Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin can also ease the pain of a sore throat. ... Some over-the-counter cold remedies combine medicines to help with a stuffed nose, cough, ...

Most cough medicines don't work, either. But that's not the only cold medicine that probably does little to nothing for your cold. The "active" ingredients in cough medicines are probably useless too.

The pain relievers acetaminophen and ibuprofen are in several over-the-counter drugs. Some people even mistake the two. But they have specific purposes and can cause problems if you’re not careful.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) products can relieve cold and flu symptoms, such as a runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, or cough. However, the variety of products available can sometimes be ...