10/06/2020
How does cold medication work?
A cold is a viral infection that affects the nose, ears and throat . It has symptoms that generally resolve within ten days.
Cold medications don’t “cure” or shorten your cold, but they can ease some symptoms. In most cases, getting plenty of rest and keeping fluids up can do the trick on their own.
Let’s look at commonly used cold remedies. There are a number of over-the-counter medicines that might help relieve symptoms, they include:
Decongestants and saline nasal sprays
Nasal decongestants and saline (salt water) nasal sprays can help relieve a blocked nose. When it comes to decongestants, you can use drops or sprays for up to five days. Before using a decongestant, check with your doctor or pharmacist if it’s safe for you.
Expectorants: Help loosen mucus so you can cough it up.
Pain relievers: Ease fever, headaches, and minor aches and pains.
Combination ‘cough and cold’ medicines: These are a combination of the above. Cough and cold medicines often contain paracetamol. Be sure to check the label to avoid overdosing and taking other medicines that may contain paracetamol too.
Complementary medicines: Some may find vitamins (like vitamin C), mineral supplements (like zinc) or herbal medicines (like echinacea) helpful.
