In this Article

• Introduction to cold, flu, and allergy treatments
• Headaches, body aches, fever, and flu-like symptoms
• Nasal congestion, sneezing, and runny nose
• Cough
• Sore throat and other symptoms
• Pictures of Natural Cold & Flu Remedies - Slideshow
• Headaches, body aches, fever, and "flu-like" symptoms
• Nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Cold, Flu, Allergy Glossary
• Cold, Flu, Allergy Index

Headaches, body aches, fever, and flu-like symptoms

Medications that reduce pain (analgesics) and fever (antipyretics) are used to relieve headaches, body aches, and fever. The three classes of analgesics/antipyretics that are available OTC are aspirin, acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Some OTC products contain an analgesic/antipyretic as a single ingredient. Others combine an analgesic/antipyretic with a nasal decongestant, an antihistamine, or a cough suppressant. Products listed in the headaches, body aches, fever, and flu-like symptoms category contain an analgesic/antipyretic either alone or in combination with other ingredient(s) to treat cold/flu/allergy symptoms. Examples of products in the headaches, body aches, fever, and flu-like symptoms category include:

• Aspirin (plain aspirin, coated aspirin, or aspirin mixed with antacid): Aspirin Regimen Bayer Regular Strength, Extra Strength Bayer Plus Caplets, Bufferin Analgesic Tablets, Regular Strength Ascriptin, Ascriptin Enteric, and Alka-Seltzer Extra Strength.



• Acetaminophen: Tylenol Regular Strength Caplets and Tablets, Aspirin Free Excedrin Analgesic Caplets and Geltabs, Children's Tylenol Chewable Tablets, Elixir, and Suspension Liquid, and Junior Strength Tylenol Coated Caplets and Chewable Tablets.



• NSAIDs: Advil Caplets, Aleve Tablets and Caplets, Motrin IB Pain Reliever Caplets and Gelcaps, and Children's Motrin Drops.



• Aspirin plus a decongestant and/or cough suppressant: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough.



• Acetaminophen plus a decongestant and/or cough suppressant: Tylenol Cold Medication Multi-Symptom Caplets and Tablets, Theraflu Flu and Cold Medicine, Actifed Cold and Sinus Caplets and Tablets, and Children's Tylenol Flu Liquid.



• NSAID plus a decongestant and/or cough suppressant: Advil Cold and Sinus Caplets and Motrin IB Sinus Caplets and Tablets.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• ibuprofen, Advil, Children's Advil/Motrin, Medipren, Motrin, Nuprin, PediaCare Fever, etc. - Explains the medication ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, Medipren) a drug used for the management of mild to moderate pain, fever, and inflammation. Article includes descriptions, uses, drug interactions, and side effects.
• Flu Vaccine - Get the facts about influenza vaccine (flu shot) ingredients, side effects and vaccination effectiveness. Learn who should (children, pregnant women, elderly) and shouldn't get a flu shot.
• Flu (Influenza) - Learn influenza symptoms, causes, home remedies, treatment with antiviral drugs and prevention. Read about flu types (swine or H1N1, bird, stomach), when to get flu shots, how long it lasts and how it's spread.

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