Medicines and Treatments

How to choose the right medicine

Most everyday problems have two or three good options and a few that are not worth your money. Here is how our pharmacists think about the common ones.

Pain and fever

Paracetamol is the first choice for most aches, fever and headaches, and it is the safest option for most people. Ibuprofen works better where there is swelling, for example a sprain, period pain or a sore throat, but it is not suitable if you have stomach ulcers, kidney problems or are on blood thinners. Taking both together is fine for adults if a single one is not enough. Keep to the pack directions and count every paracetamol-containing product, including cold and flu sachets. Our paracetamol and ibuprofen guide explains the doses.

Coughs, colds and flu

Match the product to the symptom rather than buying an all-in-one. A dry, tickly cough needs a soothing or suppressant bottle, a chesty cough needs an expectorant, and a blocked nose responds best to a saline or decongestant spray. Cold and flu sachets are useful when you have several symptoms at once, but they already contain paracetamol. Read which cough and cold medicine works for what before you buy.

Allergies and hay fever

A once-daily non-drowsy antihistamine such as cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine handles most hay fever and pet allergies. If your nose is the main problem, a steroid nasal spray used every day during the season works better than tablets alone. Chlorphenamine (Piriton) is older and causes drowsiness, so keep it for night-time itch or hives.

Digestion

Heartburn after meals suits an antacid or alginate such as Gaviscon. Heartburn most days needs a two-week course of an acid reducer such as esomeprazole, and a chat with us if it keeps coming back. For constipation, a bulk fibre such as Fybogel is gentlest, with a stimulant such as Senokot or Dulcolax for short-term use only.

Skin

Fungal problems (athlete's foot, thrush, ringworm) need an antifungal such as clotrimazole or miconazole, used for the full course even after it looks better. Itchy insect bites and mild eczema flares respond to a short burst of 1% hydrocortisone. Spots and acne respond to benzoyl peroxide, started on alternate days to avoid irritation.

Why some products ask you questions at the basket

Pharmacy-only medicines, for example decongestant tablets, codeine-free strong painkillers and some creams, can only be sold after a pharmacist has checked they are suitable. The short questionnaire takes about a minute and one of our team reviews every answer. It is the same conversation you would have at our counter, just online.