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  Treating Yourself
With OTC Meds
Do I Need to See
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Allergies
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Acute Bacterial
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Use the links on the right to find advice on treating sinus and nasal problems with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Reading below will give you an overview of what to expect.
| Many acute sinus and nasal problems can be helped by using commonly available OTC medicines. Flare ups of minor chronic problems may also benefit from OTC medicines, but if your problem is truly constant or frequent, you will benefit in the long run from seeing a specialist and seeking out customized advice. |
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When I go to the pharmacy or supermarket and see the OTC section, I am amazed at how difficult they make it for patients to select an appropriate medicine. If you follow just a few simple principles, selecting helpful OTC medicines becomes a lot easier.
- Get generics whenever available. They are the same, really.
- Avoid complicated mixtures, it is better to take several simple medicines and tailor them to your personal situation than to take a product with many ingredients all mixed in, one size does not fit all.
- Read the labels to be sure that the OTC medicine is compatible with any health problems you might have or medications you might take. While OTC medicines are generally safe, there are important considerations if you have health problems. Also, be aware that some prescription medicines for sinus and nasal problems are actually safer than OTC medicines, so those with significant health issues should ask their doctor about this.
  
If you avoid all the marketing hype, fancy packaging, and dismiss those things that are just plain ineffective, using OTC meds can be simple. There are hundreds of products on the shelves, but basically they are all either ineffective garbage, or they are mixtures of the following:
There are really just 7 key OTC ingredients, and some minor variants of each one.
| My Pick |
Category |
Purpose |
Brands / others |
| ibuprofen |
non steroidal pain reliever |
to reduce pain and inflammation |
Advil - Aspirin - Aleve |
| pseudoephedrine |
decongestant |
open passages |
only one other similiar ingredient - phenylephrine |
| clemastine |
antihistamine |
block the allergic reaction |
Tavist |
| codeine |
cough suppressant |
to reduce "non-helpful" coughing |
schedule V, ask pharmacist |
| oxymetazoline |
spray decongestant |
opens nasal airway |
Afrin and many similar "addictive" nasal sprays |
| guaifenesin |
mucolytic |
thins mucous |
Mucinex |
| chromolyn sodium |
spray mast cell stabilizer |
blocks nasal allergies |
Nasalcrom |
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Treating a Cold
With OTC Meds
Treating Allergies
With OTC Meds
Treating Chronic
Problems with OTC
Medicines
Decongestants
Antihistamines
Decongestant Sprays
Pain Relievers
Cough Suppressants
Mucous Thinners
Saline Rinses
Zinc Gluconate
Cromolyn Spray
Steroid Sprays
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