These are the best remedies for a cold – according to Stiftung Warentest

With the cold, wet weather, colds and flu. Around 15 Euro from every German in the cutting for medium-to counteract the annoying symptoms: cough, runny nose, hoarseness and nasal congestion.

Typical for a cold is that the symptoms occur all at the same time. Usually the disease begins with a sore throat and fever. Later runny nose and cough to join. Stiftung Warentest advises, therefore, to combat each Symptom individually. “Treat the symptoms individually, you waive combination preparations with multiple active ingredients,” advises the pharmacist Prof. Dr. Gerd Glaeske in the current issue of were test.

The drug, experts recommend products with single active ingredients. From the test-database “drug Test” is selected, the controller 50 cold remedies they deem advisable. In the current issue of the best means for each individual Symptom are presented.

What pain do for neck?

In the case of slight neck pain, the drug experts Emser salt recommend pastilles, moisten the pharyngeal mucosa. (4.15 euros for a 30-piece) With stronger complaints Concerned can resort to drugs with the numbing agents Lidocaine or Ambroxol. However, the effectiveness of the funds was not clearly demonstrated. Were test rating, therefore, as “with limitation”.

What is a cold relieves?

A stuffy nose is uncomfortable. Sprays with saline solutions to clean the cold-ridden nose and moisten the mucous membranes. Also, there are Sprays with the mucous membrane decongestant active ingredients, Xylometazoline and Oyxmetazolin. You are free to make the nose, and let Cold breathing. The cheapest medium in the Test, the nasal spray “Sine AL” (3,86 euros for 10 ml). All the mucous membrane decongestant Sprays should not be used longer than seven days, test. “Otherwise the nose gets used to it.”

What helps with pain and fever?

Here is a test active ingredients such as Ibuprofen, Paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid (ASS) are according to the goods. Some of these funds are offered with a Vitamin C Supplement. In the view of test you use, however, no additional therapeutic.

With all the pain pills, it is important that the dosing recommendations strictly. Days-long fever of more than 39 degrees should be investigated by a doctor. Perhaps a bad case of the flu or a bacterial infection behind it.

A cold is caused by cold no. Viruses trigger a cold or the flu. But: “When the body fights a the beginning of the end of the infection and freezes, this can be the famous icing on the cake,” says Martin Scherer, Director of the Institute for General medicine at the University hospital in Hamburg-Eppendorf. There is also the Hypothesis that the nasopharyngeal mucous membrane in the cold, more vulnerable to virus infections, but it is not scientifically proven.

What means fight a cough?

Cough suppressants containing the active ingredient Dextromethorphan to relieve cough. The best preparations in the Test come from Ratiopharm (cough suppressants: 5,40 Euro for ten capsules) and Wick (cough lozenges with honey: € 6.97 for twelve capsules). The effectiveness of cough juice with plantain is not supported “yet”.

Cough-solver for Cold in question, which have to cough up seated mucus. However, there is the view of goods test is not a completely suitable means. Studies to tablets with Azetylzystein and Ambroxol would be “at best, supporting effects” to be expected. Also cough solvers with ivy and thyme are suitable according to the were test only “constraint”.

Ancient wisdom confirmed

Whether it is neck tablets, runny nose sprays or cough syrups: All the preparations a feature of unites. You can improve the symptoms of a cold only ease and well-being. Neither the funds would make to be healthy, so test, nor the Suffering were shortened. As before, the old saying applies: “A cold lasts with drugs a week – without you seven days.”

Details about Cold remedies and drugs in General, you can find here. The full test results of the current Tests can be viewed for a fee here.