Home Symptoms Common cold

Common cold — what to take?

The common cold is caused by more than 200 viruses (rhinovirus in 30-50% of cases). It lasts 7-10 days, does not respond to antibiotics and has no specific vaccine. Treatment is symptomatic.

6 recommended OTC drugs
4,387 pharmacies available

OTC — no prescription

What you can take for common cold

Informativ. Nu înlocuiește sfatul medicului. Consultă medicul sau farmacistul înainte de a lua orice medicament.

How to recognise a cold

Gradual onset with watery nasal discharge, sneezing, nasal obstruction, mild sore throat, sometimes mild fever (below 38°C), fatigue, mild headache. Typical evolution: days 1-3 nasal symptoms dominant, 4-6 productive cough, 7-10 gradual remission.

Difference from flu: in flu the onset is sudden, fever high (39°C+), severe myalgia, extreme fatigue. In colds, nasal symptoms dominate.

Symptomatic OTC treatment

Nasal decongestants - xylometazoline, oxymetazoline (Olynth, Bixtonim) - ease nasal breathing. Maximum 5 consecutive days (risk of rhinitis medicamentosa).

Sea water or hypertonic sprays (Sinomarin, Physiomer) clean the nose mechanically, with no side effects, usable even in infants.

Analgesics/antipyretics - paracetamol or ibuprofen - for fever and sore throat. Multi-symptom combinations (Theraflu, Coldrex) contain paracetamol + vitamin C + oral decongestant (phenylephrine/pseudoephedrine) + sometimes antihistamine.

Complementary remedies with evidence

  • Vitamin C 500-1000 mg/day does not prevent colds but shortens duration by ~10%.
  • Zinc 75 mg/day taken in the first 24h shortens duration.
  • Echinacea has modest preventive effects.
  • Honey for night-time cough, more effective than many syrups.

What does NOT work

Antibiotics are useless and harmful - they increase bacterial resistance. There are no antivirals for rhinoviruses. Steam inhalations, vinegar gargles or other folk remedies lack scientific evidence but are generally harmless.

Prevention

Frequent hand washing, avoiding contact with the sick, ventilating rooms, maintaining humidity at 40-60%, sufficient sleep, stress reduction (lowers immunity). Flu vaccination does NOT protect against the common cold.

Medical disclaimer: the information in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a physician or pharmacist. For diagnosis and treatment, consult a healthcare professional.

Nights, weekends, holidays

24/7 pharmacies for common cold

Common cold doesn't wait for office hours. If you need a medicine at 2 AM or on a weekend, open the map with the 24/7 filter on and find the nearest on-call pharmacy. Major cities have several round-the-clock pharmacies — the per-city pages below list them all, with address, phone and verified opening hours.

Call ahead before you leave, especially at night — on-call schedules can change and stock for some prescription items may be limited between deliveries.

Search the pharmacy

Medicine categories for common cold

Beyond the OTC products listed above, you can also browse whole medicine and supplement categories, with prices compared across Dr. Max, Catena, Tei, HelpNet and the rest of our network. Category pages are in Romanian — the comparator works the same way for you.

Step by step

How to find a pharmacy fast for common cold

Open the interactive map and grant location permission — you'll immediately see pharmacies sorted by distance, each with its opening hours and a one-tap route in Google Maps. If it's night or a weekend, switch on the 24/7 filter to keep only the on-call ones. For common cold most of the listed remedies are over the counter, so you can walk in without a prescription, but check stock and prices first to avoid wasted trips.

If you have a preferred active ingredient (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.), search it in the comparator before you leave — you'll see which chain has it cheapest near you and whether it's in stock. For chronic prescriptions, save your favourite pharmacy in the app and turn on hours notifications — it saves unnecessary trips, especially when treatment for common cold runs over weeks.

When to see a doctor

If any of these signs appear, consult a doctor — OTC treatment is not enough:

  • Fever above 39°C or lasting more than 3 days
  • Chest pain, dyspnoea
  • Intense, unilateral sinus pain
  • Ear pain
  • Symptoms that worsen after day 7
  • Abundant yellow-green nasal discharge for more than 10 days

Frequently asked

Common questions

How long does a cold last?
Typically 7-10 days. Residual cough can persist 2-3 weeks after other symptoms resolve. Not alarming if it does not worsen.
What treats a cold quickly?
There is no curative treatment - only symptomatic. Hydration, rest, paracetamol/ibuprofen for fever, nasal decongestant; vitamin C and zinc shorten duration. Avoid antibiotics.
Difference between cold and flu?
Cold: gradual onset, predominantly nasal, mild fever. Flu: sudden onset, high fever, severe muscle pains, extreme fatigue. Flu has a specific antiviral (oseltamivir) if given within 48h.
Can I exercise when I have a cold?
If symptoms are above the neck (rhinorrhoea, sneezing), light effort is OK. If you have fever, productive cough, muscle pain, take complete rest for at least 3-5 days.

See also

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