Those with high blood pressure should stick to spray-based decongestants such as Afrin 12 Hour. . Of...

1. The Truth About 10 Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Those with high blood pressure should stick to spray-based decongestants such as Afrin 12 Hour.
. Often used to treat allergies, common brand names include Claritin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl. They
can also help with fever.
Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) have the advantage of
reducing tissue inflammation, but you should take Tylenol (acetaminophen) instead if you're taking
blood thinners to prevent blood clots or if you have stomach problems, congestive heart failure, or
asthma and nasal polyps.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Theraflu is basically a dose of acetaminophen along with several other anti-cold ingredients and has
a warning about the risk of liver damage if you take more than the recommended dose or mix with
alcohol or other acetaminophen-containing products. Another homeopathic remedy, Sambucol
consists of extracts from the black elderberry plant. But if you have ragweed-triggered seasonal
allergies, you may be more likely to experience side effects with echinacea.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Do they work? Yes. So much depends on the treatment's preparation--juice, root-and-herb or
tincture--which can vary widely. The better approach: Fill up on whole foods loaded with vitamin C,
which are also loaded with other important nutrients to keep your body strong and healthy.
12 Foods With More Vitamin C Than Oranges
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Expectorants such as Mucinex thin the nasty mucous draining down the back of your throat, which
helps you cough it up and out. Claritin and Zyrtec aren't likely to make you drowsy. It's not going to
work," says Ally Dering-Anderson, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center. You can also turn on the hot water in the shower and breathe it in or
try a cool-mist humidifier.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
This homeopathic remedy claims to fight multiple symptoms of a cold including "hacking cough" or
"rattling/tickling cough." According to Alonzo, there's no data that show either way whether Defend
works. That said, some do work.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Does it work? Maybe. That said, the drug is safe for most people and among the most effective cold
remedies available.

2. "The quick rule of thumb is if you can buy it without showing an ID, don't bother. Homeopathic
products are not as tightly regulated as drugs.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Do they work? Yes. Vitamin C is water soluble, so anything over the recommended dietary
allowance--which is 90 milligrams a day for men and 75 for women--will be eliminated from the body
when you urinate. Better bet: Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen alone and brew yourself a cup of tea
or soup, says Dering-Anderson. Choose a product that contains pseudoephedrine (like Sudafed). In
fact, the National Institutes of Health says that there's little to no evidence that any homeopathic
products work. The FDA has warned consumers not to use three zinc-based nasal products, but that
warning doesn't extend to oral products, like zinc tablets or lozenges.
10 Ways to Soothe a Sore Throat
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Studies on whether the herb echinacea reduces the duration of the common cold are a mixed bag.
Evidence suggests that few remedies--herbal, over-the-counter, or homeopathic--are likely to
influence the course of a cold or the flu. If your symptoms include runny nose and scratchy throat,
an antihistamine may provide temporary relief. One study found that echinacea pills were about as
effective as placebo bills in shortening the length of a cold. You'll have to ask for it at the pharmacy
counter--in 2005, the FDA put limits on how much an individual can purchase because
pseudoephedrine is commonly used to make methamphetamine. This won't stray into your
bloodstream, says Alonzo.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Vitamin C in mega-doses comes brightly packaged as Emergen-C and Airborne, but there's no
concrete evidence that large doses of C can reduce the duration or severity of colds or the flu. One
2004 study reported that the extract cut flu symptoms down by four days. Alonzo, Pharm.D.,
assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Texas AM Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel
College of Pharmacy in Kingsville. These products can help, but the best expectorant may be as near
as your kitchen sink.
"All you need to do is drink more water," say Dering-Anderson. You'll get the warm, soothing fluids
without the http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs/zofran extra drugs.
20 Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies: What Works, What Doesn't originally appeared on Health.com.

3. If you find water too bland for your tastes, try lemonade, tea, or even coffee, she says. "I don't
recommend it," she says.
And there may be a drawback to some forms of zinc: In 2009, taking zinc nasal products was linked
to a permanent loss of taste and smell in some people.
The average American gets three colds a year, each lasting for nine to 14 miserable days, so it's no
surprise that we spend billions of dollars on over-the-counter cold and flu remedies annually. Some
evidence suggests that zinc lozenges (like Zicam and Cold-Eeze) may ease symptoms and shorten
the duration of the common cold, but most studies are small and don't provide "robust" evidence of
benefit, says Joy P. Benadryl will, but that can be a good thing when you need to get some rest, says
Dering-Anderson.
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
Does it work? Maybe. "Pain relievers for coughs and cold can be very effective," says Alonzo. Turns
out that by and large, we're wasting our money. Over-the-counter decongestants relieve stuffy
sinuses by shrinking the blood vessels that stop up the nose. What's more, echinacea is closely
related to ragweed.
Allergic reactions to oral echinacea--like rashes and gastrointestinal problems--are uncommon. But
the study was small, involving zofran birth defects lawyer only 60 people; the researchers relied on
participants' own reports of how they were feeling; and it was funded by the manufacturer of the
product.
Getting a Cold? Do This Right Now
The Truth About Over-the-Counter Cold Remedies
A pain reliever may be the first thing you reach for when you come down with a cold, and with good
reason