Cochrane Summaries

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  1. Jan 2013
    Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold Podcast
    The common cold is a major cause of visits to a doctor in high-income countries and of absenteeism from work and school. There are over 200 viruses which can cause the common cold symptoms including runny nose, congestion, sneezing, sore throat, cough, and sometimes headache, fever and red eyes. Symptoms vary from person to person and cold to cold. ...
  2. Oct 2012
    Steroids for the common cold
    Although there are a number of medications (including many over-the-counter) used to help improve the symptoms of the common cold, none have good evidence of benefit. Steroids (corticosteroids) have been shown to help relieve symptoms in other types of upper respiratory tract infections by reducing the inflammation of the lining of the nose and throat, ...
  3. Aug 2012
    Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in ambulatory settings
    Acute cough is a common and troublesome symptom in people who suffer from acute upper respiratory tract infection. Many people self prescribe over-the-counter (OTC) cough preparations and health practitioners often recommend their use for the initial treatment of cough. Twenty-six trials involving 4037 people were included. The results of this review ...
  4. May 2012
    Zinc for the common cold
    The common cold is often caused by the rhinovirus. It is one of the most widespread illnesses and is a leading cause of visits to the doctor and absenteeism from school and work. Complications of the common cold include otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis and exacerbations of reactive airway diseases. There is no proven treatment for the ...
  5. Mar 2012
    Garlic for the common cold Podcast
    Garlic is popularly believed to be useful for the common cold. This belief is based on traditional use and some laboratory evidence that garlic has antibacterial and antiviral properties. We looked for studies that investigated the use of garlic for either preventing or treating the common cold. Of the five studies identified, only one fulfilled the ...
  6. Mar 2012
    Honey for acute cough in children
    Cough is a cause for concern for parents and a major cause of outpatient visits in most settings for both children and adults. Cough can impact on quality of life, cause anxiety and affect sleep for parents and children. For this reason an immediate remedy is usually sought by both the caregiver and the recipient. Cochrane reviews have assessed the ...
  7. Feb 2012
    Oral antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold
    The common cold is probably the most common illness known and usually presents with a range of symptoms such as sore throat, nasal stuffiness and discharge, sneezing and cough. On average, young children have six to eight colds per year and adults have two to four. It is caused by viruses (more than 200 viruses have been implicated) and is generally ...
  8. Oct 2011
    Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the common cold
    The common cold is the most common and widespread illness known to humans. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are drugs with analgesic (pain reducing), antipyretic (fever reducing) and, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects. NSAIDs have been widely used for over a century for the treatment of pain and fever associated with the common ...
  9. Jul 2011
    A spray containing ipratropium bromide administered into the nose for the common cold
    The common cold is caused by a virus and is one of the most common illnesses affecting humans. It causes a runny and stuffy nose, sore throat and sneezing. There is no proven cure for the cold and only symptom relief is available. The aim of this review was to investigate the use of a nasal spray containing ipratropium bromide (IB), which may improve ...
  10. May 2011
    Heated, humidified air for the common cold
    The common cold is the most common infection in human beings. Considered trivial, it causes no complications but leads to significant work absenteeism due to discomfort caused by its symptoms.The disease is diagnosed by the symptoms. Treatments are mainly symptomatic. However, new information, especially regarding the effects of cytokines in human beings, ...

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