TYLENOL
Forpainlastinglongerthanthreemonths—fromarthritisorabackinjury,forexample—talkwithyourdoctorabouttreatmentoptions.Ifyouneedapainreliever,thebestfirstchoiceisusuallytheactiveingredientinTylenol,acetaminophen.Ithasagoodtrackrecordforsafetyandworksaboutaswellasstrongprescriptiondrugs.Justkeepinmindthatforadults,themaximumrecommendeddoseis4grams,oreightextra-strength(500-milli...[
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CHLOR-TRIMETON
Ifsnifflingandadrippynosearedrivingyounuts,anantihistaminesuchasChlor-Trimeton(genericchlorpheniramine)shouldhelp.AnotheroldreliableisBenadrylAllergy(genericdiphenhydramine).Butyoumightwanttoconsiderjuststockingupontissuesandtoughingitoutforafewdays.Thesideeffectsofthoseolderantihistaminesincludedrowsiness,dryeyesandmouth,andfluidretention,andmightnotbeworththebother.(Neweranti...[
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LUDEN’STHROATDROPS
RobitussinandotherOTCremediesthatcontaindextromethorphandon’tdomuchtostopacough.You’rebetteroffsuckingonalozenge.Luden’sThroatDropsareagoodchoicebecausetheycontainpectinandhoney,twoingredientsthatcoatyourrawthroatandsoothetheticklethattriggersacoughingfit.Ortryaspoonofplainhoneybeforeanythingelse.Thatworkedbetteratsuppressingcoughsthanahoney-flavored...[
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AFRIN
Afrinwinsbecauseit’sanasaldecongestantspray,anditsactiveingredientsworkfasttoshrinkswollenbloodvesselsinyournosesothatyoucanbreathemoreeasily.Whenusedinrecommendeddoses,nasalspraysareusuallynotabsorbedintoyourbloodstreamthewayoralmedicationsare,sotheygenerallycausefewersideeffects.Afrincontainsoxymetazoline;sodoDristanandVicksSinex,twoothergoodchoicesforrelievingcongestionforupto1...[
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EITHER
ExcedrinMigraineandotherpainrelieversmarketedforthesemonsterheadachescombineacetaminophen,aspirin,andcaffeine.Formanypeoplewhosufferfrommildormoderateattacks,thatcombinationworksaswellasprescriptiondrugs.Butifcaffeinemakesyoujittery,NSAIDssuchasibuprofen(Advil,MotrinIB,andgeneric)andnaproxen(Aleveandgeneric)mightbebetterchoices.
Onecaution:Takingpainrelieverstoooftencantriggerrebo...[
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EITHER
ResearchshowsthatZyrtec(genericcetirizine)andClaritin(genericloratadine)don’treallydifferinhowwelltheywork,howsafetheyare,andthesideeffectstheycause.Soeitherisafinechoicetotreatannoyingallergysymptoms,includingthosefromseasonalhayfeveraswellashives.Somepeoplefindthatonedrugworksbestforthem,soifClaritindoesn’tworkwellforyou,tryZyrtecorAllegra(fexofenadine),anothergoodchoice....[
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ALEVE
Researchshowsthattakingnonsteroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs(NSAIDs)suchasnaproxen(Aleveandgeneric)canhelpwiththeheadaches,cramping,andmoodsymptomsofpremenstrualsyndrome.OneofthemainwaysthatNSAIDsmayhelpisbyreducinginflammatorysubstancescalledprostaglandinsthatarethoughttomakethattimeofthemonthsuchapain.
AlthoughdrugsmarketedspecificallyforPMSsymptoms,suchasMidolandPamprin,arebigselle...[
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MIRALAX
Infrequentboutsofconstipationwillusuallyworkthemselvesoutnaturally,soyouprobablydon’tneedtotakeanything.Butifyou’refrequentlyconstipated(yougofewerthanthreetimesaweekfortwoweeksorlonger),talkwithyourdoctor.Ifyoureallyneedtotakesomething,MiraLaxisusuallyyourbestbet.It’sapowderedformofthelaxativedrugpolyethyleneglycol.Dissolveitinwateroranotherliquidanddrinkit.(MiraLax...[
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BOTH
Ifyou’rehome,reachforImodiumA-D.Studiesshowthatitsactiveingredient,loperamide(alsofoundingenericversions),worksbetterthanbismuthsubsalicylate(foundinPepto-Bismol,Kaopectate,andgenerics)atrelievingaboutofdiarrhea,oratleastmakingitshorterandlesssevere.
Butifyou’retraveling,packPepto-Bismolinyourcarry-on.StudiesfromMexico(yes,whereMontezuma’srevengegotitsname)showthat...[
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TUMS
Foroccasionalheartburnandindigestion,TumsandotherantacidssuchasMaalox,Mylanta,andRolaidsworkverywell.Bestofall,theystartworkingwithinafewminutes.Butifyourheartburntendstobelong-lasting,youshouldtryanotherclassofdrugs:H2blockers,whichincludecimetidine(TagametOTC),famotidine(PepcidAC),nizatidine(AxidAR),andranitidine(Zantac75andZantac150).Allofthemareavailableaslow-costgenerics.Theytakeupt...[
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