When & Why To Recommend Chloralieve

There has been an important change in the over-the-counter (OTC) medicines available for sore throats. Lozenges that contain antibiotics are no longer available OTC because of the potential of antimicrobial resistance. For patients who want a dual action product that helps to numb pain and fight infection, Chloralieve the Number 1 best selling pharmacy only lozenge* can help.

When to recommend

Patients may present with a painful, dry or scratchy throat, swollen neck glands or tenderness when swallowing. Viruses are responsible for around 90 per cent of these cases, and often they are a result of a cold or the flu. In these cases, you should reassure patients that symptoms are usually self-limiting and will go away by themselves within around a week. In line with guidance provided in the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary for acute sore throats, you can advise patients to:

– drink plenty of fluids (avoiding hot drinks)

– take ibuprofen or paracetamol if appropriate

– gargle with warm, salty water (only adults) and suck hard sweets, lollies or ice cubes

– use medicated lozenges to help ease the pain

Note that bacterial infections (such as streptococcus) can cause sore throats and in these cases, patients may need to be referred to their doctor and may require antibiotic treatment.

How Chloralieve can help

Available in Honey & Lemon and Blackcurrant flavours, Chloralieve lozenges the number 1 best selling pharmacy only sore throat lozenge* can be used to help alleviate the symptoms of a sore throat. They feature a Pharmacy-only, dual-action formula that helps to numb pain and fight infection.

Lozenges are a user-friendly option for patients and can be a convenient choice.

Chloralieve contains the local anaesthetic lidocaine and the well-established antiseptic ingredients amylmetacresol and 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol. These lozenges can be recommended for adults and children over the age of 12. Advise patients to slowly dissolve one lozenge in the mouth. They can do this once every two to three hours, taking no more than eight over a 24-hour period (the maximum dose for children is four lozenges in a 24-hour period). The lozenges should not be taken for more than five days in a row.

When to refer patients to a doctor 

 Pharmacists should refer patients to a doctor if their symptoms haven’t improved after a week, they have a fever, they suffer recurrent or severe throat pain, they have a compromised immune system, they are experiencing difficulty swallowing or breathing, or they have other medical conditions and are taking prescribed medicines.  

See our product information and ingredients page for further information.