New Wave Outpost Forum

Since Philly got the ball rolling with his earlier question (hope you're over that sore throat, dude) and since so many medical professionals had great information, I thought I'd throw another common-cold question out there.

In addition to our family legend about the preventative powers of Listerine, my parents also said that it's better not to treat a cold with decongestants, fever reducers, etc., because the mucus, fever, etc., are the body's natural way of getting rid of the virus and you shouldn't do anything to interfere with that process.

Is there any truth to that, or were they just too cheap to buy Sudafed for the kids?

Note: I am being punished for my statement in the prior thread that I rarely get head colds, cuz I have a real snot hemorrhage going on right now! Mr. Hex and I spent New Years on the couch with a box of Kleenex, and not in the good way! [;)]

I'm far from a medical professional but I think there's some truth to that. I never take anything and make sure to drink plenty of juice and water. It seems to work for me.



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Hey Hex, sorry to hear your new year isn't off to a good start

As far as your question, I'll give it a shot. For cold symtpoms, etc. no study has shown that not using symtpom relievers like sudafed, etc prolongs cold symptoms compared to people who do use them. It would seem to make sense that to cough up phlegm with the virus trapped in it and expelling it would speed up the healing process, but so far that has not been shown.

The question to treat a fever or not (as long as it is not dangerous, say over 104 degrees F) has raged back in forth in the medical literature for decades. Drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen work by blocking prostagladin production, which in the brain is one of the chemical mediators of temperature regulation. It was thought that these drugs would also have a negative effect on the bodies immune system and prolong the duration of the viral URI. Most data I'm aware of does NOT seem to support this. A study I remember reading looked at naproxen in patients with the common cold and showed no difference compared to controls in length or severity of symptoms. So I guess it's ok to use symtpomatic control drugs for viral upper respiratory infections. How overall effective some of those agents are is also up for debate
Hope you get feeling better[:)]

In the very first hours ( as if you would if you had a cold) that is true. That's why they have those sinus sprays. But by the time you have a sore throat it is too late. Your anti-bodies are now at charge. Just treat the symptoms and let the cold take it's course.

[quote]Originally posted by hexicon
[br]

In addition to our family legend about the preventative powers of Listerine, my parents also said that it's better not to treat a cold with decongestants, fever reducers, etc., because the mucus, fever, etc., are the body's natural way of getting rid of the virus and you shouldn't do anything to interfere with that process.

Is there any truth to that, or were they just too cheap to buy Sudafed for the kids?


[/quote]

Hi hex! Hope you're feeling better already. It has been 3 days since you posted this topic and usually colds are viral in origin so it does not have to be treated that much. It will subside.

Regarding Listerine, well it's a great mouthwash and it would just help you feel better in terms of making you confident talking to others without worrying of bad breath since having colds is very inconvenient and that menthol scent is great.

Here in our country, paracetamol is still the #1 drug that we give for fever. Though, aspirin and ibuprofen like NWRx prescribed is also good. So if you have an accompanying fever with the colds then it is neccesary to take these medications I just mentioned.

We also advised to the patient to drink juices with Vitamin C or just take in a lot of water or fluids because it also helps in loosening your mucus secretion.

Hope that helped.

[:)]An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
DR. STIRRING RHOD

When I "start" to feel like I'm going to get sick... I suck on 3,000 mg of Vitiman C every day, pop an "Airborne" tablet, and take my herbal Enchinancia (sp?) without the Golden Seal added to it because 1) Golden Seal with increase your fever/temp., and 2) try to buy the Ench. from the cone and/or flower and not the root, as the root is weaker in strength.

OK, knock on wood you don't get what is going around right now... my dad had to go to urgent care (104+ Temp/Fever), and my realator got fluid in his lung from this latest "cold" making the rounds.



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[quote]Originally posted by hexicon
[br]...or were they just too cheap to buy Sudafed for the kids?

[/quote]

Maybe your parents didn't want to be registered as possiable Meth Makers! Last year when I purchased the super-pack of Sudafed at COSTCO, they wrote down all my personal info [:(], so the Feds (DEA/ATF/WTF?) could track my meth lab out in the garage... NOT! [:D]



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[quote][i]Originally posted by glokstadt[/i]
<br>When I "start" to feel like I'm going to get sick... I suck on 3,000 mg of Vitiman C every day, pop an "Airborne" tablet, and take my herbal Enchinancia (sp?) without the Golden Seal added to it because 1) Golden Seal with increase your fever/temp., and 2) try to buy the Ench. from the cone and/or flower and not the root, as the root is weaker in strength.

OK, knock on wood you don't get what is going around right now... my dad had to go to urgent care (104+ Temp/Fever), and my realator got fluid in his lung from this latest "cold" making the rounds.
[/quote]
hope you don't get sick!
I'm like you; if something is going around or I feel like I might be getting something, I take a bunch of C, Echineacia, and drink mint tea...I rarely ever get colds. But then, I rarely got them as a kid, either. I've never had the flu, either.

I wonder how it works--I get maybe one cold every couple of years and I've never had the flu, either. But let some stomach thing go around and I'll get it big time. I get stomach "bugs" several times a year. Things that make you go hmmmmm....

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Thanks for the good wishes. All better now!

I must learn to stop claiming that I never get head colds because that seems to jinx me!

I opted to take ibuprofen, which seemed to help with the discomfort of the swollen lymph glands, but stayed away from the decongestants, during the day, just a little Nyquil to help at night. Also, I discovered Breathe Right strips. Those really help with the night-time "I'm going to suffocate" feeling.

For me, this was also a good reminder that sometimes a cold is nature's way of telling us to slow down a bit.