Although there is no cure for the common cold or flu, there are medications that you can take to either keep you from getting sick or help you feel better when you have taken ill. Your medicine cabinet should include both supplements and medications that can treat illness. It is better to have these medications ahead of time to be effective when needed.

Talk to a pharmacist about what you need to have in your medicine cabinet during the flu and cold season.

Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet

Many things can help you both manage your symptoms and gain some relief when you have a cold or flu. Not only are there medications that you may take, but other products can also help you deal with symptoms when you are not feeling well.

Some things that you may want to have in your medicine cabinet during cold and flu season include:

• Pain Relievers and Ibuprofen: The cold and flu can mean body aches and fevers, and these medications can help alleviate them.
• Decongestants: Expanded blood vessels in your nose can block your airway and cause you to become congested, and decongestants can contract those blood vessels, allowing you to breathe.
• Antihistamines: A cold can produce inflammatory compounds that can cause you to sneeze or develop pain in your throat. An antihistamine can help neutralize some of these compounds.
• Cough Suppressants: Although some doctors may tell you that coughing can help you feel better, it can also keep you awake at night and cause you pain, so you may consider some type of suppressant.
• Zinc Lozenges: Taking a zinc supplement shortly after you begin to feel symptoms of a cold can reduce the severity of your illness.
• COVID-19 Tests: Sometimes, you may be dealing with more than a cold or flu. It is essential that you are quickly able to know that you have COVID, so you can take steps to get treatment and quarantine yourself from other people.

You also want to have supplies that can help you disinfect the areas you have been and touched. Your germs can make other people sick, which may delay your recovery from the cold or flu. Even though you may not be feeling well, you should take steps to disinfect and clean up areas that may have germs.

Preventative Supplements That Can Keep You Well

In many cases, avoiding a winter flu or cold depends on preventative measures that you may take beforehand. There may be vitamins or supplements that you can take that can help build your immune system to resist the onset of the flu or cold. A pharmacist can give you advice about what you can take to strengthen your overall health, which may help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

Some supplements that can keep you from getting sick include:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Probiotics
• Green tea

Talking to a pharmacist about what products may help you and your health can be key to not getting sick during the winter. It can be extremely helpful to have a relationship with a pharmacist whose job it is to help you. They may know your health and situation and be able to give you tailored advice that can keep you well in all months.

Contact a Chesapeake Pharmacist at Chesapeake Rx Today

For help with cold and flu medications, speak to a Chesapeake pharmacist at Chesapeake Rx. To learn more, call 443-249-3134 or complete an online form. We are located in Stevensville, Maryland, and we serve patients in Chester and  Kent Island.