The last thing you want to do when you're feeling sick is go out to pick up medication or chicken noodle soup. That's why it's a good idea now to make sure you have all the right supplies at home. So, if you do get sick, you can focus on what's most important: resting and recovering.  

Here are the essential over-the-counter (OTC) items to stock up on. And as always, talk to your primary care provider (PCP) before taking any OTC medications if you have any chronic health problems.  

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What to have in your medicine cabinet    

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Both OTC medications will help reduce fevers. They also help ease headaches and body aches and pains from any cold or virus.  

Decongestants. “They shrink blood vessels in the nose, so they don’t block the airways,” says Neil Schachter, M.D. He’s a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. (Do you have high blood pressure or a heart condition? Talk to your PCP before taking a decongestant. The OTC medicines can affect your heart rate. They can also cause problems with heart medications.)* 

Antihistamines. These medications limit the action of compounds that cause sneezing, throat pain and congestion from a cold, says Dr. Schachter. He’s the author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds & Flu. 

Cough medicine. Turns out, coughing is a helpful reflex. It helps clear out pathogens such as viruses from your airways.* So in general, steer clear of cough suppressants.  

Instead, get a cough medicine with an expectorant. It will help thin out and loosen up mucus, says Jeffrey Landsman, M.D. Dr. Landsman is board-certified in family, lifestyle and geriatric medicines at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. One exception: If you have a cough that's keeping you up at night. Coughing through the night can cause stress, says Dr. Landsman. That can make cold symptoms worse. In this case a suppressant makes sense. 

Cough drops/throat lozenges. These can soothe your throat if it’s irritated by coughing or postnasal drip. 

Saline nasal spray. It eases stuffiness for one. Plus, it can wash out bacteria-filled mucus. This can help stop a sinus infection.  

Thermometer. There’s just no other reliable way to tell if you’re running a fever.  

Rubbing alcohol. Use this to disinfect your thermometer after each use.  

Zinc lozenges. Zinc may work by preventing the virus that causes colds from multiplying.* 

Pulse oximeter. The COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to this device. You put it on a fingertip to check your blood-oxygen level and pulse rate. Dr. Landsman suggests having one on hand. “Normal oxygen levels are typically above 95 percent,” he says. “If oxygen saturation drops below 90 percent, then you should be urgently evaluated.”* 

Need Get help paying for the things you need to stay well?

Aetna® Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP, members get an Extra Benefits Card with a monthly allowance or “Wallet” to spend on select OTC health and wellness items. Schedule a call to learn more about the benefits of being an Aetna D-SNP member.

What to have in your kitchen  

Chicken soup. It’s true! Chicken soup has been shown to help ease symptoms from upper respiratory infections. The ingredients appear to have anti-inflammatory actions.* Consider it the ultimate comfort food! 

Sports drinks with electrolytes. Sipping on a sports drink or electrolyte solution (such as Pedialyte®) can help you stay hydrated, Dr. Landsman says. That’s important for loosening up congestion. 

Tea. Drinking tea may help boost immunity against viral infections. The credit goes to natural compounds in tea called catechins.* Plus, sipping hot tea just feels soothing when you have a sore throat, says Dr. Landsman. 

Table salt. It’s helpful to gargle with saltwater if you have a sore throat or sores in your mouth, says Dr. Landsman. It may help ease swelling or irritation in the throat.* Mix warm water (about 8 ounces) with ½ teaspoon of salt. Then gargle three to four times a day. 

Want help restocking your kitchen cupboards?

Aetna Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP, members get an Extra Benefits Card with a monthly allowance or “Wallet” to spend on healthy foods. Learn more about Aetna D-SNPs today.  

What to have in your supply closet 

Disinfectant sprays and wipes. These are important for cleaning commonly touched surfaces in your home. It helps stop the spread of germs when someone in the family is sick. Germ hot spots include: 

• Doorknobs 
   
• Light switches 
   
• Countertops  
   
• TV remotes 

Tissues. They’re essential to have on hand when drippy noses and sneezing are going on.  

Disposable gloves. Wear these if you’re cleaning up after someone who is sick. They can help protect you from those germs, Dr. Landsman says. 

Masks. These can help protect you if you’re caring for someone who is sick. Are you sick? Masks can help stop you from spreading a virus to others. 

Humidifier or vaporizer. Dry air causes sinuses to dry out. This means there’s less sticky mucus to trap the viruses you breathe in and keep you from getting sick. Humidifiers and vaporizers fill the air with moisture. That can be a blessing for stuffy noses and sore throats. Be sure to keep them clean to avoid bacterial growth. Regularly empty out the water. Then rinse them out and dry them thoroughly. 

Finally, be sure to get your vaccines for the flu and COVID-19 if you haven’t already. Because when it comes to preventing both viruses, the best defense is a good offense. 

If you are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, you may be eligible for an Aetna® Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).

Aetna is a recipient of the Newsweek Best Customer Service Award for 2023.* 

*FOR HEART MEDICATIONS SOURCE: Cleveland Clinic. Are OTC allergy and cold medications making your heart race? September 23, 2021. Accessed July 5, 2023.  back 

*FOR COUGH SOURCE: Dhand R and Li J. Coughs and sneezes: their role in transmission of respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. September 1, 2020, 202(5): 651-659. back 

*FOR ZINC SOURCE: Mayo Clinic. Zinc for colds: the final word? December 6, 2022. Accessed July 5, 2023.back 

*FOR CHICKEN SOUP SOURCE: Discover Magazine. Chicken noodle soup really can help when you’re sick. January 19, 2022. Accessed August 13, 2023.back 

*FOR TEA SOURCE: Chowdhury P and Barooah AK. Tea bioactive modulate innate immunity: in percetion to COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Immunology. October 28, 2020; 11: 590716.back 

*FOR TABLE SALT SOURCE: Cleveland Clinic. Sore throat remedies that actually work. February 21, 2022. Accessed July 5, 2023. back 

*The 2023 Newsweek America's Best Customer Service rankings were identified from the results of an independent survey of more than 30,000 U.S. customers who have either made purchases, used services, or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. Customers evaluated several brands: in total over 200,000 evaluations were collected. The awarded brands each received on average 100 evaluations from customers. For more information visit https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-best-customer-service-2023 
 

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