Before you read this article you need to know that over the counter medications are still medications, have indications and side effects you need to be aware of. If you have a chronic medical condition  or if you are on prescribed medication you should consult your doctor before using any other medication as it may have effect on your condition or interfere with your medication drug action.

Over the counter medication used for fever and pain control:

• Paracetamol or acetaminophen: it has analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. It act centrally reducing the pain and the fever and it acts peripherally and limit the inflammatory process. Acetaminophen is preferable drug used in reducing fever and pain in children because of its limited side effects. Acute large dose of acetaminophen causes acute liver damage. Acetaminophen could cause acute liver damage in regular doses in some people. Acetaminophen is metabolized in liver so Alcoholics and patient with chronic liver disease are advised not to use acetaminophen as analgesic as alcohol reduce the rate of acetaminophen metabolism increasing the accumulation of toxic metabolites.
• Aspirin and other non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as ibuprofens: They are drugs acting as anti inflammatory agents, analgesics and antipyretics, they are widely used as pain relievers. Although aspirin should not be used to treat sick feverish children with unknown infection as the combination of aspirin and viral infection is children may cause severe condition called Reye’s syndrome (rare side effect). Chronic abuse of NSAID especially in women could cause end stage renal failure due to nephro-toxicity.

Over the counter medications used for cough and other lung symptoms:

• Mucolytics and Expectorants:  they are drug used in patient suffering from dry painful cough. They dissolve the mucous lining the air way causing its thinning and make it easier to expel by cough.
• Cough suppressant: it is not advised to be used as cough clears the lung from the mucus secretions, viral bodies and inflammatory materials accumulated in the air ways. It is only advised at night if the cough is severe and prevents the patient from sleep.

Over the counter drug used for sore throats:

• Lozenges which contain local anesthetic agents make temporally relief. Also they come in the form of sprays and gargles.

Over the counter medications used for nasal symptoms:

• Decongestants: spray nasal decongestants act locally on the nasal blood vessels causing its constriction. That constriction prevents fluid collection and congestion. Spray nasal decongestants should not be used for more than three days as it may cause rebound congestion after stoppage. Oral nasal decongestants act generally on all small blood vessels with longer period of action those drugs aren’t safe for patient with high blood pressure, chronic heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma and other diseases.
• Antihistaminic drugs: they decrease the congestion and the inflammatory response. They are used more in allergic patients. They have sedative side effect and shouldn’t be taken with other sedative drugs or alcohol. People with chronic bronchitis shouldn’t use antihistaminic drugs because they could case drying of mucus in the lungs and worsening cough and lung condition.

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