Hiya, smoggy. I believe they work by coating the membranes of the throat to keep bact/viruses from sticking. Another great tip that we've used w/ success to battle a sore throat is to wear a turtleneck or a neck warmer to bed (and during the day if you can manage it). What this does is heat up the throat to a temperature incompatible for bacteria and viruses--knocks 'em dead. Works great!

robyn

Recent success story:

"Airborne"  (sic?)

This stuff, available in food markets and your average drugstore, and which supposedly a second grade teacher came up with, has kept me from getting the creeping crud - which is putting people down all around me.

I believe zinc is one of the ingredients in this.

It's a recent discovery for me, before which I was using a zinc throat spray.

HTH

Jim

Don't discount the zinc too quickly smoggy. Sometimes a regular cold can turn into bronchitis--sounds like what you might have. And going to the dr. early wouldn't have done diddly, b/c he would have told you to go home and rest and drink fluids.

Next time w/ a cold, take it easy and rest, drink a lot ( I mean REALLY give that bladder a workout!). Chicken soup does have medical benefits! You might try echinacea (get a good brand) if you don't have any underlying immune problems. Take a lot of vitamin C, drink OJ, take your zinc, wear the turtleneck/neck warmer thing. Wash your hands frequently and start taking a decent multivitamin.

(A note about handwashing: in 1998 I did 3 months of a chemo drug called Cytoxan. The point was to try and get my white cell count as low as possible w/o causing even more health problems. The most important things I did during those 3 mos were to wash my hands as soon as I came in the door, and start using my own pen when signing credit card receipts at stores. I never got a cold during those 3 mos and I attribute it mostly to handwashing. I still do both of those things and rarely get sick.)

robyn the RN