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Get Ready for Cold and Flu Season: 9 Medicine-Cabinet Must Haves

Stock up now on everything you'll need to soothe cold and flu symptoms, before the sniffles start (10 Photos)

Arricca Elin SanSone on Oct 26, 2012 at 2:25PM

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Get Ready for Cold and Flu Season: 9 Medicine-Cabinet Must Haves

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Cough Drops and Throat Lozenges

Uses: To soothe a dry tickle or sore throats

Cough drops stimulate saliva, which may relieve a dry throat tickle. Any flavor (or any hard candy) will do. (If your tickle is caused by postnasal drip, try diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to dry it up). If you have a sore throat, lozenges with benzocaine will temporarily numb the pain, but you’re probably better off taking a pain medication and/or gargling with 1 teaspoon salt added to 1 cup of warm water a few times a day, says Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., M.D., professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Filed Under:
- Cold and flu

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Have you had a flu shot this season?