I have just caught a cold, and the worst thing is the constant runny nose. Pls recommend a magic pill or potion, so I might sleep tonight.
Woe is me.
NyQuil (or the generic brand thereof) Helps with all the symptoms and helps you sleep.
Sounds gross, but actually doesn’t taste too bad (and if you have a cold, it’s not like you would notice if it did):
Cup of tea, with a dash of cinnamon, spoonful of honey, shot of whiskey or brandy, and a pat of butter melted on top.
Soothes the scratchy throat, opens your sinuses and unstuffs your chest, helps you sleep, and makes you sweat.
Sounds weird, but works for me and for my S.O.
I don’t like medicines like NyQuil which combine several ingredients, some of which I may not need. So, I buy the individual ingredients and use them individually or in combination as needed.
If your only problem is a runny nose, then all you need is a decongestant which stops the running and shrinks the nasal passageways so you can breathe easier.
An antihistimine can also help in this area, especially since one of its side effects can be drowsiness. This would be good to take at night, but not during the day. (See the benefits of individual ingredients?)
[BTW - histimine is released to help fight invaders by blowing up cells which can be infected with a virus. This stops the spread of the virus (until the real heroes, the antibodies come along) but has the side effect of blowing up your cells leaving the tissues of your air passages sore and red.]
If you’re in pain from the effects of a cold, then an analgesic is in order. Aspirin and ibuprofen have the added benefits of shrinking swollen tissues. They also keep down fevers that get too high, although, some raised temperature is good in that it helps in fighting the invaders.
For when the cold hits the lungs, I buy separate expectorants (loosen the phlegm so you can cough it up) and suppressants (stops coughing). You want to cough up the phlegm (it’s a good thing). But you don’t want to cough if you have work you have to do or if you need to sleep. So, use the expectorant and suppressant when needed.
Vitamin C and a multi-vitamin is good, too. Don’t overdo them, they don’t cure the cold, but you need adequate nutrition to help fight the cold, and you may not be eating well with a cold. Also, the body does use a lot of vitamin C to fight a cold (but, again, don’t overdo it because it would be wasteful – your body can only hold so much C, it’s water soluble and the extra just gets urinated away).
And speaking of good nutrition: Feed a cold and feed a fever. Starvation doesn’t help either. Hot, steamy foods also temporarily relieve painful symptoms of a cold, so, have all the chicken noodle soup you want.
So, how do you find these ingredients? Read the labels. Find a ‘decongestant’ and check for it’s one and only active ingredient. For Sudafed (a brand name) the active ingredient is pseudoephedrine. Now, find the store brand or the generic brand that has the same active ingredient to save yourself some money.
For antihistimines, I swear by chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton).
Also, read the labels for contraindications. People with high blood pressure, e.g., shouldn’t be taking Sudafed.
Also, read the labels in order to save money. Exedrin PM is regular Exedrin without the caffeine. So, just buy generic aspirin and save yourself half the cost.
Peace.
Common cold remedy here in South Central Asia: get about 1/2 kilo sheep fat and render it, then fry 3-4 sliced red onions in it. Either use as a poultice or eat. I thought my neighbor was joking when she told me to do this. It works, though. Your stomach is so sick from the smell and/or taste, you don’t notice your cold anymore. Doesn’t help much with sleep, though, since the smell of sheep fat tends to fill the air for several hours afterwards.