Curing a cold when your mom isn't around
Lucia Gonzalez
Issue date: 11/9/09 Section: Pulse
Now that flu and cold season are here, it is extremely important to know what exactly needs to be done to make your symptoms tolerable. There are common medicines and home remedies out there. The trick is to figure out exactly which one works for you, if it even works at all.
Should you take an antihistamine or a decongestant?
Decongestants work by reducing the swelling in the nasal passages and thereby relieving the pressure and improving the airflow through your nose. Decongestants come in pill and nasal sprays and it is important to remember not to use nasal sprays for more than 3 days. When it comes to antihistamines, it is uncertain as to whether these can be helpful at relieving cold symptoms. Some people, however, feel that it brings relief from sneezing and a runny nose during a cold. Antihistamines work by blocking histamine from interacting with the nasal tissues, preventing sneezing and runny nose. The older antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine, are the only antihistamines effective at relieving cold symptoms. Newer antihistamines, like Allegra and Clartin, have not been shown to work against cold symptoms.
Most over the counter cold medicines have either acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with the aches and the fevers and headaches that can happen. However, there are other types of anti-inflammatory drugs that could help with the pain. These can include aspirin, ketoprofen (Orudis KT) and naproxen (Aleve).
Should you take antibiotics for your cold?
The short answer is no, you should not. Antibiotics fight bacteria related illnesses. Viruses, which are definitely not bacteria (or technically "living"), cause the common cold and are therefore not affected at all by antibiotics. Taking antibiotics that are not needed are very harmful to your body. About 1 in every 40, 000 people can have an allergic reaction to the antibiotic which can turn fatal. In addition, those that take antibiotics that are not needed add to the growth of several strains of bacteria that have become antibiotic resistant. The time to take antibiotics is only when you have infections and illnesses caused by bacteria, such as bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, bacterial ear infection, and pink eye.
Should you take an antihistamine or a decongestant?
Decongestants work by reducing the swelling in the nasal passages and thereby relieving the pressure and improving the airflow through your nose. Decongestants come in pill and nasal sprays and it is important to remember not to use nasal sprays for more than 3 days. When it comes to antihistamines, it is uncertain as to whether these can be helpful at relieving cold symptoms. Some people, however, feel that it brings relief from sneezing and a runny nose during a cold. Antihistamines work by blocking histamine from interacting with the nasal tissues, preventing sneezing and runny nose. The older antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine, are the only antihistamines effective at relieving cold symptoms. Newer antihistamines, like Allegra and Clartin, have not been shown to work against cold symptoms.
Most over the counter cold medicines have either acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with the aches and the fevers and headaches that can happen. However, there are other types of anti-inflammatory drugs that could help with the pain. These can include aspirin, ketoprofen (Orudis KT) and naproxen (Aleve).
Should you take antibiotics for your cold?
The short answer is no, you should not. Antibiotics fight bacteria related illnesses. Viruses, which are definitely not bacteria (or technically "living"), cause the common cold and are therefore not affected at all by antibiotics. Taking antibiotics that are not needed are very harmful to your body. About 1 in every 40, 000 people can have an allergic reaction to the antibiotic which can turn fatal. In addition, those that take antibiotics that are not needed add to the growth of several strains of bacteria that have become antibiotic resistant. The time to take antibiotics is only when you have infections and illnesses caused by bacteria, such as bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, bacterial ear infection, and pink eye.
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