There are estimated to be several strains of the virus, this is due to the fact that the virus seems to affect everyone differently. Some patients report having a fever as there main symptoms, while others say difficulty breathing and walking upstairs was their main concern, This means there are different ways to treat a COVID-19 patient. Treatment is highly dependent on the severity of the symptoms experienced by the individual.

Those suffering from respiratory distress like having difficulty breathing or those who have chest pains are usually admitted to a health care facility. There are also cases where a patient may show minor signs but are still hospitalized because of the existing co-morbidities. The common co-morbidities include heart problems, diabetes, and asthma. Patients suffering from these symptoms may need to be closely monitored because their situation may worsen in a matter of days or hours.

On the other hand, people with mild symptoms like dry cough, fever, body weakness, and colds are typically advised to manage their symptoms at home. It is recommended to stay at home, practice respiratory and hand hygiene, and avoid being in contact with other people. More severe cases in the hospital may put you at risk if you come in contact with them. However, if your symptoms drastically worsen, contact 911 for emergency help. 

Managing The Symptoms At Home

Currently, there is no specific cure for COVID-19. That being said, the focus of health care professionals such as nurses and doctors is to provide relief from the signs and symptoms brought about by the virus. There are both non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical ways to manage these symptoms. 

If someone has mild symptoms of the coronavirus at home, they should try to rest as much as possible. We all know that the body recovers the most when we are sleeping. Patients should also stay hydrated at all times. Having water with electrolytes could be helpful. Eating foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals can help boost the immune system of the infected person as well. 

A cool bath can help people suffering from a fever. Increasing oral fluid intake can also help lower their temperature. Steam inhalations have been proven effective in finding relief from a clogged nose and headaches. A warm compress can alleviate muscle pain. Gargling warm water with salt may help lessen sore throat discomfort.

Having multivitamins can help just like eating nutritious foods. However, since the start of the outbreak, this has been one of those products that were targeted by hoarders. On top of that, many pharmacological manufacturers have shut down their factories due to the lockdown and other quarantine processes.

To help, let us identify over-the-counter medications according to the specific signs and symptoms of COVID-19 patients.

Over-the-Counter Drugs for Symptoms

Fever – having acetaminophen like Tylenol can help normalize the temperature of a person having pyrexia.

Sore throat – throat lozenge can deal with an irritated or inflamed throat. 

Cough – the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists says dextromethorphan can suppress the dry cough, however, this would not be as effective to others. Prednisolone and tacrolimus therapy was also advised by a medical oncologist and immunologist, Dr. S. Papa.

Body aches – acetaminophen does not only cure fever, but it also is known to relieve body aches, thus you can take this if you are having muscle pain. 

Headache – pain relievers can be administered to address this.

Runny or stuffy nose – nasal inhalers with peppermint can be soothing.

Nasal congestion – nasal irrigation with saline solution, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine are some of the over-the-counter drugs that can help.

Boosting the immune system – vitamin C.

Speak To Your Provider

As you are all aware, you should take over-the-counter medications with precautions, speak to your primary health provider first. With new medical discoveries and treatments being conducted daily, it is important to stay informed about what should be used to treat COVID-19. You may remember when it was mentioned that the public should avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but the facts were questioned later on.

You also have to be aware of the side effects of these OTC drugs like kidney failure or allergic reactions. When taking these drugs, bear in mind that you should administer it following the 5 rights of medication administration. It must be the right route, time, dosage, drug, and patient.