system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How cough drops work.

I've always wondered how just putting a piece of solid 'vapour relief' works.
gpt
Menthol is a soothing agent and topical anesthetic. It also increase salvia production and is a local analgesic

What this means in laymen's terms: tthroat lozenges/cough drops bomb numb the throat and reduce your ability to feel your throat. It also increases the amount of spit you create which greased the wheels and reduces inflammation a little bit.