Articles by Dr. Whitney
Cold Medications |
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Tylenol Cold Severe Congestion, Tylenol Chest Congestion, Tylenol Cold Relief, Tylenol Cold and Flu. Tylenol alone has 15 cold and flu formulations. These days it takes an advanced degree to figure out which cold medication to buy.
To get started, you need to look at the product’s label to find the list of active ingredients it contains. There are actually only five categories of active ingredients in the myriad of choices available.
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Pain relievers/antipyretics: Examples are acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), and naproxen (Aleve). These medications ease the achiness and headaches associated with illnesses, as well as control fevers. Choose the one that works best for you, understanding that ibuprofen and naproxen can bother your stomach and cannot be taken with blood thinners.
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Expectorant (mucus thinner): This is sold as guaifenesin (Robitussin, Mucinex, and Entex). As its name suggests, it helps thin your mucus by drawing water into the mucus. Therefore, it works best when you drink a lot of fluids throughout the day. Small amounts are contained in many formulations. If you have thick secretions and are trying to avoid or treat a sinus infection, you should use the higher doses found in Mucinex and Entex.
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Decongestants: This is sold as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). It reduces the swelling in your nasal passage by constricting the blood vessels. It will ease head congestion, lessen ear congestion/pain, lessen the cough and sore throat from postnasal drip, and help your sinuses clear the mucous more efficiently, thus reducing the risk of developing a bacterial sinusitis. Be aware that it can cause insomnia, palpitations, and nervousness in some people. A prescription is not needed, but it is not on the shelf, you must get it from the pharmacist.
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Antihistamines: These are sold as diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, doxylamine, triprolidine, and loratidine. They dry out the secretions and are the sedating component of nighttime formulations. People prone to sinus infections should use them with caution. They can thicken secretions making the secretions difficult to clear.
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Cough suppressant: This is sold as dextromethorphan (DM).
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Which formulation should you purchase? Find a combination that treats the symptoms that are preventing adequate rest. Sleep is the most important remedy for any viral illness. If you are reasonably comfortable and sleeping well, nothing is necessary. Just a word about generics. For some medications, the brand name is preferable, but generic equivalents are fine for the cold remedies.
Last changed: Jun 14 2009 at 11:38 PM
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