Best Cold Medicine For Runny Nose
A runny nose is how the body reacts to the inflammation and irritation that a cold virus is causing in the nasal passages.
If you take a decongestant for a runny nose, your symptoms may get better if you have congestion. But, a decongestant may cause undesirable effects as well, such as raising your blood pressure or making your nose and throat feel too dry.
Thats why diphenhydramine might be better for drying up a runny nose if you do not feel too congested. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, which means it reduces your bodys natural reaction to irritants and pathogens, which may help if your runny nose is because your body is releasing histamines. Benadryl also might make you drowsy, which is why its best to take this medication at bedtime.
Robitussin Honey Adult Maximum Strength Cough + Chest
If you have a seriously sore throat, there is no better cold medicine than Robitussin Honey Adult Maximum. Each bottle contains more than 19% honey, as well as dextromethorphan and guaifenesin to open up your airways.
What we like: Robitussin Honey Adult Maximum Strength effectively addresses congestion, while relieving your sore throat so you can sleep. It is both high-powered and free of allergens. And it is reasonably affordable.
Flaws: Tastes like medicine. And with the high honey content, it is definitely not for diabetics.
Best Cold Medicine For Children
Cold medicines for children can get tricky. Children should not be given medications that are packaged and made for adults, and parents need to be aware that OTC products may contain multiple ingredients. It is very important to pay attention to the drug label, and discuss any questions with healthcare professionals since the risk of giving children more than the recommended dose, giving medication too often, and giving more than one product containing the same medication are common mistakes made. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against using cough and cold medications in young children. It is also important to avoid any aspirin-containing medications in children, especially those with viral illnesses, given the risk of Reyes syndrome. Medications containing codeine and its derivatives, while effective in treating cough, should be avoided in those less than 18 years of age.
Toddlers
Infants
Read Also: Does Children’s Tylenol Cold And Flu Cause Drowsiness
Otc Allergy Medication Prices
OTC allergy medication can cost anywhere from about $5 to $25, depending on the formula and the number of pills, sprays, or drops in each container. As a general rule, the more symptoms that an allergy medicine treats, the more expensive it is.
When purchasing allergy medicine, its more important to focus on the price per dose or the daily cost of using the medication rather than the cost of the container. If you only need the medicine occasionally, compare the different types based on the cost per dose. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you will probably want to pay attention to the price per day because you might need to use the medication once or more every day for total relief from symptoms.
How Do You Get Rid Of A Cold Fast
Generally, once infected with the common cold you simply must allow it to run its course. The average cold lasts anywhere from several days to several weeks. Even though you wont beat a cold in 24 hours, with proper medicine and home remedies, you should be able to get symptom relief quickly which may help you feel like yourself in just a few days. Here are some of the best cold remedies:
Staying at home while youre treating your cold is always a good idea if youre able to do so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying home if you have a cold to help prevent spreading it to others. Keeping children out of school or daycare if they have a cold is also a good idea to help keep others from getting sick.
Recommended Reading: Can Diabetics Take Tylenol Cold And Flu
Its Best To Choose Cold And Flu Medication By Symptom
The key to picking the right product or products to help you feel better faster is to zero in on your symptoms. Also important: Whenever possible, stick to single-ingredient remedies to reduce the risk of side effects, says Nate Favini, MD, an internist and medical director of the nationwide healthcare system Forward.
Choose a medication thats going to directly address the symptom or symptoms that are bothering you rather than a cocktail that may include things you dont need, he says. For example, if the label of a cold or flu medication says that it treats fevers, coughs, and runny noses but you have only a cough, choose a simple cough suppressant instead.
Should I Take A Decongestant Or An Antihistamine
This depends on your symptoms. If you have nasal or sinus congestion, then a can help. If you have drainage — either a runny nose or postnasal drip or itchy, watery eyes — then an antihistamine could work.
Over-the-counter antihistamines could make you drowsy. might make you hyper or keep you awake. Antihistamines can thicken mucus, which can be a problem for people with asthma.
Both of these medications may mix poorly with other drugs, like those that treat heart disease, and they may worsen some conditions, like high blood pressure. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which one is best for you.
Also Check: Are There 2 Types Of Flu Shots
Who Should Buy Cold Medicine
The most important thing to do is to first make an appointment to see your doctor to make certain that you do not have any underlying conditions that are causing your symptoms. You want to make sure that all you have is indeed a cold. If you do have a cold and are experiencing symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, and a mild cough, cold medicine will be able to help you alleviate those symptoms. If these symptoms keep you awake at night and unable to sleep, you can opt for a nighttime cold medicine, which usually has an ingredient in it that can help you to sleep.
Cold medicines sometimes have antihistamines in them, as well. If you are experiencing a runny nose along with a bit of a cough, and you have allergies, certain cold medicines are able to help with that as well.
Whats The Difference Between The Common Cold And Covid
The cough and congestion levels can be similar but the main difference is that COVID-19 symptoms tend to be more respiratory-related, like shortness of breath, she said. People also experience loss of taste, smell, and some gastrointestinal issues, whether thats nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Because some symptoms overlap, Dr. Gandhi recommended taking a COVID-19 swab test, even if experiencing a mild cold or cough. Nine times out of 10, it could be a common cold, but its good to assess if its something more severe.
Don’t Miss: Can I Have The Flu Shot If I Am Sick
Is It Safe To Take A Decongestant If I Have High Blood Pressure
This type of medicine can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Pseudoephedrine is the main decongestant taken by mouth that’s available. In general, if your blood pressure is well controlled with medications, then a decongestant shouldn’t be a problem as long as you closely watch your BP. This may not be true with certain types of blood pressure drugs, so check with your doctor or pharmacist about what may be best for you.
Best Cold Medicine For Coughing
Viruses like those which cause the common cold are a leading cause of either wet coughs, as well as dry coughs . A wet cough is the bodys way of clearing mucus from airways and is best treated with an expectorant like guaifenesin. Dry, hacking coughs are important to prevent a sore throat and assist you in getting that much needed rest to maximize your recovery. Cough suppressants will be your go-to class of medications for this type of cough, and a cough syrup like Delsym is the highest pharmacist-recommended brand.
Don’t Miss: What To Do After Getting A Flu Shot
How Effective Is Natural Medication
“Natural therapies are generally therapies that work within the natural biological systems and processes of the body,” said McBride. “They’re used for supporting, tonifying, and balancing the body so that our immune responses to infections are more appropriate, and better tolerated to our whole being.”
The efficacy of natural medications is a highly contentious, ongoing debate. This is because we judge efficacy by two standards: Peer-reviewed studies and scientific trials, and anecdotal evidence. And we don’t have nearly as many scientific studies or trials showing herbs, vitamins, and other natural treatments to be unquestionably effective like we do for pharmaceuticals.
However, there’s something important to consider: Many studies and trials are funded by the pharmaceutical industry itself. These studies are needed for FDA approval of a product but they’re expensive, and many companies often can’t get the necessary funding without the kind of backing the industry offers. Thus, natural medications don’t always have equal footing, nor as much opportunity to showcase their power.
Framing of the data is important, too. For instance, while vitamin D may not directly fight the influenza virus, it’s been clinically shown to be a crucial element in immune function, despite arguments against its effectiveness from Western doctors.
McBride also noted that the only flu protection option the NIH and CDC recommend is the flu shot, which reduces the risk of flu by 40 to 60% .
Mucinex Chest Congestion Expectorant Tablets
Considered by many as the best medicine for chest congestion, Mucinex 12-Hour Chest Congestion Expectorant is a long-lasting and fast-acting formulation that guarantees relief for up to twelve hours. This product uses a unique bi-layer tablet formulation, with one layer of the pill getting to work as soon as a dosage is taken, and the remaining layer intended for delayed release.
The product incorporates a high level of guaifenesin a chemical component responsible for dissolving mucus and clearing out the chest to make way for easy breathing, and this also encourages the user to expectorate, thus getting rid of mucus for good.
Coming at a very reasonable price, Mucinex 12-Hour Chest Congestion Expectorant is the kind of product that you should purchase if you want a reliable, effective, and safe medicine in your storage in case of those unexpected episodes of colds or flu.
Recommended Reading: Are Flu Shots Free At Cvs
So What Exactly Is This Bug Thats Going Around
Rhinovirus is one of the bigger types of the common cold, where you may experience a cough, cold, congestion and sometimes a mild fever,Bindiya Gandhi, MD, board-certified in family and integrated medicine with more than 10 years of experience, told The Post. Sometimes, it can be confused with allergies, depending on the time of year, because there are fall allergies aside from spring.
The common cold can last anywhere from three to 10 days, she added.
Natural Remedies For Colds
While there is no silver bullet, some remedies exist in addition to the above to help manage symptoms of a cold and possibly prevent further complications, like secondary bacterial infections. The following are examples of natural remedies you can try:
- Gargling with salt water can help soothe a sore and scratchy throatjust mix a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water
- Hard candies or throat lozenges are a good alternative
- Drinking warm fluids can help thin mucus in the throat and will help you stay hydrated
- Chicken noodle soup is another great way to make sure youre taking in lots of fluids, and hydration may prevent complications like sinus infections
- Honey can help soothe sore throats, so consider adding a spoonful to your warm tea
- Like zinc, elderberry supplementation may reduce the duration and severity of symptoms
Also Check: Children’s Nasal Flu Vaccine
How To Choose The Most Popular Best Cold And Flu Medicines
The three most crucial criteria to consider are price, quality, and popularity.Price is an obvious factor to consider, as you want to ensure it is acceptable for your needs.Quality should also be examined because buying a low-quality goods will not help you achieve your main aim of obtaining the best product.Finally, while not as obvious as price or quality, popularity can be just as significant as both when it comes to attracting new customers.
Why Opt For Natural Medication
“Natural” is a vague term, and one thrown around without much thought. A common reminder of this fact is that arsenic is technically natural.
In this instance, natural medicine refers to non-pharmacological interventions and treatments .
There are two reasons you might want to go this route. First, some common pharmacological treatments may have side effects or trigger a reaction .
As a naturopathic doctor, Megen McBride told Insider that many of her patients come to her “looking for healthy alternatives to the common pharmacy drug-shelf choices of cold and flu medicines, NSAIDs, and antihistamines available without a prescription.”
She noted that the primary reason for opting for gentler treatment is the fear of side-effects from pharmacological interventions. “The sheer number of scientific articles cautioning against chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil and ibuprofen, synthetic antihistamines, and painkillers seem too innumerable to count,” McBride said.
“While these products are not a cure for colds or the flu, natural options may help soothe the symptoms of a virus and many people choose them because they better align with their personal health ideologies than conventional medicine,” said pharmacist, Maria Gil-Flores.
It’s important to remember that, as with all dietary supplements, statements made about natural remedies, including these recommendations, have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Recommended Reading: Cortisone Injection And Flu Vaccine
Best Cold Medicine Overall: Alka
Alka-Seltzer Plus PowerMax Gels come in a convenient capsule form, which they have recently resized to make it 25% smaller, making it easier to take. It will relieve all the common symptoms of a cold. This includes runny nose, congestion, cough and body aches. The medication begins working very quickly after taking it, due to them being in gelcap form. Your worst symptoms will be relieved and you can get back to doing what you love most without having to worry about those symptoms getting in your way.
The active ingredients include acetaminophen, for your body aches, as well as reducing any fever, phenylephrine hydrochloride, to help stop runny noses, and dextromethorphan hydrobromide to help with your cough. One dose will provide approximately four hours of relief. Unlike some other cold medications, this medicine does not have to be taken with meals and can be taken at any time. This medicine works hard to break up mucus and congestion, and can even help with sinus pressure, so you wont have any pesky sinus headaches. The concentrated gel in this liquid capsule will have you feeling better and back on your feet in no time at all.
Alka-Seltzer Plus Powermax Gels Key Features:
- 25% smaller capsules
- Gelcap form assures quick medicine delivery
- Does not need to be taken with food
- Breaks up mucus and congestion with ease
The Best Medicine For Fever Sore Throat And/or Aches And Pains:
Acetaminophen, best known by the brand name Tylenol, is primarily used as a fever reducer, although research in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews suggests it may also relieve cold-related aches and pains. Acetaminophen is safe for most people if taken as directed. It is found in many combination remedies, such as Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Caplets and Vicks Dayquil Cold & Flu Relief Liquicaps.
Because overdoing acetaminophen can cause serious harm to the liver, avoid using more than one product that contains it at a time to avoid exceeding the FDA-suggested daily dose of 3,000 milligrams for adults per 24-hour period.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , which include aspirin, ibuprofen , and naproxen , reduce fever as well as inflammation throughout the body. Other research in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews found that NSAIDs can greatly lessen discomfort due to headache, ear pain, muscle pain, joint pain, and sneezing.
Note: Some cold and flu remedies such as Excedrin contain both acetaminophen and an NSAID.
Numbing throat sprays and lozenges made with benzocaine , dyclonine , or phenol work like local anesthetics to provide temporary pain relief caused by a sore throat.
If youre still having a hard time navigating the cold medication aisle, talk to the pharmacist. With a little customized guidance about ingredients, you may be able to enjoy better symptom relief.
Additional reporting by Nuna Alberts.
You May Like: Flu Shot Cause Heart Problems
Immune Support Is Important
In general, all doctors and medical professionals say it’s important to focus on supporting your immune system particularly in natural ways to ensure you’re staying healthy all season long, especially with COVID-19 cases surging.
That’s because research shows a stronger immune system lowers your chances of coming down with a cold or flu.
Dr. Firouzi practices not just modern Western medicine but also the ancient Indian holistic branch of medicine called Ayurveda. This was created thousands of years ago, centered on a preventative approach to health and wellness that balances the mind, body, and spirit to minimize the need for treatment down the line.
“We are often searching for something to take for our specific health issues fundamentally, though, from the Ayurvedic standpoint, is the need to prevent the infection , which can in part be achieved through the strengthening of our immune system,” he said.
Megen McBride echoed this, emphasizing that preparation is paramount for preventing illness in times of high contagion .
There are a number of natural ways to balance your immune system both preventatively and once a virus has taken hold. Dr. Firouzi’s Ayurvedic recommendations are lifestyle-based and include sleep, meditation, yoga, and a healthy diet . These “can improve the immune system’s response ,” he said.