This is an excerpt of a blog that was originally published on Evidently Cochrane.
In a blog for non-medical readers, Lynda Ware, Senior Fellow in General Practice with Cochrane UK, gives a round up of twelve Cochrane systematic reviews on remedies for the common cold.
It’s that time of year again – coughs and sneezes spreading diseases – and widespread snotty misery prevails. Myths and old wives’ tales abound about how best to prevent and treat the common cold. We have probably all tried most of them: feeding colds and starving fevers, hot honey and lemon, hot toddies, echinacea, vitamin C, paracetamol, decongestants up the nose or into the mouth, steam inhalations (did your mother stick you over a bowl of steaming hot water with a towel draped over your head? – so embarrassing), vapour rubs – the list goes on.
Remembering that nothing really made that much difference leads neatly to this overview of twelve Cochrane systematic reviews on the treatment and prevention of the common cold. And, sad to relate, nothing much has changed...