The Best Over-the-Counter Cold and Flu Meds
Cold And Flu News
Nov. 27, 2023 — Parents who send their children to child care can breathe a little easier. New research shows that children in daycare were not significant spreaders of ...
Sep. 13, 2023 — During a bout of influenza, B cells interact with other immune cells and then take different paths to defend the body. One path is the B cells that differentiate into lung-resident memory B cells, or ...
Sep. 11, 2023 — Researchers are one step closer to making the T cell army stronger. In a recent study, researchers found that by manipulating one molecular signaling pathway in the T cells that participate in ...
Sep. 11, 2023 — A new Europe-wide study investigated the prevalence of protozoans, bacteria and viruses potentially pathogenic to humans and domestic animals in birds and bats in varying climatic conditions. The ...
Sep. 5, 2023 — Every year, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) cause countless respiratory infections worldwide. For infants, young children and people with preexisting conditions, the virus can be ...
Sep. 5, 2023 — A new study has shown that a subtype of avian flu virus, endemic in poultry farms in China, is undergoing mutational changes, which could increase the risk of the disease being passed on to ...
Aug. 31, 2023 — Researchers have discovered some new and surprising ways that viral RNA and influenza virus are detected by human lung cells, which has potential implications for treating people affected by such ...
Aug. 29, 2023 — Brucellosis is a disease, caused by the members of bacterial Brucella family, that mainly infects cattle, goats and sheep, leading to pregnancy loss, which has caused billions of dollars in economic ...
Aug. 17, 2023 — Scientists found that immune cells present in individuals long before influenza infection predict whether the illness is ...
Aug. 16, 2023 — Prior vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis (Tdap/Td); herpes zoster (HZ), better known as shingles; and pneumococcus are all associated with a reduced risk for ...
Aug. 16, 2023 — Researchers have found that molecules in vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower help to maintain a healthy barrier in the lung and ease ...
Aug. 10, 2023 — A new observation suggests that a life-threatening blood clotting disorder can be caused by an infection with adenovirus, one of the most common respiratory viruses in pediatric and adult ...
Aug. 4, 2023 — In temperate climates, like North America and Europe, flu season starts in the fall, peaks in the winter and ends in the spring. While public health officials have generally assumed that influenza is ...
July 28, 2023 — Scientists showed that fixed mutations within a viral population most likely stem from how easy it is to acquire that mutation (i.E., mutation accessibility) rather than just its ...
July 27, 2023 — A new study of the strain of influenza A responsible for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic -- pdm09 -- shows that the virus has passed from humans to swine about 370 times since 2009, and subsequent circulation ...
July 24, 2023 — Taking a significant leap in the field of vaccine development, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry researchers have discovered a potential 'super molecule' that can bolster the ...
July 24, 2023 — While the incidence of influenza-associated neuropsychiatric events in children in the United States is unknown, the controversy over the use of a common antiviral medication typically administered ...
June 21, 2023 — A new survey finds that the American public is ill-informed about RSV, unfamiliar with its most common symptoms, and more hesitant to recommend a vaccine against it to pregnant people than to older ...
May 31, 2023 — Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in acute respiratory infection. They kill half a million people worldwide every year. These viruses can also wreak havoc on animals, as ...
May 30, 2023 — Scientists found the virus strains that arrived in 2021 soon acquired genes from viruses in wild birds in North America. The resulting reassortant viruses have spread across the continent and caused ...
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8 Natural Flu Remedies That May Actually Work
Try as you might, you may not be able to avoid getting sick during cold and flu season. After all, the influenza virus doesn't discriminate between healthy and unhealthy people, or old and young ones. Plus, the virus spreads easily through droplets in the air when someone who is infected coughs, sneezes, or even talks, so we're all potential targets.
Plus, flu season is longer than you might think — it runs through fall and winter and even into spring, peaking sometime between December and February — so time isn't on your side.
Prevention is key. Getting an annual flu shot can help protect you from getting the flu. You may still get sick even if you're vaccinated, but flu symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, and body aches are likely to be less severe.
If you do get the flu, you may want to take an antiviral drug such as oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), or baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) within two days of the onset of symptoms, especially if you are at high risk of flu complications. You may not be able to get rid of the flu in 24 hours, but these medications will help shorten the length of illness.
There are also home remedies, natural treatments, and other tactics that can help you feel a little better while your immune system fights the flu. Read on for eight strategies.
1. Sleep Away Your Flu Symptoms"Getting sleep and taking time to recuperate is the best thing you can do for yourself, your coworkers, and your family," says Len Horovitz, MD, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Sleep strengthens the immune system, he explains, and the truth is, when you're feeling sick, you won't feel like doing much else.
Sleep as much as you can and avoid contact with others until you have been fever-free (without taking any fever-reducing medication) for 24 to 48 hours.
While lying down, place an extra pillow under your head to help drain your nasal passages and make yourself more comfortable.
2. Gargle to Soothe a Sore Throat"If you have a sore throat, gargle with water or salt water," Dr. Horovitz says. Gargling can help lessen inflammation and loosen mucus in the throat, he explains, clearing out irritants such as germs.
3. Drink Water and Herbal Teas to Dodge DehydrationThe immune system requires hydration in order to do its job. "You have to stay hydrated so your cells are functioning as well as they can," says Christine Ryan, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Seattle. "Dehydration can delay your recovery."
For additional benefit, get your hydration from tea. Ryan recommends teas containing herbs, spices, or other flavorings known for their antiviral properties. Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, chamomile, eucalyptus, fennel, thyme, and pennyroyal can all help calm inflammation, according to Ryan.
A report published in 2020 in Natural Product Communications lists even more antiviral herbs that are useful against cold and flu, such as peppermint leaf and oil.
There's also green tea, which contains a type of antioxidant called catechins that may protect against a variety of viral illnesses, according to a study published in 2021 in Molecules.
4. Sip Chicken SoupChicken soup isn't just warm and comforting. Research published in 2022 in Nutrients found that compounds in chicken soup called carnosine and anserine have "excellent" antioxidant and immunity-boosting effects that can help ease flu symptoms.
The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus website notes that chicken soup has been a popular home remedy for the common cold since at least the 12th century, and while it's not a cure, it may relieve symptoms for a short time.
5. Clear Congestion With a Neti PotIf you're stuffed up and feeling miserable, you might try using a neti pot — a small teapot-like vessel with a long spout — to flush mucus from your nasal passages twice a day, Horovitz says. This is done by placing a saline solution made with distilled, sterilized, or previously boiled water in the neti pot, and carefully following instructions for safe usage.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a neti pot how-to on its website.
6. Keep Nasal Passages Moist With Steamy ShowersTaking a long steamy shower can help soothe irritated throat and nasal passages, while also helping clear them of mucus, says Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of the Mount Sinai–National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute in New York City and author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds & Flu.
If the flu is making you feel lightheaded or weak, don't risk fainting in the shower; instead, simply turn on the hot water, find a place to sit in the bathroom, and inhale the steam for up to 10 minutes.
7. Consider ElderberryIn recent years, elderberry (sambucus nigra) has been gaining attention as a possible natural flu treatment. Syrups, pills, and other products containing elderberry line the shelves at major retailers and pharmacies.
Scientists are still investigating the antiviral effects of elderberry extract and juices, says Ryan, "but researchers theorize that elderberry can block HA glycoprotein spikes on influenza viruses, which prevents the viruses from duplicating." She adds that elderberry may also work by enhancing the effects of immune system proteins called cytokines, which help fight inflammation.
In a research article published in 2021 in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, researchers reviewed almost 1,200 records and five randomized trials on elderberry for the treatment or prevention of viral respiratory illness. They concluded that elderberry may be a safe option but stated that "evidence on both benefits and harms is uncertain and information from recent and ongoing studies is necessary to make firm conclusions."
8. Give Zinc a TrySome experts are proponents of zinc as an immunity booster that may help shorten the duration or severity of the flu and improve symptoms if used early on. "I recommend using one or two lozenges per day," says Dr. Schachter.
Even though there is some research supporting this view, such as an investigation published in The Journal of Family Practice, study findings overall have been mixed on whether zinc can help fight respiratory infections. For instance, the results of a randomized controlled trial published in BMJ Open concluded that commercially available zinc acetate lozenges were not effective in treating the common cold. In an analysis of pooled data from 28 randomized controlled trials, also published in BMJ Open, scientists noted that many studies found zinc had only a modest effect or none at all on viral respiratory tract infections, especially in terms of easing daily symptoms.
Note that the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises checking with your doctor or pharmacist before taking zinc, as it may interact with antibiotics and penicillamine, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and a number of other conditions.
What If Your Flu Symptoms Don't Improve?It's important to remember that the flu can have serious consequences, ranging from ear infections to pneumonia to worsening of chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In some cases, it can even be deadly.
If you have the flu, you should be feeling better within five to seven days, "but if you are not and still have a fever or have started to feel badly again, be sure to call your doctor," Schachter says.
Covid, Flu And Cold - Key Differences In Symptoms Explained As Illnesses Take Their Toll
It can be difficult to know if you have cold, the flu or coronavirus as many of the symptoms overlap. The NHS has listed the symptoms of all three common viruses
Covid, colds and flu are in full swing(Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Winter coughs, runny noses and sore throats are doing the rounds this season, ripping through classrooms and workplaces but it can be difficult to know if you have cold, the flu or coronavirus.
Each of the big three are caused by different viruses, but can have similar symptoms. Covid is a respiratory illness caused by the strain of coronavirus that first emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Flu - or influenza - is also a respiratory illness that affects your lung. Like Covid, flu can be dangerous, which is why those with underlying medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes are offered a flu jab at this time of year.
Colds are caused by many different viruses, but most commonly a rhinovirus or a coronavirus (not the same type of coronavirus that causes Covid-19). A cold only affects your upper respiratory tract (your nose and throat), not your lungs. They usually aren't serious, but some symptoms overlap with the other two more serious conditions.
Several symptoms of cold, flu and Covid-19 overlap - especially sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache and body aches. But the loss or change to your sense of taste and smell usually means you have covid.
Infectious disease expert and professor of medicine, Albert Shaw, said: "Especially if you don't really have a runny or stuffy nose and you have this symptom, that probably is something that's more specific for Covid. And it's one we would see less so in someone with a common cold or someone with influenza."
NHS Covid-19 lateral flow tests showing positive results(Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
CoronavirusThe main symptoms of Covid-19 have changed over time - the current NHS list has these as the main ones:
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.
ColdShow more
Cold symptoms come on gradually and can include:
The symptoms are the same in adults and children. Sometimes symptoms last longer in children.
All three, a cold, coronavirus and flu, are contagious. If you have symptoms stay at home to rest and protect others and visit the NHS website for advice.
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