Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said that a leading decongestant used by millions of Americans is no better than a placebo pill in treating nasal congestion, according to news reports. Phenylephrine has been declared ineffective and oral medications containing this ingredient may be pulled from store shelves.

According to USA Today, phenylephrine can be found in most over-the-counter medications meant to target congestion, including the name brands Sudafed and DayQuil. Phenylephrine became the primary ingredient in OTC decongestants following a 2006 law limiting access to products containing pseudoephedrine, which can be used to make methamphetamine.

Common products that contain phenylephrine include:

• Sudafed PE

• Mucinex

• Sinex

• DayQuil

• Benadryl

• Tylenol Sinus

• Advil sinus congestion

• Many store brand decongestants, such as CVS and Walgreens

Some of these products contain an older ingredient, pseudoephedrine, so check the label for active ingredients. Pseudoephedrine has been proven effective in dealing with congestion when taken orally.

Stacia Woodcock, the pharmacy editor at GoodRx, tells Newsmax that taking a Sudafed product that contains pseudoephedrine or Afrin with oxymetazoline as the active ingredient are good alternatives. But don’t take Afrin for more than three days as this can make your condition worse. Woodcock also suggests using steroid nasal sprays such as fluticasone (Flonase) or mometasone (Nasonex) to treat congestion.

“You can also try other alternatives such as nasal saline sprays, a neti pot, or a humidifier,” she says. There is also a medical device called ClearUP that uses electrical stimulation to clear congestion and treat sinus pain.