How Does Cold Medicine Work? Understanding Primary Ingredients In Cold Medicine

If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients in cold medicine and felt like you were reading another language, you’re not alone!

As an integrative physician, advisor and partner of Genexa, I believe it’s critical that patients better understand what is in their medicines. This article will provide an overview of the primary ingredients in Genexa’s Kids’ Cold Crush, a homeopathic cold remedy, so next time you’re looking for a solution for your little one that’s under the weather, you know what to look for and what all those long, crazy-looking words mean!

Overview of the Common Cold

Although it can be tough to understand the ingredients in cold medicine, it can also be tough to figure out if your kid has a cold in the first place!

This section will provide an overview of the common cold including symptoms and causes so you know what to look for before giving your little one cold medicine.

Causes

Colds are so common because there’s several ways that they can be passed from one person to another, especially between kids. Most colds are viruses that travel through the air via droplets or the things people frequently touch. Given that schools are full of commonly used surfaces and items like toys and books, it’s really easy for colds to pass between kids.

Little ones are also at higher risk for catching a cold because they are more likely to touch something and then immediately touch their face, mouth, or nose and often wash their hands less frequently than adults.

Although you might have heard the old wives’ tale that not wearing a jacket in cold weather or going outside with wet hair can lead to catching a cold, these are just superstitions and don’t actually lead to colds. That being said, it’s always a good idea to have your kids bundle up in winter, anyway!

Unfortunately part of what makes colds so contagious is that you can pass the cold virus two to four days before you start feeling symptoms. You can also stay contagious for a few weeks after you start to feel sick. That being said, most colds aren’t too serious and tend to clear up within a week or so.

Symptoms

The common cold is one of the most common viral infections that kids can get. Unsurprisingly, colds are the top reason why kids go to the doctor and miss school.

There’s a few ways to spot if your kid has picked up this icky virus. Common symptoms of a cold are:

• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Cough
• Headache
• Mild fever
• Thick yellow or green mucus
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
  

Genexa’s Kids’ Cold Crush

If you think your kid is fighting off a cold, it can be a good idea to give them over-the-counter medication to treat their symptoms.

That being said, it can be tough to know exactly what you’re giving your kid because the ingredients in medication often look like gibberish.

For that reason, this section will break down the primary ingredients in Genexa’s Kids’ Cold Crush, a clean, homeopathic remedy that works great for little ones with a cold.

What is a homeopathic remedy?

At the most basic level, a homeopathic remedy is the name for medicine made from plants, minerals, and animal products as opposed to the chemicals used to make traditional medication. These remedies rely on natural substances with medicinal roots to help your body fight off illnesses and viruses.

If you’ve ever looked at the label on a homeopathic remedy, you might have noticed that next to each ingredient there are different numbers and letters. This is because ingredients are labeled by the ratio of dilution and the number of times diluted. Although there’s lots more science behind these numbers and letters, the important thing to know is that they are what differentiate a homeopathic remedy from a herbal or mineral supplement.

Homeopathic remedies are a great option for less severe illnesses such as the common cold that your body can naturally fight off on its own. These remedies give your immune system the relief and support it needs to speed up the recovery process using all-natural ingredients.

Aconitum napellus

The first ingredient on the label for Genexa’s Kids’ Cold Crush is aconitum napellus. Other names for Aconitum napellus are wolfsbane, monkshood, and leopard’s bane.

In this Genexa’s formula, Aconitum napellus is cited as helping to ease both dry and wet coughs. Alongside these uses, the plant has also been linked to helping ease fever, chills, and upper respiratory symptoms.

Allium cepa

Believe it or not, allium cepa is just the fancy name for onion!

In homeopathic cough medicine, onion works to ease sneezing, runny nose, and nasal discharge.

That being said, onion is also a secret superfood and is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that make it incredibly nutritious in all forms.

Bryonia alba

Bryonia alba is also known as white bryony or just bryony. You can spot this plant due to its distinctive white flowers, which turn to poisonous berries during the summer!

In cold medicine, bryony relieves sinus pain and stuffy noses. It can also help relieve constipation pain and may have other health benefits.

Chamomilla

If you’ve ever had a hot cup of chamomile tea, then you’re already familiar with chamomilla!

Genexa relies on chamomile’s ability to relieve nasal congestion, making it a key component to their cough medicine.

Alongside its ability to get mucus in your nose moving, one study found that chamomile can help promote relaxation and soothe restlessness.

Echinacea angustifolia

Although these words might look like a mouthful, echinacea angustifolia is the technical name for Black Samson, a wildflower that has a wide variety of medicinal uses, including being able to soothe the dry and sore throat that often accompanies a cold.

Euphrasia officinalis

The common name for euphrasia officinalis is eyebright because it was traditionally used to restore eye health. That being said, you might be wondering what it is doing in your kids’ cold medicine.

Alongside its benefits for eye health, eyebright can also help with chest congestion, a common and uncomfortable symptom of most colds.

Gelsemium sempervirens

Gelsemium sempervirens, also known as yellow jasmine, is an important part of Genexa’s remedy because this plant helps to soothe your little one’s body aches, including headaches.

Sambucus nigra

If you’ve ever tried a fancy drink or dessert with elderberry, then you know all about Sambucus nigra. Elderberry has sometimes been referred to as the “medicine chest of country people” because of the wide variety of health benefits it provides.

In Genexa’s kids’ cold remedy, elderberry is used to ensure your little one gets a proper night of sleep without the restlessness that sometimes comes with a cold.

Conclusion

Although the ingredients in cold medicines can look like a bunch of gibberish, homeopathic medications such as Genexa’s Kids' Cold Crush rely on real ingredients to help your kid get healthy again.

It might be time for medicine if you hear that your child has a cough or they complain of a slight fever or mild body aches. That being said, you don’t have to worry about giving your kid medicine full of unnecessary artificial inactive ingredients because companies like Genexa are dedicated to making clean medicine (same active ingredients, but without artificial fillers) you can feel good about giving to your little one.