Complementary and integrative treatments: upper respiratory infection.

The combination of nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, sore throat, cough, and malaise is the symptomatic profile that constitutes an uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection (URI), also known as the common cold. Because no known cure exists for a URI, numerous products are available, each marketed with the promise of alleviating the associated symptoms and/or shortening the duration of illness. The evidence supporting these claims is variable and is the focus of this article, with an emphasis on complementary and integrative therapies.