

Open the interactive map and grant location permission — you'll immediately see pharmacies sorted by distance, each with its opening hours and a one-tap route in Google Maps. If it's night or a weekend, switch on the 24/7 filter to keep only the on-call ones. For cough most of the listed remedies are over the counter, so you can walk in without a prescription, but check stock and prices first to avoid wasted trips.

If you have a preferred active ingredient (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.), search it in the comparator before you leave — you'll see which chain has it cheapest near you and whether it's in stock. For chronic prescriptions, save your favourite pharmacy in the app and turn on hours notifications — it saves unnecessary trips, especially when treatment for cough runs over weeks.

When to see a doctor

If any of these signs appear, consult a doctor — OTC treatment is not enough:

  • Cough with blood (haemoptysis)
  • Dyspnoea, wheezing when breathing
  • Severe chest pain
  • Fever above 38.5°C that persists
  • Cough lasting more than 3 weeks
  • Unexplained weight loss in a smoker

Frequently asked

Common questions

How do I know if it's dry or productive cough?
If you bring up secretions (phlegm, mucus) with your cough, it is productive. If you cough without bringing anything up, it is dry. Treatment differs - do not confuse them.
Can I take Sinecod and ACC together?
NO - they are logically incompatible. Sinecod suppresses the cough; ACC makes the mucus more fluid. If you take both, secretions will accumulate. Choose treatment based on the type of cough.
Does honey help with cough?
Yes, studies confirm the efficacy of honey for night-time cough, especially in children over 1 year. One teaspoon before bed. For infants under 1 year, honey is contraindicated (botulism risk).
When does a cough become chronic?
Over 8 weeks of continuous cough = chronic cough. It requires pulmonology evaluation - common causes: asthma, reflux, post-nasal drip, COPD, fibrosis.

See also

Need a medicine now?

Find the nearest pharmacy
— with prices and stock.

Open the map →