Benzonatate works by an entirely different means, it interferes with the cough signal in your own body. In the body: Benzonatate works by anesthetizing stretch receptors located in the lungs, airways and pleura (i.e., lining of the lung). The numbing starts within 15 to 20 minutes of consuming and is ideal for patients struggling with regular coughs.
Benzonatate works because it helps retain this numbness for eight hours so that the temporary relief of cough symptoms is maintained. This duration increase is especially appreciated by patients, particularly overnight where continuity of sleep remains important. Therefore, benzonatate can be particularly beneficial in controlling coughs linked to diseases such as bronchitis or the common cold because it is able to reduce how often the cough reflex is activated.
Benzonatate is generally dosed at 100 mg to 200 mg, and the upper limit of daily dosage should not exceed more than600mg. The exact doses are important to get the right balance of efficacy with safety — too high a dose will cause side effects. Patients should swallow capsules whole, as sucking or chewing on the capsule may result in temporary oral and pharyngeal anesthesia which could impair swallowing for up to 1 hour.
Benzonatate is a non-opioid, used in the industry for its cough relieving properties (unlike codeine which often has a dependency issue). These sedative effects often make benzonatate the drug of choice for individuals who need to be awake and functioning during daily activities.
Benzonatate is also appealing to physicians due in part to its rapid onset of action and excellent safety profile. John Smith, pulmonologist, commented: "Benzonatate provides a dependable alternative for controlling cough in my patients without the narcotic risks.
So, whenever anyone asking what is benzonatate used for or what does benzonatate do the answer that it primarily reduces cough reflex sensitivity better than placebo and nothing else so efficiently and effectively.