The Cold Medicine Conundrum
What works, what doesn’t, and why time might be the best healer
Note: This article is not a substitute for medical advice. If you require medical evaluation or care please stop looking on the internet and go see your medical provider.
As the world emerged from the terrifying early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, sniffles and sore throats took on a different meaning. Once seasonal annoyances, they had become harbingers of doom.
At the same time, regular old colds took a bit of a hiatus as the masking and social distancing precautions adopted to stop the spread of COVID stopped the spread of other respiratory viruses, too.
But now, they’re back, baby. This year, there’s still COVID (albeit in a less terrifying form), RSV, and flu, along with the garden-variety rhinoviruses of the before-times. “Our immune systems have some catching up to do after a few years without the normal levels of circulating viruses,” according to nurse practitioner Anne Kimberly.
But lots of folks are uncertain about how to manage mild illnesses at home these days. It’s like we’ve collectively forgotten how to cope with colds. A sneeze can send us spiraling: Should I go to the ER? What’s the best drug for this? Should I check my blood oxygen level?
