For the Common Cold

A multitude of products can help relieve some of the symptoms of the common cold. The best advice is to try to find a product that gives the most relief with the least number of side effects. Many times, trial and error is necessary in order to find the right medicine for you. These remedies can be found in many cough syrups for children, adults, and people with diabetes. They also come in pills or gel caps and even in powders that you can mix into hot liquids.

Ingredients such as vitamins, zinc, echinacea, sage, ginger, lemongrass, and other herbs have been used for centuries to help relieve the common cold. No scientific studies show that these really work, and that is why they have not been recommended by most doctors. However, if any of these kinds of remedies work for you, you should be able to continue using them as long as you do not take too much. If you have any chronic medical illness, be sure to consult a doctor before taking any of them.

Here is a list of major cold symptoms and the most common medicine to take to relieve the symptom:

• Cough
  • Menthol is the active ingredient in cough drops. They relieve cough as long as they are still in the mouth. When the cough drop is gone, the cough tends to return.
  • Dextromethorphan is the strongest over-the-counter product for cough. It is usually found as an ingredient in cough syrups (those that have the DM in their names such as Robitussin DM or house brands). It is generally regarded as safe, but if you have other medical problems, especially heart disease or lung disease, be sure to ask your doctor's advice before taking it.
  • Guaifenesin (found in Robitussin and many house brands) is an expectorant, which means it loosens mucus from your lung's air tubes. This will make you want to cough more, but when you do cough, you will cough out more mucus. Then later you will cough less. It is generally regarded as safe. It can be found in many cough syrups for children, adults, and people with diabetes, and it also comes in pills or gel tablets.
• Fever: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen are all good to treat fevers. Acetaminophen is safer, and the others are stronger. When taking medicine for fever, be sure to drink extra fluids because the fever makes you dehydrated. Aspirin is usually not recommended to take for fever any more but can be used if your doctor recommends it.
• Head and sinus congestion: Oral medications come in either pill or liquid form and act by shrinking engorged blood vessels in the nasal and sinus passages. They work well because the medication is distributed in the bloodstream. Oral decongestants are often associated with stimulant side effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and insomnia.
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is the most common decongestant and is considered to be the most effective. It is the main ingredient in most major cold remedies you can buy.
  • Nasal spray decongestants act similarly to oral decongestants but have the advantage of acting only in the area applied, usually without the stimulant side effects. The most common active ingredient in nasal sprays is oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan Nasal Spray, Neo-Synephrine, Vicks Sinex). Nasal sprays do have side effects, however. Excessive use of nasal decongestants has been associated with dependency. Additionally, a "rebound" effect may occur in which nasal symptoms come back after you abruptly stop the medication. Use these no longer than the package instructions indicate—usually 3 days.
  • IMPORTANT! The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a public health advisory concerning the medication ingredient phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which has been used for many years in over-the-counter nasal decongestants. A recent study reported that PPA increases the risk of a bleeding stroke, primarily in women. Although the risk of a bleeding stroke is low, the FDA recommends that PPA be discontinued and removed from all medications. Although most pharmacies have removed this product from their shelves, it is prudent to carefully examine the label to be sure that the medication you buy (or have at home) does not contain PPA.
• Sore throat, headache, earache, and body ache: Acetaminophen is the safest, and it works very well. Ibuprofen and naproxen are more effective and are safe unless you have ulcers. They are more effective because they also relieve inflammation associated with tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and bronchitis. Aspirin is effective, too, but it is generally not recommended because it can possibly cause Reye syndrome.
  • Benzocaine (Cepacol) is the active ingredient in cough drops and sprays that helps to get rid of sore throat. It is also used as a topical anesthetic in eardrops and oral gels. It is safe, but the effect is only temporary.
• Sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes: Diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl) is an effective antihistamine to fight these symptoms. It is safe but usually causes drowsiness. (It is the same medicine found in sleeping pills.) Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), brompheniramine (Dimetapp), and dexbrompheniramine (Drixoral) are other antihistamines that you can buy over-the-counter. They are safe and do not cause as much drowsiness.