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Common cold - Management
What treatments are of limited value in the common cold?

  • Explain to the person that no treatments are available that can 'cure' the common cold, and most treatments are not even effective at relieving symptoms. In particular, the following treatments are specifically not recommended:
    • Antibiotics (no benefit and adverse effects).
    • Antihistamines (limited benefit outweighed by adverse effects).
    • Mineral and vitamin supplements (limited benefit outweighed by adverse effects).
    • Complementary and alternative medicine (inadequate evidence of benefit).
  • Some over-the-counter treatments may relieve some symptoms in children and adults, but people should be aware of their limited benefit and potential for adverse effects before using them:
    • Decongestants may be useful for the relief of nasal congestion.
      • Intranasal decongestants can improve breathing and help promote sleep (they have less stimulatory adverse effects than oral decongestants). However, prolonged use of topical decongestants may cause rebound congestion, and in severe cases, rhinitis medicamentosa.
      • Oral decongestants are commonly combined with an analgesic in over-the-counter preparations. They should be avoided in young children (under 6 years of age) because of safety concerns.
    • Cough medicines have little benefit on the cough or cold symptoms in general, but they may have a useful placebo effect in children over 6 years of age and adults, and are usually safe. Only simple, non-pharmacological cough medicines should be used in children under 6 years of age.

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