Eli5 Why can’t over-the-counter cold medications completely STOP coughs and runny noses and sore throats for at least a little while?

Question

Eli5 Why can’t over-the-counter cold medications completely STOP coughs and runny noses and sore throats for at least a little while?

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Answer 1

Coughs and runny noses are not the illness – they are your immune system’s response to the illness. Medication is there to make these things a bit more bearable but ultimately their presence is required.