Common cold

Common colds: Does echinacea work?

It is not clear whether echinacea extracts can prevent colds. Some echinacea products might help to reduce the length and severity of a cold if taken at the very beginning. Because the available products are very different to one another, more research is needed. Adverse effects are rare. more...

Common colds: Can antibiotics help?

It does not make sense to use antibiotics for simple colds. These drugs have no proven benefit, and can have adverse effects. more...

Common colds: Wait before trying antibiotics?

If there does not appear to be any medical need for antibiotics to treat a simple cold, waiting one to two days can avoid unnecessary adverse effects. more...

Common colds: Should we follow the "drink more fluids" advice?

There is no medical reason to drink more than you feel like drinking when you have a cold. more...

Sore throats: Do antibiotics help?

Taking antibiotics as a precaution can shorten the symptoms of sore throats by between half a day and one day. There is a risk of side effects, though. And using antibiotics too often can make bacteria resistant. more...

Common colds: Can vitamin C prevent or relieve them?

Taking vitamin C every day to try to prevent colds does not protect most people from colds. It only slightly shortens the amount of time that they are ill. Starting to take vitamin C at the first sign of a cold does not affect the course of the cold. more...

Acute sinusitis: Can antibiotics help?

In acute sinusitis, antibiotics usually cannot help, because it is normally caused by viruses, not by bacteria. In a severe infection antibiotics are necessary, however. more...