What medicine to take for a cold - Tablets for colds - what medicines to take for adults, what to drink, medicines and medications, what to drink if there is no fever for ARVI, list

drink in a glass

Cold powder should be in every medicine cabinet because it is one of the most common treatments for coughs and sore throats.

Cough is not a separate disease, and it occurs as a symptom of a particular respiratory tract disease. If left untreated, a chronic form of bronchitis may develop, which requires long-term complex therapy.

Let's look at how to treat colds with powders, when they are prescribed, features of use, contraindications and possible adverse reactions.

Features and benefits of cold powders

Cold powders are popular due to their effectiveness and fast action. There are a huge number of them, but in general most of these drugs have a similar effect:

  • relieve sore throat;
  • have an antimicrobial effect;
  • reduce sore throat;
  • reduce temperature;
  • relieve pain;
  • soften the symptoms of intoxication;
  • dilute mucus in the bronchi and turn a dry cough into a wet one.

Soluble medications can be used by everyone, even those who are intolerant to tablets and unable to swallow.

The composition may contain different ingredients, among the most common components of powders is paracetamol, which has an antipyretic and mild anti-inflammatory effect.

Vitamin C is also an active substance in the powder.

It has a general strengthening effect and improves the body's protective functions. It should be noted that ascorbic acid negatively affects pathogens, destroying their structure.

Because of this, cells stop dividing and bacterial colonies die.

Medicines in powder form begin to act after the first dose. As a rule, all powders are diluted in warm water so that the components do not lose their healing properties and are quickly absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract.

Doctors often recommend using powders instead of injections or tablets due to their benefits:

  1. They are convenient to take anywhere. To prepare a medicinal solution, simply pour warm boiled water over the powder. This can be done at home, at work or on the street, while walking.
  2. Remedies for flu and colds have a wide spectrum of action and have anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, expectorant and antipyretic effects.
  3. Medicines of this type are quickly absorbed and begin to act immediately after administration.
  4. Medicines produced in the form of powder in bags have a gentle effect on the body, so they can be used even to treat children over 6 years old. Powders are also produced for children aged 1-2 years, in which the concentration of the main active substance is reduced.

It is important to note that the powder cannot cure the disease. If you suspect an acute respiratory infection, you need to visit a doctor and get tested to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Sore throat and cough can occur with influenza, tonsillitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, etc. All these diseases are treated differently, and therefore require accurate diagnosis.

Cold powder is only part of a complex therapy aimed at relieving symptoms. In addition, antiviral restorative, possibly antibacterial, anti-inflammatory drugs are needed.

If you have a runny nose, you will need drops; if you have a severe sore throat, you will need mixtures or lozenges.

List of effective powders

The following effective powders are suitable for treating colds in adults , which can be purchased at most pharmacies:

  1. Coldrex . A combined cold remedy that alleviates the condition of any cold. The drug can be given to children from 12 years of age in the same dosages as for adults (6 sachets per day). You need to take one sachet every four hours, regardless of meals. The total duration of treatment is 3 days.
  2. Anvimax . A symptomatic drug that eliminates a runny nose and fever, helps lower the temperature and generally restores the tone of the body. The drug should be taken no more than three times a day for five days.
  3. Fervex . One of the least dangerous powders in terms of side effects, which helps relieve colds and eliminate the symptoms of such a disease. The product can be used even for diseases caused by viruses. It is necessary to take the medicine three times a day, for patients with impaired liver or kidney function - twice a day.
  4. Antigrippin . A complex drug that is positioned as an antiviral agent. But it is often prescribed for all types of colds to relieve symptoms. Additionally, the medicine has an immunostrengthening effect. This medicine can be given to children from 5 years of age in the same dosage as adults (three sachets per day for five days).
  5. Rinzasip. A type of Rinza drug in powder form. Contains paracetamol and caffeine. Eliminates fever, runny nose and has a tonic effect. It is allowed to use no more than 4 sachets per day at four-hour intervals and no longer than 5 days.
  6. Pharmacitron. A combination drug based on paracetamol that eliminates pain in the throat and lowers body temperature. This medicine can be given to children from 14 years of age. The optimal dosage is three sachets per day. The duration of treatment should not exceed three days.
  7. Nimesil. A drug with a pronounced analgesic effect for colds accompanied by sore throat. Like Pharmacitron, this powder belongs to the expensive segment and is highly effective. But at the same time, it is characterized by a large number of side effects that appear when the dosage is violated. If this is followed, the medicine can be given to children from 12 years of age. The product is consumed no more than twice a day (1 sachet per glass of warm boiled water). But the duration of the course of treatment can be up to two weeks if the patient tolerates the drug well.

Although most of these drugs are available without a prescription, they should not be used without consulting about the possibility of such treatment .

When used concomitantly with drugs in the form of tablets or injections, you must ensure that this combination does not cause additional side effects .

And if there is such a possibility, the powder should be discontinued as a less effective remedy in favor of other medications.

Therapeutic effect of powders against colds

powder in spoon

Powders have a complex effect. Depending on the composition and type of drugs, they may have antipyretic, analgesic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.

The effectiveness of cold and flu powder directly depends on the type of active substance.

Regardless of the main action, all powders belong to the pharmacological group of fast-acting drugs.

They are best used in combination with antibiotics or antiviral agents, because the disease disappears only when the main cause of its appearance disappears.

When using drugs in powder form, unlike tablets or capsules, you do not need to wait for the medicine to dissolve, so they relieve fever and pain within 10 minutes after taking.

These medications can be used at the first signs of respiratory system diseases. The substances included in their composition will help prevent more serious diseases, such as pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitis or chronic bronchitis.

Before using medications to relieve cold symptoms, you should consult your doctor to avoid side effects.

For headaches and runny nose, the powder should be taken strictly in accordance with the dosage due to the high percentage of absorption of the active substances.

Almost all powder products have antipyretic properties and, in case of overdose, cause a loss of energy and an increase in blood pressure.

“PLEASE REPORT THE ENTIRE LIST!”

When might these most effective antiviral drugs for adults be needed?
Well, the list of life situations that end with a diagnosis of “cold or flu” is quite long. Of course, at the top of the list is the most “inexpensive” way to catch a cold: hypothermia. The action is simple, in winter you can simply freeze, in autumn you can get your feet wet. But summer, in a sense, is not far behind: drinking cold water in the sun, standing in a draft or sitting under the air conditioner - this may well be enough for a cold.

“Communication” with a sick person is the next important item on the list. There is also nothing to be surprised about: ARVI, as follows from the transcript, is the result of a “viral attack” on the body, which the immune system could not cope with. Of course, close to the immediate “source” of the viruses, the “power” of this attack is noticeably higher.

However, there are also less “obvious” ways to get a cold. For example, constant stress, a state of chronic fatigue. Yes, yes, this is an absolutely “wonderful” and also extremely “inexpensive” way to weaken the body’s immunity and soon experience the familiar symptoms of colds and flu...

In general, the situations are known. It would be good to avoid them, but unfortunately it doesn’t always work out. According to statistics, even the strongest and most “adult” of us get ARVI once or twice a year. So the task of finding effective antiviral drugs for adults is still relevant. ARVI and influenza do not sleep.

COLD SYMPTOMS: CORRECT ACTIONS

Again: most “fellow adults” know this sequence - but precisely because of their “adult” reasons, not everyone follows it. So it would not be superfluous to recall this sequence of actions once again.

“List of actions, item one, mandatory.” The first suspicion of the approach of ARVI or influenza, the first symptoms of a cold are a “command” to get medical help as soon as possible. Axiom: any disease is best treated at the initial stage. We should not forget that antiviral drugs are most effective precisely when viruses have just begun to “invade” the body. So there is no point in delaying visiting a doctor. To determine which particular variety of ARVI viruses was the cause of the disease in this case, and the list of such varieties includes more than two hundred items, not only a personal examination may be required, but also, possibly, additional tests.

Perhaps, as a treatment, the doctor will recommend Ergoferon, a modern and effective antiviral drug designed specifically to combat various types of ARVI and influenza viruses. At the same time, the drug can have an anti-inflammatory effect, help alleviate all the main symptoms of a cold and activate the body’s own protective resources.

The antiviral drug is approved for use in adults and children from the age of 6 months.

PREVENTION OF COLDS AND FLU

It sounds simple enough and, if you look at it, there really is nothing complicated!

Rightfully topping the list is ordinary fresh air. The product is inexpensive and widely available, but when taken daily it is absolutely wonderful.

Another inexpensive remedy is sound sleep. It restores not only physical and moral strength, but also perfectly strengthens the immune system, those very “defensive resources of the body.”

A nutritious, varied diet will supply these resources with the required vitamins and microelements.

It is not for nothing that the cold is also considered a “disease of dirty hands.” Contaminated surfaces are a “paradise” for viruses, so daily wet cleaning with disinfectants and adherence to personal hygiene rules are mandatory. These, perhaps, should also include ventilation of premises, the duration of “expulsion of viruses” is at least 10-15 minutes.

Physical education, hardening procedures are also quite obvious actions. More movement, more oxygen - and a good mood will not keep you waiting. But a cheerful state of mind is another most important component in the fight against colds and flu!

Powders for colds in children

mother gives the girl medicine

On sale you can find cold powders for infants, from 1 year, from 2 years, and so on. Pharmaceutical companies have taken care of the kids and produce drugs with the minimum permissible content of active ingredients.

The advantage of this dosage form is that it is easy to take, unlike tablets, and this medicine can be given even to a newborn baby from a spoon or bottle.

Flu powders should not be used unless prescribed by a pediatrician. It is not recommended to take the drug for longer than 5 days, so as not to provoke stomach pain, allergies, vomiting and impaired liver and kidney function.

Medicines intended for adults can be used for children aged 12-14 years. For younger children, powders and solutions based on ibuprofen and paracetamol are recommended.

Children's medications contain substances in small doses, because non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause the development of gastrointestinal diseases.

Many powders for children are available with different aromatic and flavor additives (banana, chocolate, raspberry). Thanks to this, the medicine becomes tastier, and children do not have problems taking the drugs.

Cold medicines for children with complex action are also produced, which relieve fever, relieve pain, and have an expectorant and sputum-thinning effect.

To avoid adverse reactions and allergies, it is necessary to monitor the child’s condition after the first dose.

If the temperature has subsided, rash, swelling and other side effects have not occurred, then this remedy is completely suitable, but the recommended dosage should not be exceeded.

Anti-cold medications. Composition and purpose

Why does a cold occur? It is caused by a virus entering our body, which creates a beneficial environment for the development of other invaders - toxic microorganisms that infect the nose, pharynx and respiratory tract. As a result of their attack, the temperature rises, and a cough and runny nose appear. Many of us, having felt such ailments, purchase, on the advice of acquaintances or friends, some kind of anti-cold medications .
And it often happens that temporary relief from taking these drugs ultimately turns into complications after a few days, which have to be treated long and hard. The reason for this situation usually lies in the wrong choice of these drugs and their incorrect administration. For example, recently it has become popular to treat colds with instant cold teas. Almost all of these teas contain the same ingredients, each of which has a specific effect. This is paracetamol, which has an antipyretic effect, ascorbic acid and vitamins that enhance its effect and increase the body's resistance, phenylephrine hydrochloride that normalizes nasal breathing, pheniramine maleate that slightly suppresses cough, and caffeine that reduces fatigue and stimulates mental activity. The main healing elements in cold medications are paracetamol and ascorbic acid, or vitamin C.

The effectiveness of a particular anti-cold drug depends on the presence or absence of various additives in it, the configuration of the components included in this drug and the total amount of treating components. Therefore, you need to choose medications based on the symptoms of a cold. For example, the drug "Dalerons" contains only paracetamol and ascorbic acid, and only helps to activate the body's defenses and reduce the temperature. And the drug “Rinza Hostil” also consists of phenylephrine hydrochloride, an anti-allergenic component and caffeine, and not only relieves fever, but also dries the nasopharynx and increases intellectual tone. In other words, if there are several cold symptoms, you need to choose a cold medicine with a wider spectrum of action.

In general, when purchasing cold medications

, we must take into account that treating colds with paracetamol is not always advisable. It has an antipyretic effect, and it is recommended to reduce the temperature only when it exceeds 38ºC. If its value is lower, this means that the body is able to successfully fight a cold without additional help, and there is no need to lower the temperature.

Preparations containing phenylephrine hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate are needed if there is a runny nose with discharge. For dry mucous membranes, it is better to take medications containing paracetamol and vitamin C. Moreover, you need to choose medications without dyes, since dyes can provoke an allergic reaction. Those with hypertension and heart failure should buy medications without caffeine or other stimulants. And people suffering from stomach diseases are not recommended to take medications with paracetamol on an empty stomach, as it irritates the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. Preparations with pheniramine maleate should not be taken if there are diseases of the urinary system, and patients with diabetes should pay attention to the presence of sugar or sucrose in medications.

It should be remembered that no anti-cold medication provides a complete guarantee of cure. In general, such drugs are aimed at alleviating the course of the disease and activating the body's defenses. However, often their action alone is not enough to completely eliminate the cold. Therefore, to achieve maximum results, it is advisable to combine the use of anti-cold medications with the use of folk remedies.

Indications

girl in bed with thermometer

Powders against flu and colds have a wide spectrum of action. These medications are prescribed for the following signs of disease:

  1. Aching joints and muscle weakness, general malaise, decreased performance. Such signs usually appear on the 1st-2nd day of an infectious disease, when the body tries to independently overcome the pathogenic microflora.
  2. Increased body temperature resulting from inflammation or exposure to pathogenic microflora. Many powders contain antipyretic substances, such as paracetamol, which normalize body temperature in the shortest possible time.
  3. Cough, pain and inflammation in the throat. Such symptoms are the first signs of a respiratory disease, regardless of the type of pathogen.
  4. Dry cough, which occurs due to excessively viscous mucus in the bronchi. Some drugs have a mucolytic effect, thinning mucus in the bronchi and facilitating its removal.
  5. Nasal congestion and runny nose. Powders will help quickly relieve swelling of the nasopharynx, which improves breathing. In parallel, you can use drops or sprays with a vasoconstrictor effect.

You can use the powder at the first symptoms of the disease. Typically, an infectious disease begins with an itchy sensation in the nasopharynx, a clicking sound in the ears when swallowing, and a sore throat.

The components of the drug will help stop the development of the disease at the initial stage.

It is important to note that expectorants do not soothe, but rather provoke a cough. When sputum becomes thinner, it is released during coughing and expectoration. It's worse when it's gone, because all the mucus accumulates in the lungs.

Anti-cold medications should be used together with antiviral or antibacterial medications, depending on the causative agent of the disease. To accurately determine the diagnosis, you need to take a general blood and urine test.

Effective tablets for colds |

Changes in weather are often accompanied by an outbreak of acute colds and flu.

Feeling unwell, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, fever, they bring you to the pharmacy and put you in front of a choice of all kinds of cold pills.

What cold pills should you choose to treat acute respiratory infections and flu in order to quickly cope with the infection?

All cold medicines are conventionally divided into two groups:

means that eliminate cold symptoms - symptomatic drugs; drugs that act on the virus and strengthen the immune system - antiviral, immunomodulatory agents.

Symptomatic treatments for colds

The most common signs of a cold are headache, runny nose, fever, cough, and sore throat. The choice of which tablets to take for a cold depends on the main symptom of acute respiratory disease (ARI).

If the most pronounced symptom of acute respiratory infections is high fever, antipyretic tablets are needed.

For severe muscle pain or headaches, painkillers help, and vasoconstrictors and antihistamines help with a runny nose.

Contraindications

Pregnant Levushka has a cold

Powders against flu and colds, in addition to their indications, have a number of contraindications that you must familiarize yourself with before using the medicine:

  1. It is not recommended for use if you have kidney problems. Metabolites of drugs are excreted from the body mostly through urine. If the kidneys do not work well, then the remaining substances remain in the body and provoke the development of other diseases, for example, urolithiasis.
  2. If the powder contains substances belonging to the pharmacological group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, it should not be taken for internal bleeding and gastrointestinal dysfunction. NSAIDs negatively affect the digestive system, causing heartburn, gastritis and peptic ulcers. Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic powders are most often produced based on ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid and paracetamol.
  3. Not all medications can be taken by pregnant women due to the risk of fetal development problems. In the third trimester, ibuprofen-based medications can be used. The remaining drugs are taken strictly as prescribed by the doctor, if the potential benefit outweighs the possible harm.

Do not take powders or other medications unless there are pronounced symptoms of colds and other respiratory diseases.

Folk remedies for colds

Popular folk remedies for colds are based on the use of decoctions and infusions of herbs and fruit and berry juices. Therefore, they can be used only if there is no allergy to herbs and some types of fruits. For example, citrus juice has good antiseptic and tonic properties, but those who are allergic to citrus fruits, of course, should not drink it. In general, orange and grapefruit juice effectively reduces the temperature, and lemon juice cleanses the body and enriches it with vitamin C. In addition, all these juices are antiseptic.

Fresh red or black currant juices also have an anti-inflammatory effect and are rich in ascorbic acid. Teas made from linden blossom, raspberry fruits and mint and coltsfoot leaves are very effective in treating colds. They are drunk hot before bed. A decoction of lingonberries and strawberries with honey, which is also drunk hot three to four times a day, is also good during this period. Cranberry juice, syrup and infusions, which can be drunk without restrictions, are great for treating colds. Syrup made from sliced ​​lemon, honey, sage or ginger is a good remedy for coughs, if taken chilled, one tablespoon three times a day.

The most important thing when a cold occurs is its prevention. To carry it out, it is recommended to drink a cup of tea daily with echinacea, sage, honey and eat a clove of garlic. This will help support your immune system and counteract the negative effects of cold-causing infections. And, it is likely that then it will not be able to attack our body, and we will forget about what a cough, runny nose and high temperature are.

Olga Kocheva Women's magazine JustLady

Possible side effects

man holding his head

Flu powder causes some adverse reactions if taken incorrectly or if the dosage is not followed. Most often, side effects occur from the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, diarrhea, nausea.

Sometimes an allergic reaction may occur - angioedema, urticaria, itching of the skin. Disorders of the central nervous system include irritability, sleep disturbances, and increased fatigue.

An overdose of the drug leads to vomiting, nausea, dizziness and stool disorders. If such symptoms occur, you should stop taking the medication and immediately rinse your stomach. You can also use drugs that remove toxins from the body.

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