How you can ward off a summer cold from just £5

Nasal sprays are an effective way to reduce the severity of a cold without the need for antibiotics. So which one should you use?

If you’re experiencing a scratchy throat or tickly nose this summer, you might want to invest in an antiviral nasal spray. A new study from The Lancet Respiratory Medicine suggests that a few squirts of Vicks First Defence or a saline liquid-based spray can lessen the grip of a cold and prevent the need for antibiotics – cutting time spent coughing and sneezing to six and a half days compared to around eight for those who followed “usual care”, a reduction of about 20 per cent. 
The study, conducted by the universities of Southampton and Bristol, also found that people using the spray took between 20 and 30 per cent fewer days off sick as a result.
It’s good news for us in Britain as we face a summer of illness. Prof Ron Eccles is an expert on the nose and upper airways with an interest in the common cold. He says the rise in summer colds this year is linked to the fact it has, for the most part, felt like autumn. Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) suggests there are viruses circulating this summer, particularly rhinovirus (the common cold). 
“Colder weather enhances the spread of viruses such as the cold,” says Prof Eccles who “likes the idea” of First Defence, which can be sprayed at the onset of a cold, landing at the back of the nose where the cold virus takes hold and trapping it before it can take hold. 
Prof Eccles is not surprised by the findings of the Lancet study but points out there is still sparse clinical evidence to prove First Defence works. “With colds, taking any treatment will provide some benefit due to a placebo effect,” he explains.
“It has an acidic component, which is why it stings when you spray it into the nose and this produces an acidic environment which could be damaging for virus, although we don’t have real clinical evidence for this,” he explains. He can also see the wisdom of using a saline (salt and water) nasal spray which could potentially wash the virus out. Stérimar Breathe Easy (from £5) and Stérimar Breathe Easy Baby (from £4) are two popular examples. Vicks First Defence usually costs £7-8 depending on the pharmacy.
The Lancet study, in which researchers compared 13,799 people from GP practices across the UK, certainly points to the fact that nasal sprays help lessen cold symptoms. The trial was split into four groups, with a quarter using Vicks’ First Defence spray, a quarter using a saline spray, another group using online material promoting physical activity, and another having “usual care”. While this last group was ill for an average of 8.2 days over six months, those who used First Defence were sick for just 6.5 days, while those using a saline spray were sick for 6.4 days. People working on physical activity and stress management were sick for 7.4 days. 
Prof Eccles stresses that the overarching message here is the placebo effect of taking action. “Even the behavioural group who just read the online material had a reduced illness time,” he says. “It shows that when you proactively do something to counteract your cold symptoms, you feel less anxious and are less likely to pester the GP for antibiotics, which will do nothing for a cold and more harm than good to your digestive tract.” 
If he had to recommend an antiviral nasal spray, it would be one for there is more evidence of efficacy. His own study for the Open Virology Journal shows that nasal sprays containing iota carrageenan, a polymer derived from red seaweed which is not absorbed from the respiratory tract nor metabolised, reduce the concentration of respiratory viruses and reduce the severity of symptoms. Boots Dual Defence nasal spray (£6.25) is one such example.
A nasal spray is not the only way to get over a cold, though, he adds. “Have a coffee if it makes you feel better; do something you enjoy,” he says. “The more you take control of your symptoms, the quicker you will recover. Cold symptoms are something we feel – do what you can to overcome those feelings.”
This isn’t standard pharmacology, it’s standard psychology, he adds; with a mild, self-limiting condition such as the cold, psychology plays a big part. 
Prof Eccles recommends paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin for headaches, sinusitis, muscle aches and sore throats. Decongestant nasal sprays are also well worth investing in, he continues, containing oxymetazoline or xylometazoline, which constrict blood vessels to open up the nose and help you breathe better. “You don’t have to buy the brand name – they all contain the same medicine – and apply it in the nose in low concentrations exactly where you need it,” he says. 
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“You cannot sleep with a blocked nose; if you take a decongestant spray in the early evening it should work for up to 10 hours.” He also maintains that nothing beats a hot, tasty drink such as a hot blackcurrant cordial or honey and lemon. These have multiple benefits for a cold sufferer, promoting salivation, warming the chest and easing a sore throat. They also have a feel-good factor. Powder versions containing painkillers are available by brands such as Lemsip. 
A warm cordial or lemon drink can be as effective for children as for adults, although don’t make them too hot, Prof Eccles says. Vapour rubs are also very soothing, he continues. If you have a very dry central heating system, consider investing in a steam inhaler although a wet towel on a radiator can be just as effective. 
Prof Eccles does not believe in taking decongestant pills medicines containing phenylephrine, which has been shown by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee to be ineffective as a decongestant. “The expert committee voted unanimously against it; it’s not worth getting,” he says. 
Most colds can be treated at home with over the counter remedies but if you have a raging severe sore throat or ear ache that is not responding to pain killers, call the doctor, Prof Eccles says. Likewise, if you’ve been feverish for several days and have difficulty breathing , it might be time to consult a GP. “You know how your colds usually go; if the symptoms are worse, seek advice,” he continues. 
You should be able to go to work and school with a common cold, Prof Eccles insists, but if your symptoms are severe, listen to your body. “If you’re really unwell, take a day off but don’t stay at home just because you have a head cold – get a decongestant spray, a painkiller and drink a hot drink regularly and you’ll be fine,” he says. 
There is no need to isolate with a cold, although Prof Eccles warns against visiting those with a compromised immunity. “The common cold is just as dangerous to them as Covid; it can quickly turn into a chest infection or pneumonia,” he says. Given that it’s impossible to know if your particular strain of the cold is RSV, which can cause bronchiolitis in young babies and pneumonia in the elderly, it is better to avoid these groups while you are sniffling, he continues. If you’re coughing and sneezing, wear a mask in public as it helps prevent the spread of the virus.
There’s no obligation to test for Covid and even if you were to test positive you wouldn’t have to isolate unless you wanted to, Prof Eccles says. “Everybody has had access to vaccines and most people have had Covid ­– these days for the vast majority it is equal to a common cold.” 
Get outside into the sunshine; viruses spread less easily outside and vitamin D from sunlight supports the immune system, Prof Eccles says. In colder weather, consider wrapping a scarf around your face – viruses spread better at cooler temperatures, so make sure your nose is warm at all times.  
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