Managing pain during cold & flu

Welcome to PD’s weekly comment feature. This week’s contributor is Dr. Jaspreet Singh, Vicks Senior Scientist. ACCORDING to a global Vicks survey, most Australians experience between 2 and 5 colds / flus every year1 . Nearly 20% of Australians report minor pains such as headache, body and muscle aches1. While simple analgesics can tackle the aches and pains, colds are multisymptom conditions, therefore multi-symptom relief (MSR) products should be considered reducing the need for multiple medications. For aches and pains, Paracetamol is a safe and effective analgesic and antipyretic, and can be recommended during pregnancy/breastfeeding or in case of gastrointestinal problems. With liver problems, where paracetamol may be contraindicated, a suitable nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) may be recommended. There is little evidence that low-dose codeine medicines are any more effective for pain relief or cough than similar medicines without codeine2. With the planned up-scheduling of codeine products, Pharmacists can utilise combination MSR products containing Paracetamol or NSAIDs to provide relief from pain due to cold & flu, while ingredients such as Phenylephrine and Chlorpheniramine help to manage a blocked and runny nose. 1. Data on file. Vicks global cough, cold and flu survey, 2014. 2. Update on the proposal for the rescheduling of codeine products. https:// www.tga.gov.au/media-release/updateproposal-rescheduling-codeine-products Accessed on: 18 May 2017