Fighting off cough and colds

According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults in the United States have an average of two to three colds per year. Children have even more.

Most colds occur during the winter and spring, last between 7-10 days, and can bring symptoms that include sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, headaches, and body aches.
There is no cure for the common cold. However, things such as frequent hand washing, staying away from people who are sick, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands can help prevent spread of the cold.

Some cold sufferers will seek healthcare, and others will first try to relieve symptoms through readily available OTC products and advice from pharmacists, who can direct patients to numerous products. They include:
Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs (Matrixx Initiatives) is a homeopathic cold and allergy relief product. It claims to be clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold when used at the first sign.

“It’s time for people to stop thinking that there is nothing they can do when suffering from a cold,” said Dr. Holly Lucille, ND, RN, a naturopathic doctor. “As we enter cold season, having safe and effective products, such as Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, is extremely beneficial in helping to get over a cold faster and get us back to our lives.”

Zicam has a plant-based formula that is zinc-free. It helps provide relief for nasal congestion, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and dry, and scratchy throat.

“It’s so important to know the signs of a pre-cold. It’s that first sniffle, sneeze or throat tickle that we tend to ignore and hope will go away,” Lucille said. “Instead of ignoring the signs, reach for Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs to shorten the duration of a cold rather than just masking the symptoms.”

The Mentholatum Company offers three chest rubs with 100% natural active ingredients, including Nighttime Vaporizing Rub, Original Ointment, and Cherry Vaporizing Rub for Kids.

“Our understanding of our consumers was critical in developing the Nighttime Vaporizing Rub with its natural active ingredients formulation,” said Angela Ho, Mentholatum’s U.S. marketing director. “As a trusted brand for more than 125 years, we take our relationship with consumers very seriously. Throughout our history, we have seen many changes in consumer behavior and attitudes. We will continue to meet the demands of our consumers and reinforce the generations of trust we have nurtured.”

The formula’s promise to relieve chest aches associated with colds, to relieve muscle aches and pains, and to soothe nasal passages. It can be applied to the chest, neck, and back, and the maximum strength formulas last up to eight hours.

Cepacol (Reckitt Benckiser) offers several products designed to relief coughs and sore throats. They include Cepacol Lozenges,Cepacol Ultra Sore Throat Spray, and Cepacol Sore Throat & Cough. The products contain benzocaine that works on the nerve receptors in your throat to temporary prevent them from registering sensations of pain.

The lozenges are safe for children over five (with adult supervision) and are available in cherry, honey lemon, and sugar-free cherry.

Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief (Reckitt Benckiser) promises to silence coughs for up to 12 hours. The product also provides relief for chest congestion and is available in orange and grape flavors and in daytime, nighttime, and children’s formulas. The active ingredient in Delsym’s time-released medicine is dextromethorphan polistirex that is equivalent to 30 mg dextromethorphan HBr.

NyQuil Severe (Procter & Gamble) temporarily relieves nasal congestion, sinus congestion and pressure, cough due to minor sore throat, minor aches, headache, and fever. The product also reduces swelling of nasal passages, temporarily restores freer breathing through the nose, and promotes nasal and sinus drainage. Active ingredients in NyQuil include acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, doxylamine succinate, and phenylephrine.

NyQuil Cold & Flu Nightime Relief LiquiCaps (Procter & Gamble) temporarily relieves common cold and flu symptoms such as cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation, sore throat, headache, minor aches and pains, fever, runny nose, and sneezing. Active ingredients include acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, doxylamine succinate.

Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom (McNeil-PPC) provides temporary relief for minor aches and pains, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, and sinus congestion and pressure. The product also promises to help clear nasal passages, promote drainage, and reduce fever. Active ingredients include acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, and phenylephrine HCl.

Mucinex (Reckitt Benckiser) offers several products to battle common colds and coughs, include Mucinex Fast-Max, Mucinex Fast-Max Nighttime Cold & Flu, and Mucinex Fast-Max Severe Congestion & Cough. The products promise relief for headache, fever, and sore throat. They also promise to control coughing, relieve nasal and chest congestions, and to thin and loosen mucus. Active ingredients include dextromethorphan HBr, acetaminophen, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine.

Pfizer’s Robitussin brands offer several products that target the symptoms of colds and coughs. Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough, Cold + Flu relieves coughs, sore throats, body aches, and fever. It also promises to lessen nasal and chest congestion. Active ingredients include acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine.

Robitussin 12 Hour Cough Relief promises to suppress coughs for up to 12 hours, including coughs due to minor throat and bronchial irritation. It promises to help promote sleep by relieving the impulse to cough.
The product is available in orange and grape flavors and can be used by adults and children over four. Active ingredients include dextromethorphan polistirex, and dextromethorphan hydrobromide.