medicine
Stroll down the cold medicine aisle at your drugstore and you’ll find an impressive variety of pills, capsules, nasal sprays, and potions.
Will any of them really work? That’s a fair question after the Food and Drug Administration announced in September that phenylephrine, an ingredient in dozens of cold and allergy medicines, has no value as a nasal decongestant.
In response to the news, major pharmacy chains such as CVS began removing products containing phenylephrine from their shelves. So, are there any alternatives if you catch a cold?
Many doctors say not that many.
“There aren’t many things that are very effective at treating the common cold,” says Dr. Lauren Eggert, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University. told NPR.
“There’s not a lot of evidence that most of the things out there, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and cough suppressants, are very effective at improving cough and cold symptoms,” Eggert added.
FDA foot-dragging
The problem began decades ago, when the standards for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were much lower and clinical research was a relatively new phenomenon. Many drugs have been approved for use despite scant evidence of effectiveness.
Now, when a drug that’s been on the market for decades is subject to FDA oversight (a lengthy bureaucratic process that can take years), it can fall short of expectations, as it did with phenylephrine.
But until then, they are “grandfathered” and will be available to consumers, even though they do not offer much, if any, relief.
2018 Reported in Allergy & Asthma Proceedings revealed virtually no relationship between marketing claims and OTC evidence [over-the-counter] “Drugs used for respiratory symptoms” of colds.
The report authors also note that “over-the-counter mucolytics also [mucus-thinning drugs like Mucinex] or antitussive medicine [cough suppressants like Robitussin] provided sufficient evidence to justify its use. ”
Eggert cited evidence that antihistamines, vitamins, and herbal medicines have little effect, while cough syrups, nasal decongestants, expectorants, and zinc have minimal or uncertain effectiveness.
Which cold medicines are effective?
If you’re suffering from cold symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose, or runny nose, cheer up. There are a few things that can help.
For aches and pains, use proven treatments like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil). If you have a high fever, you may have a more serious illness, such as the flu, but these painkillers can also help relieve your symptoms.
Saline nasal sprays or nasal drops are recommended to relieve stuffy or nasal congestion. According to the Mayo Clinic. Adding moisture to the air by taking a hot shower or using a humidifier can help you breathe easier.
Adding honey to hot tea will soothe your throat and make coughing easier, but since you need more rest, add honey to decaffeinated or herbal teas that can keep you drowsy.
The Mayo Clinic also recommends salt water gargles (dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt in 8 ounces of warm water) to temporarily relieve a sore or scratched throat.
However, experts recommend these treatments for young children who may not be able to gargle properly, may keep cough medicine in their mouths, or may have adverse reactions to painkillers or adult doses. He advises caution before trying the law.
Grandma’s chicken soup idea was right.
Kara Collier, RD, co-founder of Chicago-based NutriSense, says drinking a cup of hot chicken soup can alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a cold.
“The vegetables and seasonings in chicken soup (like garlic and herbs) also provide important minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids that support our bodies’ immune systems,” she told FOX News Digital. Ta.
“Warm soup itself can also help open clogged nasal and throat passages, which can help you better manage cold and flu symptoms,” Collier added.
But the best treatment may simply be a day or so of rest. “Colds are pretty much something that needs to be cured,” Dr. Shalini Lynch, a clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy, told NPR.
“You want to feel better right away, but the reality is that most coughs, colds, and viral upper respiratory infections just take a while to heal,” Lynch said.