5 Tips for Choosing a Cold-reduction Medicine

It may be the common cold, but it's still miserable when it happens to you. View more staying healthy pictures.
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How many times have you heard "it's just a cold"? In the grand scheme of things a cold isn't the end of the world, but it can make us so miserable that we're desperate to start feeling better -- and fast. The good news is that if you're healthy and your immune system is in good shape, you'll probably be totally back to normal in a week or two. The bad news is that there's no cure for the common cold. Unfortunately, since most colds are caused by a virus and not bacteria, drugs like antibiotics don't do any good. The most that we can hope for is managing the symptoms until the cold runs its course.

Most cold sufferers complain of symptoms such as fever, head and body aches, congestion, a runny nose, a cough or a sore throat. However, a visit to the cold-medicine aisle at your local pharmacy can leave you feeling confused about what to get to help you deal with these symptoms. And your hurry to find some relief could result in making some serious mistakes when choosing a cold-reduction medicine.

Worry not: We have five great tips for helping you choose the right cold medicine for your symptoms. Let's start with the ingredients list.