11th October 2018

What treatments are effective for common cold in adults and children?

What you need to know

• Quality evidence to say whether over-the-counter treatments work for nasal symptoms of the common cold is limited.

• For adults, consider a trial of decongestants alone, or with antihistamines or analgesics to alleviate bothersome nasal symptoms.

• Do not prescribe decongestants to children under 12, as evidence of their effectiveness is limited and associated risks may exist.

#GPPharmacists see this excellent article by the BMJ here to get prepared for flu season!:

https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k3786