Do you need to take medicine for a cold headache?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on June 05, 2025
00:00
00:00

The common cold is a frequent illness, primarily characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion. Many people also experience headaches. Should medication be taken for a headache? Generally, headaches can be quite painful, and it is possible to use medication to alleviate the symptoms. Typically, compound cold medicines or antipyretic analgesics can be used to reduce headache symptoms. Besides taking medication, paying attention to rest, avoiding cold exposure, drinking more water, eating a light diet, and ensuring room ventilation can also facilitate recovery from the cold and help alleviate headache symptoms.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min home-news-image

Can you drink alcohol when you have a cold and a stuffy nose?

A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, causes patients to experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing due to the congestion and swelling of the nasal mucous membrane from viral or bacterial infection. Some patients may also experience fever and coughing. Therefore, for patients with upper respiratory tract infections, it is not advisable to consume alcohol. Alcohol, which is spicy and stimulating, could worsen cold symptoms. Alcohol promotes blood circulation and can exacerbate congestion and swelling of the nasal and pharyngeal mucous membranes. Consequently, drinking alcohol can intensify symptoms like nasal congestion. Thus, it is not recommended to drink alcohol when experiencing nasal congestion during a cold.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
38sec home-news-image

What should I do if I have a cold and a runny nose?

Symptoms of a cold with a runny nose do not need to be overly worried about. Clinically, symptomatic treatment is mainly adopted, such as the local use of Ephedrine Nasal Drops, which can relieve the swelling of the nasal mucosa, causing the capillaries to constrict and control the symptoms of a runny nose. You can also choose Chinese patent medicines that open the orifices, such as Huodan Pills, Qianbai Biyan Tablets, Nose Comfort Tablets, etc., or take medicines that inhibit gland secretion, such as Chlorpheniramine Maleate Tablets, Cimetidine Tablets, etc. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
43sec home-news-image

Which department should I visit for a cold?

A cold is a common self-limiting disease in daily life, and it is also somewhat contagious. For treatment and examination, one can visit the general internal medicine department or the respiratory department at a hospital. If it is a severe contagious cold, such as an epidemic influenza, it is advisable to go to the infectious disease department of the hospital for examination. The main principle is symptomatic treatment and antiviral management, while avoiding stress. Mild cases may recover on their own within three to seven days without medication or treatment, simply by resting and drinking plenty of water. However, if the symptoms are severe, timely examination should be sought to prevent complications.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
53sec home-news-image

How to treat a cold and fever?

Patients with the common cold can experience fever, and accompanying symptoms such as chills and headaches. So how should a fever from a cold be treated? First, consider the severity of the fever. If it's a mild fever, antipyretics are generally not needed; rest, avoiding cold exposure, and drinking plenty of water are recommended. If the temperature exceeds 38 degrees Celsius and there is significant discomfort, antipyretic medications can be used, commonly antipyretic analgesics. Besides medication, physical cooling methods like sponge baths or applying ice packs can also be employed. If sweating occurs during the fever, it's important to dry off with a clean towel promptly and change any sweat-soaked underwear to avoid getting chilled again, which can impede recovery from the cold.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
40sec home-news-image

How to get better from a cold caused by excessive internal heat?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a cold due to "internal heat" is considered to be caused by a decrease in the body's resistance and exposure to wind-heat. At this time, it is appropriate to take some mildly cool, exterior-releasing medicines to regulate the condition. If at home, one can choose to use Banlangen granules, or make a soup with pears, or drink water boiled with white radish. These can significantly improve the symptoms of a cold due to internal heat. It is also advisable to drink more hot porridge to induce a slight sweat, which can help treat the condition. (Note: Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)