Cold, Flu, and Allergy Treatments

Making your body healthy is a tough job but. 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 prevent these diseases we should regularly wash our hands and of course take the right medicine for us.

Here are some facts about over the counter medicine that you should know:

• ·        Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, which are the cause of colds. However, bacterial infections that can follow viral infections, for example, infections of the ears and sinuses, may be treated with antibiotics.

• ·        Nasal decongestants are chemicals (for example, pseudoephedrine, oxymetazoline, etc.) that narrow the blood vessels in the nose, thereby preventing fluid from leaking and the lining from swelling. These can be used for short-term relief in older children and adults.

• ·        Analgesic/antipyretic medications are often sold in combination with other ingredient(s) to treat cold/flu/allergy symptoms.

• ·        Antihistamines are commonly used to block the histamine effect that causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction. "First generation" antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) have been in use longer, are less expensive, and are more sedating (prone to cause drowsiness) than the newer, "second generation" antihistamines (fexofenidine [Allegra], loratidine [Claritin], etc.), which have minimal sedative effects.

• ·        OTC antihistamines frequently are combined with a nasal decongestant and sometimes also with a cough suppressant or an analgesic. Generally, antihistamine preparations are not effective for cold symptoms.

• ·        Codeine and hydrocodone are narcotic oral cough suppressants that require a doctor's prescription. Dextromethorphan (Tussin P) is an oral cough suppressant that is available OTC.

• ·        Guaifenesin (Robitussin, Mucinex) is an oral expectorant that is believed to increase the leaking of fluid out of the lung tissue and into the airways.

NOTE: This is not a medical advice, Please see your doctor before taking any Over the Counter Medication.

Reference: http://www.medicinenet.com/cold_flu_allergy/article.htm