Page 120 - Community pharmcy practice E-book 2025

02/11/2025, 00:29

Non-Pharmacological Treatment
• Encourage rest, adequate hydration (warm fluids help soothe throat, loosen secretions).
• Use humidified air or steam (e.g., hot shower) to relieve nasal congestion.
• Nasal saline irrigation/drops to help clear secretions (especially in children).
• Good cough/sneeze hygiene and hand-washing to reduce spread. Pharmacist role:
counsel on prevention (avoid sharing tissues, frequent hand-washing, good ventilation).
• Advise avoidance of irritants (smoke, dust) that can prolong symptoms.

Pharmacological Treatment
• Since cold is viral, focus is on symptom relief: e.g., analgesics/antipyretics
(Acetaminophen/paracetamol or NSAIDs) for aches/fever.

• Nasal decongestants (oral or intranasal) for short-term relief of congestion (intranasal only
for 3–5 days to avoid rebound).
• Antihistamines (mostly first generation) may help runny nose/sneezing, but evidence is
limited.
• Pharmacist role: choose appropriate OTC products, check for overlapping ingredients
(especially in combination cold meds), counsel on dose, timing, contraindications and duration.
• Important: Antibiotics are not indicated (viral cause) unless secondary bacterial infection
identified.

Patient Counselling Tips
• Explain nature of illness: “This is a viral infection; the body will clear it in ~7-10 days, we are
treating symptoms not the virus itself.”
• Advise reading labels carefully: many products combine ingredients; avoid doubling up (for
example two products both have acetaminophen).
• For nasal decongestant sprays: use only short-term (max 3–5 days) to prevent rebound
congestion.
• Encourage supportive measures: rest, fluids, humidifier or steam, saline nasal drops.

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