How do you choose the right medicine for coughs and colds?
- Choose single-ingredient medication
- Go with the store- or generic-brand
- Pick products that suit personal preference
Coughs and colds are two of the most common illnesses that trouble people. Within the span of a year, adults can catch these things twice or thrice while children tend to experience them even more frequently. Despite the normalcy, however, many still find it hard to choose the right medicine for coughs and colds. According to certain reports, people find shopping for medicine to be a confusing experience – a fact that is quite alarming.
The reason we find this worrying is that medication errors such as taking the wrong medicine can have adverse effects on the body. These effects could range from minor inconveniences to extremely serious repercussions; you could find yourself being unaffected by the medication or have your condition worsen because of it.
In order to avoid these dangerous consequences, you should learn how to choose the right medicine. We’ve written a simple guide below that anyone could easily remember and follow, so simply continue reading to find out more!
Choose Single-Ingredient Medication
Many medications take a scattershot approach in dealing with an illness. They’re usually packed with a number of components that are supposed to help you in different ways. An example of this would be a single product that has acetaminophen for aches, dextromethorphan for coughs, and doxylamine to help you sleep. At first glance, it may seem more efficient, but it’s actually not recommended because more drugs often mean greater risks for side effects.
Instead of going for these multi-symptom medicines, opt for single-ingredient products that target your illness. If you really want to take a combo, then at least choose one that treats only the symptoms that you have and don’t expose your body to things it doesn’t need.
Go with the Store- Or Generic-Brand
Brand-name drugs and store- or generic brands contain are often made and regulated in the same way. There may be a difference in color, flavor, and/or shape, but those things have no bearing on safety or effectiveness. What this means is that you’re paying more (usually almost twice and more) for no particular reason other than patronizing the brand.
The next time you’re in need of medicine for coughs and colds, or any medicine for that matter, just stick to generic brands that are much cheaper but are equally effective. Doing so should help you save a few bucks while still providing a cure for your illness
Pick Products that Suit Personal Preference
Pills, syrups, and capsules – medicine can come in a lot of different types. Liquids are known to hit the bloodstream faster than pills and tablets which means they are the fastest to take effect. However, for most over-the-counter products such as medicines for coughs and colds, there isn’t much significance to a few-minute difference.
At the end of the day, your choice of medication should be based on your personal preference. For example, if you’ve developed a sore throat, then you might want to just take a liquid medicine that could easily travel down the affected area.
Key Takeaway
There really isn’t much that you have to keep in mind when you’re choosing the right medicine for coughs and colds. As long as you follow this simple guide, you’d be able to cure your illness without spending too much and suffering for too long.
We’d like to leave you with one final tip, and that’s to purchase your medication from the best drugstore in the Philippines. Buying from the best drugstore means you can trust that the products have been properly regulated and that they’re of the highest quality. This should be enough to put you at ease and not make you worry about the side effects or other consequences!