Flu, cough, and cold medicine packet is an oral medicine that combines few active ingredients to treat flu, cough, and the common cold. The active ingredients are dextromethorphan, acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, and pseudoephedrine. Acetaminophen helps to reduce fever, dextromethorphan act by reducing cough, and antihistamines help to reduce itchiness and watery eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. This medication does not cure cough, flu, and common cold or shorten the duration of illness. This medication provides symptomatic relief. This medicine is taken orally with or without food and the dosage is upon the advice of a physician or pharmacist. Copastin is another option that helps to reduce cough.
The feasible side effects of this medicine are:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth and throat
- Drowsiness
- Blurring of vision
- Constipation
This medication should be used with caution among pregnant ladies, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses like diabetes. Physician advice is required for those groups of people. Those who have an allergy to any ingredient in the medication should not take this medicine. The common causes of cough, cold, or flu are:
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- Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19
- Common cold
- Cigarette smoking
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive airway disease
- Postnasal drip
- Sinus infection
- Acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Due to side effects of certain medications like angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)
The common cold is usually a self-limiting condition in adults. However, the common cold in children can be a serious illness. For adults, consuming cold and cough medicines will help to reduce your symptoms. However, it won’t speed up your recovery. Our immune systems will do their job to clear the infection. Smoking contains numerous chemicals and it will cause cough as a reflex to eliminate those substances if you are new to smoking. However, if you are a chronic smoker, coughing is a sign that your lungs or airway is damaged. Quitting smoking is one of the best things to do. If you are not a smoker, do not start as it is not cool and dangerous. There are various ways to quit smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy is available to help smokers in quitting.
Virus infection is the main cause of the common cold. Virus invasion into your airway will cause you to suffer from the common cold. Symptoms of common cold are:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Chest discomfort
- Chest congestion
Postnasal drip is the state where the phlegm or mucus drop down through your throat from the nose. Postnasal drip can be caused by sinusitis, common cold, or allergic reaction. Acid reflux or GERD results in acid vapor irritation of the airway. This irritation triggers a cough reflex to protect the airway. ACEIs are known to cause coughing. ACEIs are used to treat and control blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The examples of ACEIs are enalapril and captopril.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the current name for the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Previously, the virus is known as 2019-nCov. The genetic sequencing of this virus is closest to two bat corona viruses. Till now, it is most likely that the bat is the primary source of this infection. SARS-CoV-2 is the latest name for the virus causing this disease and it has been found in patients’ stool, blood, semen, and tears. The transmission via stool, blood, and semen is still undetermined.
Asthma is a chronic airway disease characterized by excessive mucus production, airway inflammation, and airway narrowing. Asthma runs in the family and a cure is not yet available. Medications are meant for control of the disease. One of the keys to preventing asthma attacks is to avoid triggering factors or allergen. Asthma is somehow an excessive allergy reaction that takes place in the airway. Cough is a normal reflex in humans. However, prolonged cough is usually a symptom of certain diseases. Coughing once in a while is normal as this reflex helps to clear the airway and prevent any foreign bodies from entering the airway.