We’ve all been there before: cold or flu symptoms, aching and sneezing, not to mention the fever. And when you start to feel less than 100 per cent, you might be tempted to run to the nearest drug store and pick up an over-the-counter cold and flu medication. But with hundreds of products, it can be hard to tell which one is going to help you get rid of your symptoms as fast as possible.
That’s why it’s important to know what you’re looking for, so you don’t end up with something that doesn’t help you get back on track. If you have a cold or the flu, your body is fighting an infection. But you can’t tell your body how to fight it, you can only give it what it needs to do the job. The best way to get rid of a cold or the flu is to fight it off naturally. However, there are times when medication can help reduce your symptoms so you can start feeling better sooner. When should you take medication? And what kind should you take?
When to Use Medication
When you have a cold or the flu, you will usually start feeling better in two to three days. You may need suitable cold flu tablets to reduce your symptoms so that you can function normally while your body fights off the infection. If you have a cold or flu symptoms and are not getting any better after three days. Talk with your doctor about whether using medication is right for you.
If your doctor decides that using medication is right for you, ask whether there are any benefits from taking one medication over another (for example, decongestants vs. pain relievers). In terms of a specific type of medication, ask about any side effects and warning signs that would tell you to stop using the medicine. Follow all instructions carefully. Don’t stop using the prescription cold medicine just because you feel better, it needs to be taken for at least five days to make sure that your symptoms don’t recur.
What to Look for in a Cold or Flu Medicine
There are three broad categories of symptoms: runny nose, sore throat and sneezing, and fever. While almost all of the cold flu tablets range have aspirin in them, the most effective ones will have other ingredients that are more specific to different symptoms.
The best cold/flu medications to treat your particular symptoms are those with a combination of relief for all three major symptoms – runny nose, sore throat and sneezing – as well as fever reduction. Look for a medication that also has the ingredient pseudoephedrine, which helps relieve nasal congestion caused by a cold or flu virus.
Anyone looking for relief from a cough can get it from cold and flu tablets with guaifenesin or dextromethorphan hydrobromide. These ingredients are most effective at relieving dry coughs. For relief from your headache due to sinus pain, buy medications containing acetaminophen.
In the case of a headache due to muscle tension, medications containing acetaminophen can do the relieving trick. Migraine headaches, on the other hand, require medications containing caffeine along with either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you’re looking to relieve pain without drowsiness, then acetaminophen should be your pick.
Aspirin and ibuprofen can help relieve symptoms faster, but they come with the side effect of drowsiness. Acetaminophen treats your symptoms as effectively as aspirin or ibuprofen, but it doesn’t make you sleepy. Try to avoid taking more than one medication at a time unless your doctor specifically tells you to do so.
Even if multiple medications seem like they would treat all of your symptoms, it’s important that each medication targets specific symptoms rather than overlapping in an attempt to cover everything at once.
Adults over 65 years old should check with their doctors before taking any cold or flu medicine that contains decongestants or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol). These medicines may increase the risk of heart problems if taken too often.
How to Take the Medication
The best way to get the desired results from cold flu tablets is to take them at the first sign of symptoms. If you do this, you will be better faster and have less chance of developing a secondary infection.
Treating the symptom, the fever, is critical in speeding recovery. Taking medicine for a headache or body aches, however, can make you feel worse because those symptoms are caused by your immune system fighting off the virus. By taking aspirin or ibuprofen for these aches and pains, you can prolong your cold or flu symptoms.
Rest, Nutrition and Hydration
If you’re sick with a cold or the flu, there’s not much you can do to speed up the process of getting better. The human body has an amazing ability to heal itself, but it needs time and rest. It also needs nutrition and hydration to help kick-start the immune system’s healing process.
Treatment with medication can reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of illness, but it won’t cure your cold or flu. Treatment is aimed at easing symptoms and speeding recovery. The best way to treat colds and flu is to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, especially water, and eat lots of low-fat foods that are high in vitamins, such as superfoods. When you feel well enough, exercise will speed recovery.
To Sum Up
So, which over-the-counter cold and flu product is the best? That likely depends on what symptoms you’re experiencing. For example, if you just have a scratchy throat, a cough and a sore or runny nose, taking a decongestant might do the trick. But for fever and aches, ibuprofen can help.
As always, be sure to speak with your doctor before trying any of these over-the-counter products. They’ll know your medical history best and can give you the best advice on what to get to keep your symptoms under control. And remember to follow the directions carefully, you don’t want to take too much of any medication!
