Decongestants should not be given to children under six and should only be given with caution to children under 12, as there is no evidence they alleviate the symptoms of a cold, a new medical study recommends.
The study published in the British Medical Journal warns the safety of such products is unclear and that they may cause drowsiness or gastrointestinal upset, while also failing to relieve nasal symptoms such as a runny nose.
“Serious harm, such as convulsions, rapid heart rate and death, has been linked to decongestant use in very young children,” the study says.
The authors suggest the best option is for doctors to “explain that a cold is distressing but should pass in seven to 10 days”.
“Explain to patients that there are no ‘magic bullets’ to relieve their symptoms and that very few OTC [over the counter] treatments are supported by evidence,” the authors write.
They suggest that if parents are concerned about their child’s comfort, saline nasal irrigations can be given to alleviate nasal symptoms.
For adults, the authors say that if a blocked or runny nose, or sneezing related to a cold, is bothering them, they can try using nasal decongestants for up to three to seven days. However, users should be aware of unintended effects such as drowsiness, insomnia or headache.
They say “low-quality” evidence suggests decongestants, either on their own or in combination with antihistamines and/or analgesics, have a small effect on nasal symptoms.
Decongestants should not be taken for longer than recommended because their use may lead to “chronic nasal congestion, which is difficult to treat”, according to the researchers. They note the recommended safe treatment duration for decongestants varies.
The study also concludes none of the other commonly used over-the-counter and home treatments for the common cold, such as heated, humidified air, eucalyptus oil or Echinacea are supported by adequate evidence.