The common cold always creeps up unexpectedly and treacherously. A person prone to frequent acute respiratory infections is well acquainted with how the beginning illness manifests itself: weakness, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fever. What to do? Especially if you need to go to work the next day, and the “sick leave” is not included in your plans.
Let's try to figure out how to deal with the signs of an impending disease with the help of fast - acting cold remedies.
The powder used in such cases is a kind of ambulance. Adopted on time, it will help relieve debilitating symptoms and maintain performance for a while. But we must not forget that he does not cure the cause of the disease! This should subsequently be dealt with by the doctor.
What to do if you are sick
Before you decide to take powder from a cold, listen to well-being. You should not lower the temperature if it has not reached the limit of 38 ° C - this way you will deprive your body of the opportunity to deal effectively with the insidious disease.
In addition, be sure to free yourself for at least a couple of days to maintain bed rest, unloading the already hard-working heart and blood vessels and retaining strength to fight the disease.
How do cold remedies work?
We’ll clarify right away that the diagnosis of the common cold doesn’t exist in medicine. And the occurrence of diseases that an ordinary person considers colds is explained by the fact that the patient has weakened immunity, which cannot cope with the attack of viruses or bacteria on the body. They, in turn, lead to the appearance of the above symptoms.
Which cold powder is better is difficult to understand, since in pharmacies these drugs are presented in large quantities. These are complex preparations that contain active components that can affect the main symptoms of the disease, which, of course, has a more pronounced effect than single-component drugs. They include:
- anticongestants - drugs that relieve nasal congestion and improve nasal breathing, such as Mesaton or Phenylephrine;
- antihistamines (they help get rid of allergic manifestations: sneezing, tearing, itching);
- analgesics.
Cold Powders: Names
The main combination drugs used for colds include Teraflu, Rinza, Fairvex, Antigrippin, Antiflu, Coldrex and others.
They contain phenylephrine, which has vasodilating properties and, as a result, reduces swelling in the nose, as well as the amount of mucus secreted as an anticongestant. In addition, these drugs include paracetamol, which acts as an anesthetic and antipyretic, and ascorbic acid, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels and restores the body's defenses.
And Rinza, for example, also includes caffeine. It, strengthening the walls of the vessels of the brain, helps to relieve the state of dizziness, weakness and drowsiness inherent in colds.
When and How to Take Vicks Cold Powder
Consider the example of a powder for the preparation of the “Vicks” treatment solution, especially the reception of the entire group of these funds.
The drug "Vicks" contains paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride and ascorbic acid. It is used, like the above tools, to improve the condition with symptoms of acute respiratory infections, if for any reason the patient can not seek medical help.
The effect of the medication is aimed at lowering the temperature, relieving joint and headache, sore throat and restoring nasal breathing.
The components included in this powder and its analogues are well absorbed in the small intestine and after 20 minutes, as a rule, the maximum concentration of active substances in the blood is observed, which allows you to quickly feel the positive effect.
But to use all these drugs for longer than three days as an antipyretic and longer than five days as an anesthetic is not recommended. In addition, you should not take more than four sachets of any of the listed medicines per day.
An overdose of powders from colds can cause agitation, allergies, dry mouth, urination disorders, and a decrease in platelet count, which, in turn, can trigger bleeding and even the development of drug hepatitis.
Rules for taking powders for colds
Of course, if you want to get rid of a cold at least for a short time, a powder dissolved in warm water will help you out, but you must follow the mandatory rules of admission:
- all express cold medicines are prohibited for children, except for special forms of children, as well as the drug "Fairx", which is allowed from the age of six;
- it is not recommended to take powders for pregnant and lactating women;
- extreme caution should be observed in people with chronic liver and kidney pathologies;
- note that long-term use of powders against colds is unacceptable;
- if three days after the start of taking the drug the symptoms have not disappeared, consult a doctor;
- do not use these drugs at night, as they stimulate the nervous system;
- taking these drugs with alcohol, as well as sedatives, even such "harmless" as valerian, is strictly contraindicated.
Precautions
Of course, ill, I want to get rid of all the manifestations of the disease as soon as possible. But it should be remembered that the habit, having hardly felt the malaise, to take powder from a cold and to consider that everything possible has been done, may turn out to be frivolous. You are in serious danger!
If you do not consult a doctor, then as a dubious "gift" from any of the widely advertised cold remedies, you can earn poisoning or a complication of a chronic disease. It must be remembered that a beautiful package and a sweet, tasty drink - this is primarily a medicine. And it can be overdosed or taken in an unacceptable combination. All this is correctly taken into account only by a specialist.
Do not self-medicate and be healthy!