Drugs for colds. What drugs to take with colds

The risk of catching an acute respiratory disease persists people at any time of the year, even in hot summer. But especially colds sicken us in the winter months, as well as in the off-season. What cold medications can help get rid of it most quickly and effectively? Our review is devoted to answering this question.

Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs

When we catch cold, then, as a rule, we have a fever, there is a stuffy nose, a sore throat, a cough - unpleasant symptoms, to be sure. What medications for cold will help to quickly relieve the condition, lower the temperature, remove puffiness in the nasopharynx, slow or even stop the development of inflammatory processes in the body? There are three tested, reliable and universal medicines:

- "Aspirin";

- "Ibuprofen";

"Paracetamol."

All of the listed cold tablets are widely used in therapy directed against ARI, but today it is considered that "Paracetamol" is the safest. It is produced not only in tablets, but also in the form of rectal suppositories, syrups and drops (for small children). Analogues are preparations "Panadol", "Efferalgan", "Kalpol", "Flutabs" and other medications. Based on paracetamol, a lot of modern drugs for influenza and cold are produced:

• "Fervex";
• "Solpadein";
• "Kaffetin";
• "Coldrex";
• "Teraflu";
• "Rince";
• "Maksikold";
• "Parkotset";
• "Sedalgin";
• "Grippex" and others.

A question may arise: "If all these drugs for treating colds combine paracetamol, then how do they differ from each other?" The fact is that all the listed drugs include various additional components that help the body to cope with the disease more quickly. For example, in the notorious "Fervex", in addition to paracetamol, there are other substances such as ascorbic acid and phenyramine; In "Solpadein" are contained in small doses of codeine and caffeine, etc.

What can be dangerous paracetamol

This drug is well tolerated by most patients, it has relatively few contraindications. In favor of paracetamol, it is said that this medicine is allowed for use even in infants (in droplets and syrups). Nevertheless, even the safest drugs for colds can have some side effects on the body. And the drug "Paracetamol" is no exception.

In the press, they write a lot about medical research claiming that this drug, taken in childhood, can later provoke the development of asthma in adolescents, and also contributes to the emergence of eczema and allergic rhinitis. Therefore, cold medicines for children should not be used without a good reason and without consulting a doctor.

Paracetamol adversely affects the liver (however, like many other drugs), so patients with severe diseases of this body should take this drug with great care.

Drugs from the common cold

What remedy for cold and flu can effectively fight with nasal congestion with a cold? Such a drug should be sought among the so-called decongestants - drugs that have the ability to narrow the vessels, so they can remove the swelling of the nasopharynx, and the sick person is able to breathe freely.

These drugs are available in the form of tablets, and in the form of drops, ointments and sprays. The most popular today are sprays, drops and emulsions. All vasoconstrictors can be divided into three groups: short, medium and long.

To drugs from the common cold short-term include:

• "Sanorin";
• "Tysin";
• "Naphthyzine"

The advantage of these drops is their quick action and inexpensive price, and the disadvantage is that they "work" only a few hours, and sometimes even less. Meanwhile, they can be buried in the nose no more than 4 times a day.

Drugs of medium duration:

• "Rinostop";
• "Ximelin";
• "Galazolin";
• Xylen;
• "Otrivin".

The composition of these drops and sprays includes the substance xylometazoline. It is thanks to him, in these drugs, the duration of action (up to 10 hours) is successfully combined with high efficiency. Disadvantage: these drugs can not be buried in the nose of children up to the age of two, and their use should not last more than 7 days.

Drugs for colds with a runny nose:

• "Nazol";
• "Nazivin".

Use these funds is allowed only twice a day and not more than 3 days in a row. They are capable of providing free breathing for a long time. The disadvantages are that prolonged vasospasm acts destructively on the mucous membrane of the nose. Contraindications for use are the age of the child under 1 year, pregnancy, as well as diabetes and kidney disease.

If the throat hurts

We will continue to study the issue of how to fight against flu and colds. Drugs that are used for this, can not be limited only to tablets from temperature and drops for the nose. If the throat hurts, and this happens in ARI in most cases, then effective medications are also needed for it.

Today, very popular are various absorbable lozenges and pills that can have a local anti-inflammatory effect, as well as aerosols:

• "Ingalipt";
• "Proposol";
• "Cameton";
• "Tharyngosept";
• "Akvalor throat";
• "Yoks";
• Laripront;
• Strepsils;
• "Hexoral";
• "Teraflyu LAR";
• "Sepeto Neo";
• "Septolete Plus";
• "Anti-Angin";
• "Adjicept";
• "Sebidine";
• "Stopangin" and others.

The big plus of the listed drugs is that they are indicated for topical application, their penetration into the body is negligible, they practically do not flow into the blood. Meanwhile, these drugs have a strong effect against viruses and microbes, which in case of cold disease actively multiply in the mouth and cause inflammation and sore throat.

However, one must understand that with severe angina these medications can not cope with the disease completely. The attending physician usually appoints also effective tablets against influenza and colds, sometimes it can even be antibiotics. You can also read about them in our article.

What will help with coughing

Runny nose, sore throat, fever is not all symptoms of ARI. If a person coughs badly for colds, what to drink then? It will be better if the doctor prescribes the medicine on the basis of the diagnosis, because cough can be caused by different causes (bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, etc.). In addition, the cough can be dry or wet, with the spitting of phlegm.

To get rid of dry painful cough apply such tools as:

• "Kodelak";
• "Stoptopsin";
• "Terpinkod";
• "Tussin plus";
• "Sinekod";
• "Neo-coding";
• Cophanol;
• "Insty";
• "Glycodine";
• Butamirate;
• Bronchicum;
• "Falimint";
• "Hexapnevmin" and other drugs.

Expectorants for the treatment of wet cough:

• "Bromhexine";
• "Lazolvan";
• "ATSTS";
• "Mukaltin";
• Tussin;
• "Glyceram";
• "Ambrobe" and others.

Antibiotics

Sometimes the illness is so strong that the doctor decides to appoint the most powerful drugs to the patient, which are available in the arsenal of modern pharmacology. What antibiotics for a cold should be taken to the patient - only a qualified doctor can decide. The fact is that different bacterial drugs affect different types of bacteria. Here is a list of modern antibiotics, which are most often used in the treatment of acute respiratory disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, etc.:

1. Penicillin group:

• "Amoxicillin";
• "Amoxiclav";
• "Augmentin" and others.

These drugs are effective against bacteria that cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

2. Group of cephalosporins:

• "Zinzef";
• "Zinnat";
• Supraks.

Medicines of this group help with bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy.

3. Group of macrolides:

• "Summamed";
• "Hemomycin".

This is one of the strongest antibiotics of the last generation. They are able to cope quickly even with SARS.

Antiviral drugs

Often people identify flu with colds. This is because the symptoms are similar in many respects. With the flu, the throat also hurts, the nose does not breathe, the head hurts, the body temperature rises, etc. That's why, when self-medicated, grief-sick people try to fight the flu by taking usual anti-cold preparations, including antibiotics, which can be very harmful for themselves .

Meanwhile, you need to know that the nature of the flu is not bacterial, as in conventional ARI, but viral. And this means that antiviral drugs are needed to fight the disease . Most commonly used in complex therapy for the treatment of influenza are the following medicines:

• "Amiksin";
• Kagocel;
• "Arbidol";
• "Relenza";
• "Grippferon";
• "Rimantadine";
• "Midantan";
• "Ribamidyl";
• "Interferon".

Medications that strengthen immunity

When we are already sick, the flu and cold pills, of course, will help to quickly overcome the disease and get better, but there are medicines with which you can strengthen immunity and avoid infection even in the peak of the acute respiratory disease.

Very popular and safe are immunomodulators, which are produced on a plant basis:

• "Immunal";
• "Tincture of Echinacea";
• Extract of echinacea "Dr. Theiss";
• "Tincture of ginseng";
• "Eleutherococcus extract";
• "Tincture of Chinese magnolia vine ".

It is also possible to increase the body's resistance to catarrhal diseases with drugs that contain microscopic doses of enzymes from various pathogens (streptococcus, staphylococcus, pneumococcus, etc.). In the pharmacy network the following drugs are sold for the prevention of colds from this group:

• "Lycopid";
• Ribomunil;
• "Broncho-Munal";
• "Imudon";
• "IRS-19".

Vitamins

With a cold, what else to drink? Usually the doctor necessarily prescribes vitamins for his patients who have taken up ARI. In no case should not neglect this recommendation, because these drugs effectively strengthen the body of the sick person, stimulate immunity, help the damaged cells to regenerate, etc. Here is the list of vitamins that we need to successfully combat the common cold:

1. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, or ascorbic acid). This is the most powerful assistant in ARI. It is able to actively inhibit the multiplication of viruses and bacteria. When ailments a day, it is recommended to take 1000-1500 mg of vitamin C;

2. Thiamine (B1). It promotes the regeneration of damaged epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract.

3. Riboflavin - vitamin B2. It needs an organism for the synthesis of antibodies.

4. Pyridoxine - vitamin B6. Participates in the regenerative processes of nerve endings when the disease is affected by the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract.

5. Nicotinic acid is a vitamin of PP. Thanks to it, blood circulation improves, vessels are restored.

6. Retinol - vitamin A. This is a very necessary element for the successful regeneration of epithelial cells.

7. Tocopherol - vitamin E. It has powerful antioxidant properties; Can stimulate the immune system.

Of course, vitamins enter our body with food, but this is not enough, especially in winter and spring. In the pharmacy you can buy universal multivitamin complexes, for example:

• "Complivit";
• "Multivit";
• "Polivit";
• "Undevit";
• "Pangexavit";
• "Oligovit";
• Nutrisan;
• "Macrovit";
• "Hexavit" and many others.

There are multivitamin preparations, the action of which is enhanced by useful mineral substances. Independently to understand the abundance of vitamin remedies is difficult, so it is better to rely on the choice of a doctor.

Medications for children

Drugs for colds for children should be prescribed by a pediatrician. After all, individual drugs from an adult home medicine chest can be harmful to children. But to have on hand some proven drugs in the family, where there is a baby, is also necessary.

Antipyretics for children:

• "Panadol" children's candlelight or in suspension.
• Analogues of Panadol: Cefekon, Kalpol, Efferalgan.

Cough medicine:

• Syrup "Tussin".
• A solution or syrup "Lazolvan".
• "Sinecod" in drops or syrup (from a dry cough).

For the ears, throat and nose:

• "Nazol Kids" and "Nazol Baby" (spray and drops) - from the common cold.
• "Otipaks" - droplets for the ears, not containing an antibiotic.
• "Aqua-Maris" - a weak solution of sea salt in the form of a spray. It moisturizes and cleanses the mucous membranes of the throat and nose. Analogues: "Salfin" and "Valleys".

The listed means are enough to last until the doctor arrives.

Folk remedies

Good pills for colds are, of course, great! But some people, for various reasons, prefer to be treated purely by natural means. Well, folk medicine can offer a lot of excellent recipes and recommendations. Here are some of the most versatile and effective:

1. Raspberry tea - a remedy for cold and flu, which has been used by mankind since time immemorial. Raspberry berries in dried form or in the form of jam will help to quickly lower the temperature, they have antipyretic properties, since they contain natural salicylic acid. In addition, in raspberries in sufficiently large quantities there is vitamin C.

2. In the gruel, garlic is added honey (1: 1 ratio), the drug is thoroughly mixed and given to the patient twice a day, one to two teaspoons. Garlic is also recommended for inhalation. To do this, several of its teeth are crushed, watered (1 tbsp.) And boiled for 10 minutes. Then this "shock" medicine can be put in front of the patient, so that he breathes over it.

3. Another means (and very effective) for colds is ordinary milk. Perhaps, you do not know that it contains enzymes that enhance immunity, and there is also the substance tryptophan, which contributes to the development of serotonin in the body - a strong sedative. In a liter of milk, you need to add a few spoons of honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, bay leaf and a couple of peas of sweet pepper. Bring the milk drug to a boil and insist before use 5 min.

4. If the patient is suffering from cough, you can try to use such proven means, as the juice of black radish, mixed with honey. The drug is prepared as follows: from the washed root the apex is cut off, from the middle the part of the pulp is scraped, so that an empty cavity is formed. In the hole put honey (2 tsp), and the radish is closed with a cut top, like a lid. Wait 12 hours - during this time, the juice will be allocated, which, combined with honey, will turn into an antitussive medicine. Take the drug is recommended as follows: for adults - 1 tbsp. L. 3 times a day, for children - 1 tsp. Three times a day.

Prevention

We are used to fighting flu and cold from time to time. Drugs in pharmacies are abundant, so most people meet the disease with the certainty that it will not be easy to cure. But prevention is a great and necessary thing. Therefore now we will remind, what preventive measures help happily miss each other with a heavy foul:

1. Inoculation against influenza. Every year, doctors warn the public about the need for timely vaccination, but many of us simply ignore it, and in vain.

2. In the cold season, when there is not enough sun on the street, and there are not enough fresh fruits and vegetables on the table, you can and need to feed yourself with synthetic vitamin complexes and not forget about lemon, cranberries, broth from the hips - all this will save the body from vitamin deficiency FROM.

3. Oksolinovaya ointment, neatly applied before going out on the nasal mucosa, - a strong shield that can repel attacks of bacteria and viruses.

4. Personal hygiene should be at a height. That is the motto "more often to wash hands with soap" is actual as never!

5. The room in which you are, you need to ventilate and conduct mandatory wet cleaning, because in a dry dusty air microbes feel incredibly comfortable.

6. During the epidemic of influenza and acute respiratory disease, walking around crowded shopping centers, cinemas, cafes and other places where a lot of people gather is not recommended. But walks (especially skiing) in the open air in a country park or a forest perfectly strengthen the body.

Conclusion

Having become acquainted with information about what preparations to take with cold, you can meet ORZ or the flu fully armed. But it's better, of course, never to catch a cold and not get sick! Take care of yourself, we wish you strong health!