The Meds Pharmacists Take When They Get Sick

When sickness strikes, Americans tend to turn first to the white coat behind the pharmacy counter. Why? One word: convenience. In a recent Center for Medicine in the Public Interest survey, 77 percent of U.S. consumers said they value the 24/7 availability of over-the-counter cough medicines — and 78 percent think it would be a burden to have to seek a prescription from their doctor when the coughing kicks in. 

That means pharmacists are a valuable — even critical — resource when trying to decide which cold and flu meds to buy (seriously, who wants to read all of those labels?). Lucky for you, you don’t even have to talk to your pharmacist to get the scoop: The American Pharmacists Association recently asked 1,000 pharmacists which over-the-counter cold and flu medications they’re most likely to recommend — and Yahoo Health asked the experts to explain exactly how these OTC meds can help make you feel better, ASAP.

SINUS HEADACHE MEDS

The winner: Advil Cold & Sinus

This non-drowsy formula contains two misery-fighting ingredients: ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine. Ibuprofen is a painkiller that works by binding to an enzyme responsible for the production of inflammatory substances, like prostaglandins. “Reducing prostaglandin levels reduces inflammation and pain sensation,” Michelle Arkin, an associate professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at UC San Francfisco, told Yahoo Health in an email. 

The second ingredient, pseudoephedrine, acts as a decongestant. “It will open the nasal passages — it shrinks the blood vessels, and helps you breathe better,” said W. Steven Pray, a professor of pharmacy at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. It will also probably give you a burst of energy, which you may welcome if you’ve been dragging all day: “Pseudoephedrine can cause an adrenaline rush and suppress appetite,” Arkin said. 

Still, although it may provide some relief, you should see a doctor if you suspect you have a sinus infection, Pray cautioned. “There’s nothing to treat a sinus infection other than an antibiotic.” 

The runner-up: Sudafed 12 Hour Pressure + Pain 

Related: How to Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation

ADULT LIQUID COLD MEDS

The winner: Mucinex Cold, Flu & Sore Throat

Take one gulp of this powerful liquid, and you’ll simultaneously target coughing, congestion, and pain. One of the ingredients, guaifenesin, is an expectorant, which means “it helps thin the junk in your lungs, so when you cough, the junk will come up more readily,” Pray told Yahoo Health. The cough suppressant dextromethorphan, on the other hands, halts your hacking by zeroing in on the part of your brain that controls coughing, he said. 

But, warned Pray, since dextromethorphan suppresses coughing, it may reduce your ability to hack up the mucus that guaifenesin is encouraging you to expel. Times when this combo is worth considering: If your symptoms are keeping you up at night, the cough-suppressing power of dextromethorphan may help you sleep, while your lungs work on clearing the mucus with the help of guaifenesin, he said. The other occassion it might be worth a try: when there’s fluid begging to break free, but you’re hacking so hard it hurts.

The third ingredient, acetaminophen (what you find in Tylenol), helps relieve the pain that can accompany a cold, while phenylephrine combats congestion. It’s essentially a less potent version of pseudoephedrine, said Arkin.