The Dangerous Common Cold Medicine - Part 1

The Common Cold - Part 1

Runny nose, stuffy head, congestion, sore throat, hay fever, asthma attack - the annoying symptoms of a cold war waging closer to home. To varying degrees, all people are forced to combat the dreaded cold and its violent relatives. Although it has long been said that there is no cure for the common cold, sufferers seem willing to try anything to breathe easy again, collectively spending billions of dollars each year on cold-related medicines, cough suppressants, antihistamines, asthma drugs and antibiotics. Despite controversial data regarding the efficacy of these drugs, people casually consume them, only to discover that drugs' harmful side effects are a heavy price to pay for temporary freedom.

Cold and Allergy Medicines

Because a cold is caused by a virus, it cannot be cured by medication. Cold medicines may help suppress symptoms, but the cold virus continues to roam inside the body. Notwithstanding this fact, potentially harmful cold medicines abide in most household medicine cabinets. Beside their questionable ability to offer relief, cold medicines may contain drugs such as triprolidine, pseudoephedrine, guanifenesin, phenylpropanolomine and pheynylephrine. Many cold medicines combine several of these chemicals into one tablet, giving the false impression that more is better, when in actuality, they merely increase the risk of unwanted side effects. The damaging results of these drugs may include high blood pressure (especially dangerous for people with heart disease, diabetes or thyroid disease), confusion, nervousness, dry mouth, constipation, difficulty urinating, decreased sweating and worsening of glaucoma.

Unaware of these side effects, many people also mistakenly use cold medicines to regularly treat allergies. Nasal sprays containing ingredients such as pseudoephedrine hydrochloride or other antihistamines may prove harmful to sufferers of allergies. Using these ingredients may lead to rebound congestion, increased nasal stuffiness and permanent damage to the membranes lining the nose.

Cough Suppressants

Just as a runny nose promotes beneficial drainage, a fact ignored by many, a cough can also be a productive way to naturally remove harmful material. Although a dry or painful cough may be a sign of a more serious condition, most coughs should not be suppressed. Adverse effects of cough suppressants such as hydrocodone, dextromethorphan and phenyltoloxamine include skin rash, dizziness, nausea, nasal congestion, constipation, dry mouth, difficulty urinating, blurred vision and headache.

The combination of iodinated glycerol and codeine, commonly promoted as a cough suppressant, should especially be avoided. An unpublished study performed under the direction of the National Toxology Program (Department of Human Services) found that Iodinated glycerol may cause illnesses as severe as cancer. In general, coughs are most effectively combated by clear liquids, which help thin mucus and promote effortless breathing.

Antihistamines

Ironically, some drugs prolong cold symptoms and antihistamines are a prime example of drugs people wrongly assume can effectively treat any illness. Antihistamines can actually make a cold or cough worse by thickening nasal secretions and drying mucous membranes. They can also cause serious side effects including confusion, short-term memory loss, disorientation, dry mouth, constipation, difficulty urinating, enlarge prostate, increased body temperature, unusual bleeding, ringing in the ears, stomach upset and worsening of glaucoma.

The antihistmine hydroxyzine, used to treat itching and hives, may also cause restlessness, seizures, trembling or shakiness. Another antihistamine, diphenhydramine, may cause unusually fast heartbeat, increased sensitivity to the sun, unusual bleeding, sore throat, nervousness, restlessness, irritability and ringing in the ears.

Adverse cardiovascular effects are extremely rare, but patients using the antihistamine astemizole have reportedly experienced cardiac arrest, ventricular arrhythmias and even death as a result of the drug.