i like everyone's theory... if western medicine fails, get drunk!!!
I hate to tell you, but my friend from the East (India) told me his mom gave them brandy when they were sick. So booze appears to be a universal medical fall back! Why else would they put so much of it in Nyquil?
I dunno if it will help, but last couple times I was sick I figured out that plain old Ibuprofen or Aleve works better to stop the airway stuffiness/inflammation/can't-breathe-iness better than Stupidafed or anything else.
BIG cups of hot water with lemon, honey, and a TBSP of brandy don't...