Cough, Cold and Flu
Cough cold and flu – vapour rub, throat lozenges, throat spray
Suffering from a flu or cold can cause severe disruption to everyday life. While both are respiratory illnesses, they are caused by different viruses. As the two have similar symptoms – such as fever, chills, body aches and a cough – it can be difficult to tell the difference between them.
In general, a flu is worse than a common cold and symptoms are more intense. As a rule of thumb, sneezing is usually more associated with cold, while headaches are more common with flu.
A sore throat is a common symptom for both flus and colds and can cause severe discomfort. There is, however, plenty of effective relief available.
Vapour Rub is a cooling refreshing ointment, which contains camphor, menthol and eucalyptus. It has been designed to relieve cough and bronchial irritation and is particularly soothing when applied onto the chest, throat and back just before bed time.
As an alternative to Vapour Rub you can use Eucalyptus Vapour patches. Working in the same way they are applied to pyjamas instead of to the skin.
Throat lozenges are also very effective – and there is a wide range to choose from, including brands such as Jakemans and Fisherman’s Friend.
Jakemans soothing lozenges have been carefully blended with menthol to provide a soothing vapour action and come in different flavours, including cherry menthol, blackcurrant and a mixture called “throat & chest”.
Throat sprays are another, quick way to provide relief from a sore throat. One of these is Ultra Chloraseptic Anaesthetic Throat Spray, which contains the active ingredient benzocaine – a local anesthetic designed to provide fast action by numbing the pain.
In the age of COVID-19, it is important to keep an eye on any additional, or more severe, symptoms, such as shortness of breath or very high temperature.
The latest guidance states that the most common COVID-19 symptoms are a high temperature; a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours – and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
If in any doubt, seek medical help to see whether you need to be tested for COVID-19.
Cough, cold and flu – capsules, sachets, liquids, decongestants
Let’s face it, having a cold or a winter flu is no fun. Blocked nose, sore throat, coughing fits, headaches – at best, the symptoms are annoying. At worst, they can put you out of action for a couple of weeks.
Once the symptoms kick in, it is important to get plenty of rest and sleep and to keep warm. Keeping hydrated is also very important, so always drink plenty.
Colds and flus are often caused by viruses and are easily spread – as we have learnt during the coronavirus pandemic. Once you have caught a bug, you’re likely to be infectious until all your symptoms have gone, so to protect friends and family, wash your hands often with warm water and soap and use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze.
The good news is that there are plenty of things you can take to help ease the symptoms – from liquid-form cough and cold medicines to sachets, caplets, tablets and decongestants.
Bells, for example, offers an effective selection of four types of cough syrup:
Bells Chesty Cough Syrup 200ml
Bells Dry Tickly Cough Syrup 200ml
You can also relieve a blocked nose with decongestant tablets or sprays. Galpharm’s cold relief capsules and Max Strength Cold & Flu capsules are an effective way to make you feel better.
The same ingredients are also available in sachet form (Galpharm’s Max Strength Cold & Flu Sachets 5’s Lemon 16’s). Galpharm’s wide selection also includes Blocked Nose Relief Capsules.
For fast-acting relief, there are nasal sprays such as Galpharm Blocked Nose Relief and Otrivine Adult Nasal Spray.
As there is a global pandemic underway, it is important to keep an eye on all flu-like symptoms – and get tested and/or contact a healthcare professional if you become severely ill. The main symptoms of coronavirus are a high temperature and a new, continuous cough. A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste is another symptom associated with the novel coronavirus, so if you’ve lost your smell or taste, or things smell or taste different to normal, get tested.