January 14th, 2011 
maureen In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need cold and flu medicines to help us cope; too bad the world’s not perfect. So, then, we look to the next-best thing (after doing what we can to prevent infection to begin with, that is): we look for ways to manage flu symptoms until our bodies do what they naturally will and get rid of the infection.  To help you best prepare for this unfortunate eventuality, here is a list of the top flu medicines to have on hand.
Top Medicines for Fighting Off the Flu
This list is in no real order, because really what is best for you will depend on the symptoms that most adversely affect you, and the type of relief that you are going for.
- Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is the effective ingredient in Tylenol, but the generics work just as well. It’s a top-line fever reducer and pain reliever.
- Ibuprofen. You’ll find ibuprofen under the name-brands of Motrin and Advil (but, as with almost all drugs, generics are great equivalents). Ibuprofen works pretty well as a fever reducer, and is also an excellent anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.
- Naproxen. Naproxen works differently than Ibuprofen, but is a similar anti-inflammatory pain reliever and fever reducer. It is marketed primarily under the brand-name Aleve.
These three constitute the real first-line defense in managing flu symptoms. They help to deal with the major flu offenders, pain and fever. Their active ingredients are also found in many multi-symptom over-the-counter flu medications (so do be aware if you are using any of these that you know what you are taking and do not inadvertently overdose yourself on any given ingredient – if in doubt, ask the pharmacist).
The following are some of the top OTC drugs to help handle the multiple symptoms that the flu can present:
- Tylenol Cold – Tylenol Cold has a couple of formulations for daytime and nighttime use, which may help you get the rest you need.
- Aleve Sinus and Headache – helps to manage the pressure of sinus pain as well as aches and headache pain.
- Vicks Nyquil – a time-tested multi-symptom medication known by many, still topping the list.
- Vicks Dayquil – a more recent, but still tried and true defense, formulated for daytime use and functioning to hopefully minimize the drowsy effects of flu medications.
- Advil Cold and Sinus – for an ibuprofen-based multi-symptom pain reliever.
These medications represent some of the best of the best the OTC medication world has to offer. Realistically, medications such as these, or their generic equivalents, are your best defense when managing flu symptoms. For the vast majority of flu cases, the only real way to deal with them is to manage them and muddle through, and these medications can do just that.
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