Many people ask Dr. Clove, can taking cold medicine or antibiotics prevent colds? This article will give you a detailed description.
Can cold medicine and antibiotics prevent colds?
The answer is no.
The common cold is one of the most common types of upper respiratory tract infection, mostly caused by viruses, with rhinovirus and coronavirus being the most common. Antibiotics are not effective for viral treatment, so antibiotics are not used for prevention or treatment.
At present, there is no specific antiviral drug specifically for the common cold. Most of the common commercial cold drugs are mainly aimed at relieving symptoms, but cannot kill the common cold virus or prevent the common cold.
The ingredients of cold medicine are all used in what?
Most of the common commercial cold medicines are compound preparations, such as crack, Baijiahei, day and night Baifu, Contec, etc., which mainly contain several of the following ingredients: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, chlorphenamine maleate, dextromethorphan hydrobromide, guaiacol glycerol ether, amantadine hydrochloride, artificial bezoar, caffeine, etc.
Each component has different medicinal values:
- Chlorphenamine and pseudoephedrine: relieve nasal obstruction, runny nose, sneezing and other symptoms, and are the most classic ingredients in cold medicine; Codeine and Dextromethorphan: Common Antitussive Drugs; Amantadine: It only has inhibitory effect on influenza a virus, but has no effect on rhinovirus and coronavirus that cause common cold. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen: common antipyretic and analgesic drugs, suitable for patients with body temperature ≥ 38.5 ℃, pharyngeal pain and systemic soreness; Artificial bezoar and caffeine: strengthen the curative effect of antipyretic and analgesic drugs, and offset drowsiness caused by chlorphenamine at the same time; Guaiacol glycerol ether: commonly used expectorant.
How to choose cold medicine when you catch a cold?
The common cold can heal itself in 5-7 days, with mild symptoms and no need for drug treatment. Symptoms obviously affect daily life. Cold medicine can be used to relieve symptoms, and proper bed rest, drinking more water, light diet, keep nose, pharynx and oral hygiene, and at the same time often open windows to keep indoor air fresh.
As for how to choose cold medicine, according to the symptoms:
- Nasal obstruction, runny nose and sneezing: recommended drugs containing chlorphenamine and pseudoephedrine; Cough: Drugs containing codeine and dextromethorphan can be selected; Fever: If the body temperature is ≥ 38.5 ℃, accompanied by headache, dizziness and muscle soreness, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be selected; For patients without fever, antipyretic and analgesic drugs are not recommended. If the body temperature is less than 38.5 ℃, if there are no other symptoms, physical cooling is sufficient. If all the above symptoms are present, compound cold medicine containing antipyretic and analgesic + nasal obstruction relief + antitussive ingredients is recommended.
Note that it is not appropriate to take several cold medicines at the same time. Although there are many kinds of cold medicines on the market, the ingredients are roughly similar. If you take several kinds at the same time, you may cause excessive drugs and liver function damage due to the superposition of drug doses.
Four tips to help you prevent colds
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Pay attention to the combination of work and rest to enhance the body’s immunity.
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The air conditioner should be cleaned before use to prevent a large number of germs from blowing out with the wind. Don’t forget to ventilate more when using air conditioning.
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Drink more water and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Maintaining a good mood and an open-minded mind can also prevent colds to a certain extent.
Although prevention is more important than treatment, it must also be carried out under the guidance of scientific theories. Prevention of diseases should not become a destruction of health.
Responsible Editor: Jing Liu