Best Cold Medicine for Each Symptom - K Health (2024)

FAQs

What is the most effective medicine for a cold? ›

First-generation antihistamines are preferred over second-generation antihistamines because they're better at treating symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose. Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines that can help treat cold symptoms include: Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate) Tavist (clemastine fumarate)

The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery.

Decongestants, pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, cough suppressants, and antihistamines can treat symptoms so you feel better faster, even if the viral infection lingers.

Mucinex D (Guaifenesin / Pseudoephedrine) is good if you have a stuffy nose and a cough with mucus, but it could keep you up at night. Dayquil Cold And Flu (Acetaminophen / Phenylephrine / Dextromethorphan) is a combination medicine that relieves multiple cold symptoms.

Symptoms peak: Cold symptoms peak at 1 to 3 days. The main symptoms include sore throat, stuffy nose, runny nose, cough, discomfort, sneezing, fever (more common in children), headaches, clear, watery discharge from your nose (mucus), and body aches.

Vitamin C does not prevent colds and only slightly reduces their length and severity. A 2013 review of scientific literature found that taking vitamin C regularly did not reduce the likelihood of getting a cold but was linked to small improvements in cold symptoms.

Some people might also experience what's known as the post-infectious cough, which is a nagging cough that can last an average of 18 days after your cold subsides. If, however, all your other symptoms have ended, you can consider yourself free and clear.

There is no way to get rid of a cold fast. A cold will usually go away on its own without treatment. However, a person may experience uncomfortable symptoms while they recover. People can take steps to aid recovery, such as getting plenty of rest.

While the duration of your symptoms may vary, many people wonder how to cure a cold in 24 hours or even overnight. The best way to tame a cold fast is to stay home, rest, drink plenty of fluids, gargle with salt water, take an OTC medication, and humidify the air.

How do you get rid of a cold within 24 hours? ›

How long do omicron symptoms last? Most people who test positive with any variant of COVID-19 typically experience some symptoms for a couple weeks. People who have long COVID-19 symptoms can experience health problems for four or more weeks after first being infected, according to the CDC.

When do omicron subvariant symptoms start? The time it takes for an infected person to develop symptoms after an exposure is shorter for the omicron variant than for previous variants — from a full week down to as little as three days or less, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Managing Cough and Shortness of Breath

Over-the-counter medications used for upper respiratory infections may help alleviate symptoms. Those medications include guaifenesin (Mucinex), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), and dextromethorphan (Robitussin, Delsym).

Best cough and cold medicines for COVID-19: DayQuil, NyQuil, Mucinex, Sudafed, or Theraflu? Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help relieve symptoms of the common cold, the flu, and COVID-19.

The guaifenesin in Mucinex helps loosen and thin mucus in your airways. If you have a “wet” cough, this can make the mucus easier to cough up. Guafenesin kicks in fast — usually within 30 minutes of taking it.

Days 3 to 5: Cough and More Nasal Congestion

You may notice that mucus from your runny nose has become thicker, with a yellow or green tinge. This usually is due to a spike in the number of white blood cells your immune system has dispatched to overcome the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The symptoms are usually at their worst during the first two to three days, before they gradually start to improve. In adults and older children, they usually last about 7 to 10 days, but can last longer. A cough in particular can last for two or three weeks.

Symptoms of a cold typically last for 7 to 10 days . Symptoms tend to peak around day 5 and gradually improve. However, if your symptoms worsen after a week or haven't disappeared after about 10 days, you may have another condition, and it may be time to see a doctor.

Does zinc help fight a cold? ›

There is no guarantee that zinc will help you feel better faster. In some studies, zinc did nothing to shorten how long people with colds felt bad. In other studies, zinc may have shortened symptoms by a few days. But the side effects from taking zinc can be uncomfortable or serious in some cases.

Vitamin C. Vitamin C is marketed as the go-to supplement for preventing and treating colds. Mechanistically, it makes sense: vitamin C helps immune cells form and function, and it supports the physical barriers (such as the epithelial cells of your skin) that protect you from pathogens.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, taking vitamin C supplements regularly slightly reduces the length and severity of colds, but some forms of zinc appear to do a better job.

If symptoms get worse, rather than better, after 3-7 days, you may have acquired a bacterial infection. These symptoms can also be caused by a cold virus other than a rhinovirus.

You can often treat a cold without seeing a GP. You should begin to feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks.

In general, therapeutic studies included lozenges containing 10 to 24 mg zinc gluconate, with one lozenge taken every 1 to 4 hours during the day for 3 to 7 days.

Nose blowing can relieve some sinus pressure and provide comfort, but it cannot clear the bacterial or viral infection of the sinuses. The infections require medical attention.

Colds typically last between 7-10 days. It typically can be broken down into three stages: early (days 1-3); active or peak (days 4-7) and late (days 8-10). The stages don't necessarily matter, as once you have a cold, there's not much to do but to wait it out.

Is a 24 hour cold contagious? ›

You're generally contagious with a cold 1-2 days before your symptoms start, and you could be contagious as long as your symptoms are present—in rare cases, up to 2 weeks. The contagious period for the flu can last as long as 5-7 days from when you first felt sick.

In adults and older children, they usually last about 7 to 10 days, but can last longer. A cough in particular can last for two or three weeks. Colds tend to last longer in younger children who are under five, typically lasting around 10 to 14 days. Read more about colds in children.

Colds typically last between 7-10 days. It typically can be broken down into three stages: early (days 1-3); active or peak (days 4-7) and late (days 8-10). The stages don't necessarily matter, as once you have a cold, there's not much to do but to wait it out.

Mild COVID-19 means you have symptoms — such as cough, sore throat, and fatigue — but no shortness of breath. Most of the time, people can treat mild COVID-19 at home. There are treatments specific to COVID-19 for certain people, so contact your healthcare provider to discuss your options.

Taking a hot shower or a bath can really help to quell your various pains. The warmth from the bath can help soothe your lungs, and the steam will moisturize your throat and nasal passages that have been dried out from your sickness.

Should I stay home with a cold? ›

If you have a cold, you should follow these tips to help prevent spreading it to other people: Stay at home while you are sick and keep children out of school or daycare while they are sick. Avoid close contact with others, such as hugging, kissing, or shaking hands. Move away from people before coughing or sneezing.

If the built-up mucus is due to a virus or bacterial infection and is pushed into these tubes, the result may be a middle ear infection or holes in the eardrum. The simple way to avoid these complications is to let out your sneezes and allow your body to rid itself of irritants.

Interestingly, when you have a cold your immune system is responsible for making you feel ill. It responds to the cold virus by releasing substances called inflammatory mediators, including histamine, interleukins and prostaglandins, and they are what cause the actual symptoms of a cold.

A typical cold will last about 10 days, with the body's immune system eventually getting rid of the infection on its own. During the life of the cold, it can seem to actually get worse.