Cold & Flu Symptom Relief Tips

There is no cure for the common cold or influenza virus. The usual treatment is to address the symptoms. Over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen for pain and fever, cough suppressants and expectorants for cough, and decongestants to help unclog a stuffy nose may be used to help ease cold and flu symptoms, but antibiotics are ineffective. Antibiotics should be used only when bacterial complications (such as sinus or throat infections) occur.

Below are some simple steps you can take to help treat a cold or flu:

• Drink plenty of liquids to replace fluids the body loses due to fever (water, tea, chicken broth, orange juice). Avoid alcohol and caffeine as they can cause dehydration.
• Stay in bed: Rest is essential and should be extended as long as possible (which means remaining in bed even after your temperature returns to normal).
• Take things easy and only resume normal activities a few days after your recovery.
• Wash your hands frequently (to avoid spreading the virus).
• Try to keep an adequate humidity level in the room (the virus is more aggressive when the humidity is low). Be sure to clean your humidifier according to the product's specifications to prevent bacteria from building up.
• Eat hot chicken soup - it's a comfort food, and the steam helps break up the nasal congestion by speeding up the movement of mucus through the nose.
• Gargle with saltwater and warm water to help to relieve a sore throat.

In addition to the tips above, over-the-counter medications such as Alka-Seltzer Plus^® Cold can help to alleviate some of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer Plus^® Cold products are specially formulated with powerful cold fighting ingredients to relieve your toughest winter cold and flu symptom, including nasal congestion, coughing, chest congestion, and body aches.

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Note: Concerns about Reye?s Syndrome, a rare but severe illness, are primarily related to use for viral infections in children and teenagers. In these groups, aspirin should not be used to treat flu-related pain and fever.