The medicine dulls the symptoms while your body fights it the same way it would had you not medicated.
Except the medicine often interferes with the healing process: swelling that's relieved would have been useful, so your body takes a little longer to repair.
This actually applies to most common symptoms. Fevers inhibit replication of bacteria and viruses. Nasal mucus is a physical barrier that prevents viruses from passing through the mucal membrane into the blood stream. Coughs expel matter from the lungs. Most of the time, you'll be better off not taking anything.
The medicine dulls the symptoms while your body fights it the same way it would had you not medicated.
Except the medicine often interferes with the healing process: swelling that's relieved would have been useful, so your body takes a little longer to repair.
This actually applies to most common symptoms. Fevers inhibit replication of bacteria and viruses. Nasal mucus is a physical barrier that prevents viruses from passing through the mucal membrane into the blood stream. Coughs expel matter from the lungs. Most of the time, you'll be better off not taking anything.