Every winter, as soon as the weather turns cold, coughs, sneezes and the aches, pains and discomforts associated with winter ills begin. This winter is of particular concern to many due to media reports concerning the avian flu virus. Although it is sometimes impossible to avoid catching a cold or flu, there are many preventive measures you can take.
Preventive Measures
Doctors agree that the single most effective way to prevent catching a cold or flu is to wash your hands and wash them often. While it’s easy to remember this when visiting a public washroom, the same germs that congregate on the door handle or faucet may be just as plentiful on the glass of juice the server hands you or the salt and pepper shaker. Be sure to keep your fingers well away from your mouth and nose when eating out.
Since the workplace is also rife with germs during the winter months, be sure to wash your hands frequently at work. Shared workstations and computers, water coolers, phones, pens and pencils are all places where germs may be present.
If you have children at home, make sure that they too wash their hands often and well, particularly when they return home from school.
Shaking hands with people is another invitation to sharing germs. Since a warm handshake is often obligatory, try to excuse yourself at the earliest opportunity to wash your hands. Always do this at social gatherings before eating finger food, or use a cocktail stick or napkin.
Finally, since dry, cracked mucous membranes are an invitation for germs to enter, consider investing in a humidifier for your home. Humidifiers moisturise the air and help prevent nasal dryness.
Coping With a Cold or Flu
Sometimes, despite the most vigilant preventive measures, you or a member of your family will come down with a cold or flu. (While flu vaccinations prevent the majority of flu episodes, they do not provide protection against all flu viruses.) In this case, you will need to “lie low” and let your immune system do its work. In the case of flu, this may take a week or two. Colds will have you sidelined for a couple of days before you feel brighter, but their annoying symptoms are likely to linger for a week to ten days.
If you suspect the flu and have a fever, it is best to check with your doctor. Symptoms of colds and flu are similar, although flu symptoms tend to be more intense. They include aching joints, shivering, headache, congestion, sore throat and fatigue. Colds are often accompanied by a cough. Fortunately, a number of products available from the London Drugs pharmacy will help you feel better.
Understanding Cough & Cold Medications
Antihistamines, cough suppressants, analgesics, decongestants or expectorants—the terms for cough and cold medications are often confusing. Here’s what you need to know about the ingredients of cough and cold medicines, and how they can help you.
Antihistamines are primarily used to dry up nasal secretions. They also reduce sneezing and stop the eyes from watering. Many antihistamines can cause drowsiness, so be sure to choose a medication that says “non-drowsy” if you will be driving or performing tasks that require alertness for safety, such as operating heavy machinery.
Decongestants help stop the unpleasant, stuffy feeling associated with coughs and colds. They provide relief by constricting the dilated blood vessels. This, in turn, raises the blood pressure. (If you have high blood pressure, heart, circulatory, prostate or any other medical condition, you should consult your doctor or a London Drugs pharmacist before taking a decongestant product.)
Analgesics are used to reduce the aches and pains associated with flu symptoms, and to reduce fever. Acetaminophen, ASA and codeine are popular analgesics.
Cough suppressants reduce the urge to cough by eliminating the annoying tickle in the throat. Popular cough formulas contain dextromethorphan (usually denoted by the letters DM). The analgesic, codeine, is also an effective cough suppressant. Cough formulas containing codeine are kept behind the pharmacy counter because this drug is a narcotic.
Expectorants decrease the thickness and increase the fluidity of mucus from the lungs and bronchial tubes. They are helpful for dry, unproductive coughs, where the mucus will not “cough up” on its own. Expectorants also help alleviate discomfort by helping to hydrate the bronchial tract.