FA C T S H E E T F O R PAT I E N T S A N D FA M I L I E S
Treating Symptoms Caused by Colds, Covid, Flu, or
Other Respiratory Viruses (for those age 18 and older)
Here are some over-the-counter medicines and other ways to treat your symptoms. Have your medical
provider or pharmacist check the boxes for treatments that will work best for you. Do not use if the box
is not checked.
If you have Use (active ingredient) Such as (brand) Comments
Aches, pain, Acetaminophen Tylenol
fever
Ibuprofen Advil, Motrin
Naproxen Aleve
Sore throat Throat lozenges Cepacol Throat Lozenges
Throat spray Chloraseptic Spray
Herbal tea
Cough Guaifenesin Mucinex Helps thin mucus
Dextromethorphan Robitussin, Delsym Cough suppressant
Vaporizer / humidifier Clean after each use
Vicks Vapor Rub,
Menthol
Cough drops
Stuffy nose Phenylephrine or
Sudafed
Pseudoephedrine
Oxymetazoline nasal spray Afrin, Zicam Do not use for more than 3 days
Phenylephrine nasal spray Neo-Synephrine Do not use for more than 3 days
Saline nasal spray
Nasal / Sinus irrigation Neti Pot
Allergy Fexofenadine, Loratadine, Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, Non-drowsy antihistamines
symptoms such or Cetirizine Alavert
as sneezing, Diphenhydramine, or ChlorTabs, Chlor-Trimeton, Antihistamines that can
runny nose, Chlorpheniramine Benadryl cause drowsiness
itchy eyes, post
nasal drip Fluticasone, Triamcinolone,
Flonase, Nasacort, Rhinocort Steroid nasal spray
or Budesonide
Acetaminophen, Guaifenesin, Multiple products available,
and Phenylephrine check active ingredients
Acetaminophen,
Multiple products available,
Guaifenesin, Phenylephrine
Combination check active ingredients
and Dextromethorphan
Medications Ibuprofen and
Advil Sinus
Phenylephrine
Cetirizine and
Zyrtec - D
Pseudoephedrine
Other 1
When using this checklist, remember to:
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are taking and if you have other health problems like
diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Try to use medicines that take care of only the symptoms you have right now. Some medicines treat many
symptoms at once. Taking these when you don’t have all of the symptoms can cause side effects.
• Acetaminophen [uh-see-tuh-MIN-uh-fen] is the active ingredient (main medicine) in Tylenol and is used in
many other medicines. Too much acetaminophen can harm your liver. Don’t take more than one medicine at
a time that contains acetaminophen.
• Follow the instructions on the back of ALL medicines carefully.
• When you go to the store, you can find a medicine’s active ingredient by looking at the “Drug Facts” panel
on the back of medicine box or bottle (example below). If you have a hard time finding the medicine, ask a
pharmacist for help.
Look on the back of the
Drug Facts
medicine; the active Active ingredient (in each tablet) Purpose
ingredient is found here Chlorpheniramine maleate 2 mg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antihistamine
Other tips or instructions from your healthcare provider:
How long will my symptoms last? Call your doctor right away if
How long your symptoms last depends on your
you have:
illness. In general you can expect the following: • New severe pain
• Fever: Can be 5 days or more • Persistent or rising temperature
(most often 2 to 3 days)
• Chest pain
• Sore throat: Can be 9 days or more
• Coughing up blood (more than a streak)
(most often 5 to 6 days)
• Difficulty breathing
• Cough: Can be several weeks
(most often 7 to 14 days) • Confusion or severe drowsiness
• Congestion and runny nose: Can be 2 weeks or • Shaking / chills
more (most often 5 to 7 days)
If your symptoms last longer than this, call your
healthcare provider for an appointment. Adapted from Atrium Health
atriumhealth.org/germs
Intermountain Healthcare complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
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© 2019 – 2022 Intermountain Healthcare. All rights reserved. The content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it
should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns. FS665 - 04/22 (Last reviewed - 04/22)
Also available in Spanish.
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