DANVILLE, Pa. — As the weather gets colder, more people tend to catch a cold. According to health experts at Geisinger, adults get two or three colds each year.
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that a popular decongestant does not work. The FDA ruled oral phenylephrine is useless at easing congestion.
"We've known for quite a long time that oral phenylephrine is not really an effective decongestant. A much better choice for an oral decongestant is something like a pseudoephedrine, which is a behind-the-counter agent," said Brian Simpkins, director of pharmacy in Geisinger's western and north central regions.
Simpkins says oral phenylephrine is an active ingredient in well-known products like Nyquil and Dayquil. Those medications have other active ingredients in them, such as antihistamines.
"Those are really where you're getting the effect for your cold symptoms, is really from the other medications, as opposed to the phenylephrine."
Simpkins says if you have a cold, the best medication is usually acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
"That's going to be the most effective way to relieve your symptoms, muscle aches and pains, headache, even some congestion in your upper respiratory tract."
Simpkins advises you to ask your pharmacist if you aren't sure which is the best cough and cold medication for you.
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