A cold is usually referred to as a non-serious disease of the upper respiratory tract of viral origin, which can torment patients especially during the autumn and winter months. The duration of the disease is always individual.

Risk factors include:

• lack of sleep,
• weak immunity,
• unbalanced diet,
• exhaustion etc.

Symptoms:

• cold (most often),
• headache or neck pain
• cough,
• stuffy nose,
• fatigue or temperature.

During illness it is advisable to:

• observe rest measures (rest a lot, limit social contact and physical activity),
• use respiratory protection (respirator or nanomask),
• regularly ventilate the home,
• take care of hand hygiene etc.

The pharmacist will advise you on the selection of medicinal products (how to use them correctly and safely) and will also recommend regimen measures. Effective cold remedies include nasal sprays, sore throat lozenges, and pain and temperature medications.

Some rules for using medicines during self-medication:

• use nasal decongestant sprays for a maximum of 7 days (risk of addiction),
• caution when using medicines containing paracetamol (use in case of pain and temperature above 38 °C, not suitable for patients with liver disease, follow the prescribed dosage),
• Ibuprofen cannot be used in patients taking drugs to affect blood clotting or with a history of stomach ulcer,
• antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections (take them for a specified period of time, do not save them for "worse times" - self-medication with antibiotics at home can lead to the development of bacterial resistance).

However, sometimes self-treatment is not enough and it is necessary to see a doctor (if the condition does not improve after a few days).

Taken from the web portal of the Czech Chamber of Pharmacy, 2/21/2023