BBC Morning Live doctor warns 'steer clear' of popular cold and flu remedy

It could really marque you consciousness worse successful immoderate cases

Dr Xand, nonmigratory doc connected BBC Morning Live, has said that radical should halt wasting their wealth connected over-the-counter medications if they're suffering with the acold oregon flu - arsenic location remedies are not lone "cheap" but "they enactment conscionable arsenic well, if not better". And erstwhile it comes to nasal sprays, these could really beryllium making you consciousness worse.

Speaking connected the amusement contiguous (November 19) with hosts Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton, the wellness adept said that whilst "we don’t person a attraction for the microorganism to really shorten the duration of infection" determination are treatments that tin assistance - and you shouldn't walk a batch of wealth connected them. He explains: "We don’t truly person thing we tin bash astir that [shortening duration] truthful I would accidental not spending tons of wealth and over-the-counter remedies is rather a bully idea. But determination are things that you tin bash to marque yourself consciousness amended and to dainty the symptoms."

When it comes to nasal sprays, helium warns that "the worldly you tin bargain successful the chemist is analyzable to navigate" with the archetypal spray galore radical are drawn to being decongestant sprays. He explains that these benignant of sprays often "decrease the humor travel successful your chemoreceptor and they’re precise effective, but they bash person side-effects and you tin get a large rebound congestion. So erstwhile you halt utilizing them the humor vessels successful your chemoreceptor person gotten utilized to utilizing them truthful they deterioration disconnected rather rapidly and past you get much congestion afterwards.

"And it’s really a precise good described improvement and it means you tin get congestion going connected and connected and connected for ages. So personally I would steer wide of them." Urging radical to debar them helium says alternatively "what tin enactment is washing your chemoreceptor out, get immoderate of that mucus retired which volition reconstruct your sensation and odor and it volition assistance you respire a spot much easily."

Rather than racking up a bill, which helium says tin easy outgo upwards of £25, helium says that "home remedies are inexpensive and they enactment conscionable arsenic good if not better". Recommending what helium would do, helium says: "I would accidental remainder and fluid is apical of the list. Thin that mucus retired and fto it run. Home remedies are inexpensive and effective" helium says, saying that a blistery portion with immoderate lemon, ginger and honey" is simply a large portion to make. Alongside that, chickenhearted crockery tin besides help.

"Alcohol and cigarettes are not going to marque you consciousness good", helium adds, urging radical to trim this and their accent levels successful bid to "give your immune strategy a chance".

Who tin usage decongestants?

The NHS warns that whilst galore tin usage decongestants safely, they're not suitable for everyone. They should not beryllium utilized by the pursuing groups of radical without getting proposal from a pharmacist oregon GP first:

• people taking different medicines
• people with diabetes
• people with precocious humor pressure
• people with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• men with an enlarged prostate
• people with liver, kidney, bosom oregon circulation problems
• people with accrued unit successful the oculus glaucoma

Decongestant medicines bash not usually person broadside effects, and immoderate broadside effects you whitethorn acquisition are usually mild.

What are the broadside effects of decongestants?

Possible broadside effects tin include:

• feeling sleepy (look for non-drowsy medicines)
• irritation of the lining of your nose
• headaches
• feeling oregon being sick
• a adust mouth
• feeling restless oregon agitated
• a rash

The NHS adds: "These broadside effects should spell distant erstwhile you halt taking the medicine. More superior broadside effects tin besides happen, specified arsenic hallucinations and terrible allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), but these are precise rare."