Since our health is our biggest wealth, we do everything in our power to protect it. We welcome a lot of well- being trends, from sticking to a balanced diet and proper hydration to regular exercise and quality night sleep. You do everything you can to boost your immune system, but when the cold and flu season arrives, you want to be extra prepared.
The good news is, there is a variety of effective medications proven to treat cold and flu symptoms, easing their severity and allowing you to function at a more normal level. You can easily find something natural, in a liquid form, for nighttime, or for kids that can help you get a better night sleep and improve your immune system to fight off the infection.
Combined with a healthy diet, good hydration and vitamin supplementation, cold medications can help you get through this unpleasant experience quicker. Although there’s no magic medication to make all the cold and flu symptoms disappear, you can treat your condition at home and ease those annoying symptoms.
Cold and Flu Symptoms
Symptoms of seasonal cold and flu often overlap. Your nose is stuffy, your throat is scratchy, and your head is pounding, but unless you check with your doctor, you might not know for sure whether you have the flu or it’s just the common cold. Both cold and flu are respiratory infections caused by viruses. The simplest way to tell the difference is by looking at your symptoms.
If you have a cold, you probably have a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, mild tiredness and sneezing. You might also have a cough, as well as headaches or body aches. The symptoms come gradually over a few days and are milder than the flu. They usually go away in four to ten days. Flu symptoms are similar to those of the cold, but they also include moderate to high fever, shaking chills, nausea and vomiting, dry hacking cough and severe fatigue that may last up to two weeks.
Best Medicine for Cold & Flu + Cough
With the help of the right cold and flu medicine, you can reduce your symptoms and decrease the duration of the flu or cold. There’s a wide range of OTC medications available, some of them are for day use, others are used before bedtime.
Codral PE
One of the best flu medicines designed to treat cold, flu and cough symptoms is Codral PE Cold & Flu + Cough. These day and night capsules come in two colours: green and red. The green capsules should be taken during the day, while the red ones at bedtime. This highly effective cold and flu medicine allows you to rest, treating symptoms of sore throat, dry cough, fever, blocker or runny nose and body aches. It’s suitable for adults and children over the age of 12. Although it’s very effective, people with high blood pressure and those who take antidepressants need to avoid it.
Dimetapp
The powerful ingredients in this cold and flu medication are encapsulated in a liquid capsule form for daytime and nighttime use. When absorbed, they work to provide effective relief of the symptoms of cold and flu. Dimetapp liquid capsules provide non-drowsy, effective relief from headaches and fever, body aches and pains, sore throat and dry and irritating cough. If you sneeze a lot and have itchy and watery eyes, this medication might be the right choice for you. The paracetamol, dextromethorphan hydrobromide and doxylamine succinate help you get a good night’s rest.
Best Syrup for Cold Relief
Demazin
If you are experiencing the typical cold-related symptoms such as a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and watery or itchy eyes, a good effective syrup might help you get better in no time. Demazin syrup is a healthy and delicious medication that comes in two flavours: vanilla and peach. It doesn’t contain lactose, gluten, aspirin or paracetamol, which makes it ideal for those allergic to some of these ingredients. The recommended dosage is 15 mL every 6 hours, maximum four times a day.
Best Medicine for Babies and Kids
When babies and kids have cold, it can be stressful for the parents. Although you should always consult a doctor when buying medications for kids, some safe and helpful products can be used without a prescription.
Brauer Chest Rub
If your child is coughing or has other symptoms of cold, a good chest rub can do miracles. Based on peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender oil, the Brauer chest rub is perfectly safe for babies and children. With no artificial colours and flavours, this chest rub is gluten-free and lactose-free. Apply a small amount onto the chest, neck or back and gently rub into the skin to help soothe and comfort your little one. Also, make sure to encourage your child to drink plenty of water to keep their throat moist and to help thin down and loosen mucus, making it easier to cough up. It’s safe for babies from 3 months and above.
Brauer Cold & Flu Liquid
Children from the age of 2 can use this medication to relieve cold and flu symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, pain and fever. This Brauer Baby & Child Cold & Flu liquid contains ingredients which are traditionally used in homeopathic medicine to relieve cold and flu symptoms. It doesn’t contain artificial colours and flavours. It’s also gluten, lactose and sugar-free, which makes it the ideal cold medicine for your kid.
