Magical Throat Potion (Difflam Spray)

Member Name: doncasteryb

Product:	Difflam Spray
Date:	31/07/09 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It works!

Disadvantages: Can be expensive - need to shop around

It may appear as though I suffer from a barrage of ailments, by the kind of reviews I have written lately, but I can assure you, I am writing about the ones that have made a positive impact on my wellbeing. Before the aaaaccchhooooo season began, I was suffering from dry cough syndrome. I had been coughing to the point that the back of my throat had become inflamed. Once again, i made that infamous journey to the doctor's surgery where, after close inspection of my throat, I was prescribed Difflam Spray.

I paid the prescription fee of £7.20 for this bizarre looking contraption. It came in a box, so its true bizarre identity remained hidden, until of course I ripped open the box for some relief. Green in colour, the bottle has a straw like entity attached to it - meaning that the spray can be directly applied to the affected area. It was a simple case of pulling out the straw part from its horizontal position to vertical. It measures 5cm (the same as an AA battery - not that i've tried putting one in my mouth) meaning its sufficient in size to get to the far reaches of anyones throat. Initially I tried pressing the button just to see how much force it would take to get a decent spray. This is recommended before first using it, probably to ensure a fine jet of spray comes out of the tube. I was surprised at how easy it was and promptly sprayed a few bursts directly to the back of my throat. The taste is something to get accustomed to, which considering how I felt it working within seconds, is something I was willing to put up with. From the initial spray, I felt the effects of this magic potion begin to operate. The active ingredient, Benzydamine acts like a local anaesthetic, stopping the inflammation and pain. I was advised to use 4-8 puffs of the spray every 1 ½ hours to 3 hours - depending on how sore my throat felt. The first couple of days, I stuck to this advice religiously, and found that I only needed a single puff a day until my symptoms totally subsided.

Apart from the active ingredient, there's an amalgamation of ethanol, glycerol, saccharin, sodium hydrogen carbonate, methyl parahydroxybenzoate, mouthwash flavour 52 503/T Firmenich, polysorbate 20 and purified water. In each magical puff there are 15 microlitres of alcohol (ethanol) - not enough to get you drunk, thankfully! The tube contains 30ml of tonic which has lasted me a few months.

Children can also use this spray, the directions are for ages 6-12, 4 puffs every 1 ½ -3 hours. For children under the age of 6 the number of puffs is dependent upon weight (1 puff for each 4kg of body weight).

Should the symptoms persist it is recommended that you see your Doctor or Pharmacist. Like most medication there is the slight possibility of side effects, these can range from a continuing stinging sensation (which doesn't subside after using the spray) to allergic reactions such as a rash, itching or small red spots, to the more serious breathing difficulties. If any of these side effects present themselves it's time to visit the doctor/pharmacist again, or, in the latter case, emergency treatment.

The spray should be kept out of the reach of children, in an upright position. The temperature should not exceed 30°C and should not be used after the expiry date.

It can be purchased over the counter, delivery charges make this more worth the while to pick up from a chemist. Prices range from £4.10-£6.29 online but i'm sure competitive prices can be found on the High Street. It worked for me and I now have a clean bill of health, for my throat, at least!

Summary: Effective relief from sore throats.