It's also important to be careful when taking other medicines if you're using an "all-in-1" decongestant remedy. Many medicines contain a combination of ingredients that help relieve the different symptoms you might get with a cold or the flu. When choosing a product, look for ingredients that will help with the particular symptoms you have. Though the UK equivalent hasn’t yet followed suit, an independent Non-prescription Drugs Advisory Committee, part of the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) recently concluded that phenylephrine, the decongestant ingredient in cold and flu drink sachets, isn’t effective when taken orally. Live well, eat better, stay healthy: sign up for our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox More serious side effects can also happen, such as hallucinations and severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), but these are very rare. Taking decongestants with other medicines

Children aged 6 to 11 should take them for no longer than 5 days. Ask a pharmacist for advice about this. In most supermarkets and pharmacies, you’ll see brands like Lemsip and Nurofen alongside own-brand or unbranded alternatives. Some products may just contain decongestant medicine, but many are sold as "all-in-1" remedies that contain decongestants, painkillers or antihistamines. It's always best to talk to your pharmacist about which medicine or combination of medicines is best for you. This is particularly important if you have other conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure, or if you're already taking any other medicines, as some cold and flu remedies may not be suitable for you.

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It's a bit of a perfect storm for cold sufferers at the moment as, earlier this year, cold and cough medicines containing pholcodine were withdrawn from the market following a safety review . Lemsip First Action nasal spray is a medical device and Carragelose is not absorbed by the nasal mucosa. Any serious incident that occurs from the use of Lemsip First Action should be reported to the manufacturer and the competent authority in your country. At first signs of cold or flu-like symptoms spray once into each nostril while holding the other nostril closed several times a day to help stop the development of symptoms into a full blown cold. Continue until the symptoms have stopped. and reviewed by health professionals. It isn’t intended to replace the medical information given to

The patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine will say who should not use it and who should get advice before using it. How to use decongestants You are more likely to have a serious side effect if you use high doses of mometasone for more than a few months. After using your spray, wipe the nozzle with a clean tissue and replace the cap. Will my dose go up or down?For hygiene reasons and to avoid transmission of pathogens, one Lemsip First Action™ Nasal Spray should always be used by one and the same person. Read the enclosers instructions leaflet before use. Lemsip First Action™ Nasal Spray is a medical device with local action and is not absorbed by the nasal mucosa. Lemsip First Action contains Carragelose and kappa-Carrageenan which is clinically proven to help shorten the duration of cold and flu-like symptoms by up to 2 days, when used at the first sign of cold symptoms. Branded cold and flu medicines can cost up to three times more than their own-brand counterparts, despite often containing exactly the same ingredients and being equally effective. Lemsip First Action™ Nasal Spray is a medical device with local action and is not absorbed by the nasal mucosa. Any serious incident that occurs from the use of Lemsip First Action™ should be reported to the manufacturer and the competent authority in your country.