Chest Cold Relief

A chest cold is a viral infection that causes the bronchial tubes to become inflamed, causing a mucous buildup that leads to coughing. The medical term for a chest cold is acute bronchitis. In addition to a mucus-filled cough, other symptoms of a chest cold may include sore throat, mild muscle aches, low-grade fever, fatigue and soreness in the chest. Chest colds are most often caused by a virus. Other possible causes include a bacterial infection and contact with irritants or pollutants.

Over-the-counter Drugs

• Several over-the-counter medications can help provide relief from the symptoms of a chest cold. These medications often contain drugs that help suppress a cough and pain-relieving agents that can relieve the aches and pains often associated with a chest cold. Many of these products also contain fever-reducing drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. It's important to remember to check the active ingredients of the medications you are taking to make sure you aren't taking too much of one. For example, taking an over-the-counter cold medicine and acetaminophen could lead to an overdose because many over-the-counter cold medicines already contain acetaminophen. It's also important to note that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children younger than two never be given over-the-counter cold medicines because of the risk of life-threatening complications. Always check with your pediatrician before giving cold medicines to young children.

Antibiotics

• Because most chest colds are caused by viral infections, antibiotics will not be an effective treatment. However, less commonly, chest colds result from a bacterial infection, and in these cases antibiotics will be prescribed. When prescribed antibiotics to treat a chest cold, it's important to take all of the prescribed medication, even if you are feeling better and your symptoms have subsided. If you do not take all of the medication, some of the bacteria may remain in your body and re-infect you. This can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Rest

• When you are sick, taking some time off from regular activities, such as work and school, and getting more rest than normal allows your body's immune system to fight the infection. It's important for people with a chest cold to try and cut back on their schedules to allow time to recover. Keeping up your normal pace may prolong your recovery time.