Sore throat lozenges

You may remember your Mum giving you cough lollies when you had a sore throat. Back then they were frustrating as well as helpful because they were essentially a lolly you could not chew or break with your teeth. As adults, we are more able to control ourselves and the throat lozenge is an excellent tool for managing a sore throat, particularly if one strikes suddenly.

A throat lozenge is more than just a lolly, it’s a flavoured medicated product that is intended to be sucked (hence the annoyance as a youth) to help relieve your sore throat pain. As the lozenge dissolves in your mouth it releases active ingredients directly to the tissues of your mouth and throat. This means it gets to work quite quickly, to soothe your throat, relieve pain or reduce inflammation.

Throat lozenges are a great option for relief of a sore throat if you have difficulty swallowing – one of the symptoms that accompany a sore throat – or if you are looking for something easy to take. Just remember, you need to suck it and let it dissolve, no chewing! The anti-inflammatory ingredient benzydamine has no known drug interactions (MIMS Drug interactions March 2019). If your sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection you can still use a Difflam throat lozenge even if you’re taking antibiotics and the anti-inflammatory ingredient benzydamine hasn’t been known to cause any gastrointestinal problems. (White S. K Pharmacology of Benzydamine p9-23 1998)

Another benefit of a throat lozenge is the ability to combine ingredients for a single, double or triple action. For example, most single-action throat lozenges contain an antibacterial agent only. While an antibacterial can help to kill bacteria that can cause mouth and throat infections, there is nothing in there that can help reduce painful inflammation. Because it is the inflammation that is a known cause of pain in a sore throat, targeting inflammation is key if you’re looking for relief. The Difflam range of throat lozenges provide a higher level of sore throat pain relief compared to antibacterial-only products, starting with double action formulations (Difflam Sore Throat Lozenges) and then moving to triple action formulations with the addition of anaesthetic – more on that below.

Let’s take a look at some of the triple action formulations of sore throat lozenges in the Difflam range, and how they can help you manage throat pain.

Sore throat lozenges with anaesthetic

Throat lozenges that contain anaesthetics provide relief of a sore throat by numbing the pain locally. Especially useful for when you’re trying to get some rest but are distracted by the pain of a sore throat.

Difflam Plus Anaesthetic Sore Throat Lozenges contain a combination of an anti-inflammatory (benzydamine) to help relieve inflammation, a known cause of throat pain, PLUS the anaesthetic lidocaine (lignocaine) to quickly numb the pain, and an antibacterial agent (dichlorobenzyl alcohol) to kill bacteria that can cause mouth and throat infections in a soothing lozenge format.

Throat lozenges for the win!

Throat lozenges are a great way to get rapid relief from the pain and discomfort of a sore throat. They work by slowly releasing their active ingredients as they dissolve in your mouth – so no chewing! Better still, they can be made with multiple active ingredients at once, so they can perform several tasks at once. The Difflam range includes throat lozenges designed to provide anti-inflammatory agents as well as antibacterial agents, plus an anaesthetic to numb throat pain. Check out the full range of Difflam Throat Lozenges to see which one best suits your sore throat!

Frequently asked questions about sore throats

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The Difflam range of throat lozenges can be used for relief from the pain of a sore throat, through their anti-inflammatory agents (benzydamine) and to kill bacteria that can cause mouth and throat infections through the work of their antibacterial agents (cetylpyridinium). There are also options that include an anaesthetic lidocaine (lignocaine) to numb the pain.

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You should check with your doctor or pharmacist before using a Difflam lozenge if you are pregnant or likely to become pregnant.

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Place one lozenge in your mouth and let it slowly dissolve. Do not chew. Use every 3 hours as required.

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Difflam lozenges provide rapid relief of a sore throat by both soothing and reducing inflammation.

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Maximum of 12 Difflam throat lozenges a day.

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