There’s no cure for the common cold—but that doesn’t mean you can’t get relief.
Dr. Janet Engle, Executive Associate Dean at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy helps us sort through the vast amount of over-the-counter meds you'll find at your local drugstore. “In order to get the most from these, read the label, be sure you are not taking multiple products containing the same ingredient and follow the directions,” advises Dr. Engle. “Of course, if you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.”
(Show off your love of running all year with the 2018 Runner’s World Calendar!)
To help you find your over-the-counter relief, we’ve tapped the industry’s leading experts for answers and then put together this cheat sheet. There are generic versions for almost all of these, so we’re calling out the active ingredients and the most common brands.
It should make your next trip to the drugstore less of a headache.
Above, Dr. Jordan Metzl examines common running issues: exercise after pregnancy, exercise-induced bronchospasm, and runner's anemia.
Prilosec OTC
Benzocaine will numb the pain, while petrolatum prevents cracking and bleeding, says Dr. Undeberg
Frequent four-alarm esophagus fire? Douse it with an OTC drug called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).
Unlike most PPIs, Prilosec contains the same amount of omeprazole—20 milligrams—whether it’s over-the-counter or prescription.
Note: Regular use of these Heartburn Drugs May Raise Your Heart Attack Risk, so see a gastroenterologist if you’re still smoldering. You may need an H2 blocker instead.
Prilosec Omeprazole Delayed Release Acid Reducer Tablets, $22.00, Amazon
Mucinex
so see a gastroenterologist if youre still smoldering. You may need an H2 blocker instead
Gunk in your lungs? Mucinex is the only FDA-approved timed-release version of the mucus mover guaifenesin.
Swallow one 1,200-milligram tablet of the OTC drug with a glass of water, and then keep hoisting H2O throughout the day to loosen the loogies, says Acosta.
And unless you can’t sleep, To easy the queasy.
Mucinex, $22.00, Amazon
Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief
Works for: Cough
CA Notice at Collection.
“Dextromethorphan makes your cough reflex less sensitive,” says Janet Engle, Pharm.D., of the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy.
The OTC extended-release formula is potent; it will quell your cough for up to 12 hours.
RELATED: How Quickly Can I Start Running Again After an Illness?
Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief, $15.00, Amazon
AcneFree Acne Cleanser + Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel
Works for: Acne
Evict zits with this over-the-counter cleanser, which uses the antibacterial benzoyl peroxide as its active ingredient. The 2.5 percent concentration is less irritating than stronger formulas.
At night, apply the 2 percent To easy the queasy; it’ll ease redness and break up infected cells, says Renee Acosta, R.Ph., of the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy.
AcneFree Acne Cleanser, $5.00, Amazon
Claritin
Still need a cough suppressant? Start spooning
Claritin (loratadine) wins by a nose because it won’t leave you sleepy like Zyrtec (cetirizine), and it’s cheaper than Allegra (fexofenadine), says Joey Mattingly, Pharm.D., of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
For a bad allergic reaction, pop Benadryl: Diphenhydramine kicks in more quickly than any other OTC antihistamine.
RELATED: 9 Spices That Boost Your Immune System
Claritin, $15.00, Amazon
ACT Restoring Anti-Cavity Mouthwash
Works for: Pain/Fever
Do something about that foul mouth by swishing with the over-the-counter antimicrobial cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC)—it will obliterate the bugs behind your halitosis.
You’ll find CPC in many mouthwashes, but this formula also contains fluoride, which can help fortify enamel without inhibiting CPC’s germ-killing effects, British research suggests.
ACT Restoring Anti-Cavity Mouthwash, $5.00, Amazon
Colgate Peroxyl + Colgate Orabase
Works for: Canker Sore
Cankers away! Using hydrogen peroxide in the a.m. will disinfect the sore and reduce the pain in just a day, German researchers report.
Next, apply over-the-counter Orabase. The paste can prevent reinfection, while the benzocaine numbs any remaining pain, says Megan Undeberg, Pharm.D., an assistant professor of pharmacy at the University of Minnesota.
How Dopamine Helps You Run, Amazon
Abreva + Anbesol Cold Sore
originally appeared on
If you start to feel that telltale tingling on your lip, dab on docosanol. This antiviral will shorten the outbreak by walling off healthy cells from the herpes virus.
Name the pain or problem, and well point you to the cure OTC Anbesol Cold Sore: How to Take Care of Your Feet.
Abreva, $14.00, Amazon
Clear 2-In-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner
Works for: Dandruff
You’re probably flaking out because of fungi. Hit back with over-the-counter zinc pyrithione, which delivers an antimicrobial punch to your scalp and hair follicles, say U.K. scientists.
Even if the snowfall is simply the result of common dryness, the zinc can help stop the storm by regulating oil production and cell turnover on your scalp.
Clear 2-In-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner, $12.00, Amazon
Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief
Works for: Diarrhea
Calm your overactive intestines with OTC loperamide and you could shorten the runs by a day. But combine it with simethicone to spend even less time perched on the porcelain, a 2014 review in For a bad suggests.
Dose per the label instructions. Seeing red? See your GP—blood may signal something more serious.
Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief, $15.00, Amazon
Gas-X
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The OTC antifoaming agent simethicone cuts the surface tension of gas bubbles in your intestines, making it easier for you to pass them along, says Dr. Engle.
If you’re too free with the flatulence, turn to Beano. It contains alpha-galactosidase, an enzyme that breaks down hard-to-digest complex carbs.
RELATED: If You’ve Been Super Gassy Lately, These 5 Habits May Be to Blame
Gas-X, $12.00, Amazon
Simply Sleep
Works for: Insomnia
Antihistamines don’t just stop your cough; they also knock you out. And diphenhydramine (not recommended for guys over 65) is the one with the best record, says Dr. Mattingly.
Start with 25 milligrams of the OTC drug an hour before bedtime. If you aren’t groggy in the morning, pop 50 milligrams the next time you’re sleepless.
RELATED: 12 Foolproof Natural Sleep Remedies Experts Swear By
Simply Sleep, $14.00, Amazon
Lamisil AT Spray
Works for: Jock Itch
Stop scratching and start spraying. Over-the-counter terbinafine breaks down cell membranes in fungi, curing your crotch (or foot) itch in two weeks, versus up to four with other antifungals.
Why not a cream? Sprays lessen the odds you’ll miss a spot and limit skin-to-skin contact with the infection, says Dr. Undeberg.
Lamisil AT Spray, $11.00, Amazon
Vaseline
Works for: Minor Cut or Burn
Pouring alcohol on an everyday wound is overkill. (Check out these other home health hacks that don’t work, too.) So is using an antibiotic ointment. Instead, wash it with soap and water and then dab on a thin layer of OTC Vaseline before bandaging.
“Petroleum jelly seals in moisture so the area stays hydrated and the skin can knit itself back together,” Dr. Undeberg explains.
Vaseline, $5.00, Amazon
Bonine
Works for: Motion Sickness
At night, apply the 2 percent.
Then use a cotton swab to apply and stay awake, take OTC meclizine: It’s not as likely as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine Original Formula) to leave you zonked, and if you choose Bonine, a single dose can last 24 hours, compared with just six hours for a dose of dimenhydrinate.
Bonine, $15.00, Amazon
Advil Liqui-Gels
Works for: Acid Reflux
If you can’t walk off the pain, jog to the drugstore. “Ibuprofen works faster than naproxen and lasts longer than acetaminophen,” says Dr. Engle.
Start with two 200-milligram capsules of the over-the-counter drug every six hours—the Liqui-Gels contain solubilized ibuprofen that’s more quickly absorbed than tablets or caplets.
Advil Liqui-Gels, $14.00, Amazon
Chloraseptic Total Multi-Symptom Lozenges
Works for: Sore Throat
Maybe you’re coming down with something—or the air in your home is just too dry. Cover your bases (and your throat) with an OTC lozenge containing benzocaine and menthol.
“Sucking on it will increase saliva production and lubricate your throat,” says Acosta. Plus, the combo of anesthetics will numb the irritated area.
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The article 17 Works for: Cough originally appeared on Men’s Health.
Chloraseptic Total Multi-Symptom Lozenges, $6.00, Amazon
