Cold, Flu, Allergy Treatments
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
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Making Sense of OTC Cold and Cough Medications
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Barbara
K. Hecht, PhD
 Unsure about the hundreds of cold and
flu preparations on the drugstore
shelves? You're not alone. Deciding among the OTC (over-the-counter) remedies for cold,
flu, or allergy symptoms can be intimidating, and a basic
understanding of the types of drugs included in these medications can help you
make an informed choice.
Decongestants
Decongestants are the drugs of choice for a stuffy,
congested nose. Decongestants act by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose,
leading to decreased blood flow in the nasal tissues and reduced leakage of fluid from the
nose. Decongestants can either be taken orally or applied locally (topically) in
the form of nasal sprays or drops.
Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are decongestants that can be taken orally. Phenylephrine and oxymetolazone are examples of topical decongestants. While topical decongestants are effective after a few minutes, oral preparations (tablets) can take about
30 minutes to work. Decongestants
act as stimulants that can increase heart rate, raise the
blood pressure,
exacerbate palpitations, and lead to feelings of nervousness or feeling "hyper."
It's important to note that decongestants do not relieve a runny or itchy nose.
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Introduction to cold, flu, and allergy treatments
Every year, millions of people use over-the-counter (OTC) products to relieve nasal
stuffiness and congestion, sneezing, runny noses, sore throat, and
cough. The common causes of these symptoms include the viruses that cause the common cold, influenza
virus, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and sinus infections (sinusitis). Viral infections can also
cause headache, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes fever. Hay fever symptoms
can also include itchy eyes, nose, and throat, and watery eyes.
To benefit from OTC products for cold, flu, and allergy,
it is important to understand (1) the condition causing the symptoms, (2) the
predominant symptom(s) one wishes to
relieve, and (3) the active ingredient(s) in the product.
Some OTC products contain a single active ingredient
medication to relieve one symptom. Many others contain a
combination of two, three, and even four active ingredient
medications to treat several symptoms at once. Selecting
the right product can be difficult at times.
Here we have categorized products for cold/flu/allergy
according to the predominant symptoms they relieve:
Since cold and flu sufferers usually experience several symptoms, products containing
medication combinations provide convenience. Therefore, you may need to take
only one product as compared with two to four products. You also may need to
stock fewer items in the medicine cabinet. Nevertheless, it is preferable to
take products that contain only those medications you need for relieving the
symptoms that are present. This prevents the ingestion of unnecessary
medications and reduces the chances of side effects. It is also easier to adjust
the dose of a single ingredient medicine to maximize relief of a predominant
symptom and minimize side effects.
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