Quick and Effective Cold and Sinus Relief with Advil® Cold & Sinus

“Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, but all opinions expressed here are mine.”

Advil® Cold & Sinus Relief

Spring is here, yippee! Well, maybe not so great. It seems like I always get the worst cold and flu symptoms  this time of year. I dread it, and usually blame it on the Virginia germs and weather, which has temperatures changing between 70 and 30 degrees in one day. I always find myself looking for cold and sinus relief, so I do what everyone does, and I start with juice, chicken soup, and dealing with it. Then, by Day Two I have to get back to my life, and I have to take action. That’s when Advil® Cold & Sinus helps me to combat the cold and flu  symptoms.

I will tell you that Advil® Cold & Sinus is available behind the counter. You will have to ask the pharmacist for it, and it is well worth asking for. I haven’t found anything that works faster for me. It is reasonably priced (not that you could put a price on feeling better). I am personally a huge baby when I am sick. When I go on trips, I bring this with me, along with my regular Advil®, just so that it’s handy. There are several rumors regarding cold and flu season floating around, so in an effort to be your Real Advice Gal, we are going to debunk a couple of them.

Advil® Cold & Sinus commissioned the “Ask the Pharmacist” survey of more than 2,000 Americans and found that 71 percent of Americans do not find doctors to be the most accessible or convenient to speak to when sick, so many turn to their parents, friends or significant others for guidance. With that, comes information and counsel, but often this advice can be based on hearsay, myths or old wives’ tales.

Pharmacist and Health Expert, Jim Morelli, weighs in on top cold and flu myths Americans revealed in the “Ask the Pharmacist” survey.

This is what I asked, and this is what Jim Morelli said:

Why is Advil® Cold & Sinus so effective when relieving symptoms of the flu?

Remember, flu is a “whole-body” illness. We usually see cold symptoms — plus fever, body aches — even, especially in children, some gastrointestinal complaints, like diarrhea.

Advil® contains ibuprofen — which is a superior pain reliever when compared with other products on the market. Ibuprofen acts not only to relieve pain — but also inflammation and fever. It’s a great ‘all-in-one’ medication for cold and flu season.

Advil® Cold &Sinus also contains a powerful decongestant. Keep in mind, congestion is one of those flu symptoms that can make you feel REALLY lousy. It can be accompanied by dizziness… pain in the ears… even pain in the teeth. So it’s important to use a product that will ease congestion fast. Ask for Advil® Cold & Sinus at the pharmacy counter.

How long is it safe to take the Advil® Cold & Sinus to relieve a cold before I should go to a doctor?

Generally speaking, if you develop flu symptoms, it’s a good idea to let your physician know what’s going on right away.

Flu is not something usually treated — it is an illness that is managed. In other words, you do what you can to get through it. More than likely, your doctor will recommend rest, hydration and over-the-counter products to ease symptoms.

Flu is self-limiting… meaning it goes away within a specified time, usually five to seven days.

If you’ve got a cold — in other words, your symptoms are above the neck only — then it would generally be safe to use Advil® Cold & Sinus for the two or three days you will need it. But do keep in mind that even non-prescription medications can sometimes interact with other drugs and/or affect existing medical conditions… so get some advice BEFORE using any OTC product, including Advil® Cold & Sinus. Your pharmacist is a great source of drug information. Get to know him or her… and always ask questions before taking anything for a cold or the flu.

Is it okay to take Advil® Cold & Sinus and my vitamins at the same time?

The only caveat here would be if you are using vitamins that can irritate the stomach on their own… such as Vitamin C or Iron. (Some multivitamins also irritate the stomach.)

Space the ingestion of these a couple of hours away from Advil® Cold & Sinus so that you don’t increase the risk of stomach irritation. Even non-prescription medications or other products can sometimes interact with drugs, so please check with a healthcare professional first.

Other Myths answered for you

Myth: Going outside with wet hair can make you sick (heard by 71 percent of respondents)

Pharmacist’s Take: Going outside with wet hair can make you physically cold, but it will not cause a cold. It takes a virus to make you sick, which is contracted through exposure to germs.

Myth: Feed a cold, starve a fever (61 percent)

Pharmacist’s Take: Fevers do not respond to food. That being said, it’s always a good idea to maintain hydration and nutrition when sick.

Myth: Chicken soup can cure a cold or flu (60 percent)

Pharmacist’s Take: Chicken soup is not a cure for anything but hunger. However, there is some evidence it can be beneficial when you have a cold or the flu because it is hydrating and contains needed electrolytes.

Myth: The flu shot causes the flu (53 percent)

Pharmacist’s Take: The flu shot is actually a killed virus so it is not live. It cannot give you the flu. Even the weakened virus in the nasal spray vaccination should not cause the flu. Some people experience what is called a “serum sickness” from vaccinations, but this is a short-lived period of feeling lousy as opposed to the actual flu.

Myth: Avoid dairy when sick (34 percent)

Pharmacist’s Take: Unless you are taking a tetracycline antibiotic, typically used to treat respiratory tract and intestine infections, dairy is fine when sick. Keep in mind, however, that in some individuals dairy can upset the stomach if they’ve got a stomach bug.

I had no idea that 81 percent of survey respondents have purchased medicine based on a recommendation from a pharmacist. I am glad I know that Advil® Cold & Sinus is the #1 pharmacist recommended brand to treat your worst cold and flu symptoms. It combines Advil® – the number-one selling pain reliever – and a powerful nasal decongestant to provide fast, powerful relief. Ask for it at the pharmacy counter!

More Fun Facts to amaze your friends at dinner parties-

– While the doctor is still the first choice for treatment advice for many of the respondents (63 percent), 71 percent of Americans do not find doctors to be the most accessible and convenient to speak to when they are sick.

– More Americans ages 18-24 seek advice from their parents (72 percent) than the doctor (45 percent), probably because they consider their parents to be more accessible and convenient to speak to when they are sick (52 percent).

(I just jump on Facebook and tag all my friends who are in the medical field. It is more effective than searching on Doctor Google, where people may end up finding things that have nothing to do with what they actually have. That is why I like the idea of speaking with a pharmacist.)

As a knowledgeable and helpful source of information, pharmacists are a great source of information and advice on medicine and treatment options!

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