The common cold is the most common infectious disease in the world and is caused by several different types of viruses. Let’s see how to fight this infection and reduce the symptoms associated with these colds.
The common cold is a very typical viral disease among the populationthat normally has no complications and disappears after a week or ten days. The most characteristic symptoms are congestion, sore throat, headache and low intensity body, fever is usually not very high and coughing and sneezing can also occur. In general, it creates a state of discomfort that can affect our functionality.
In this way, some remedies or tips can be effective and beneficial so that this discomfort decreases its intensity and lasts less time. These practices can be: stay hydrated, if possible with the intake of hot liquids as it softens the throat, allow time to rest, take hot baths, thus benefiting from the steam generated and introduce foods such as honey and lemon to reduce throat irritation, among other tips.
In this article we will briefly mention how the common cold is defined, what are its characteristic symptoms and the approximate duration period, citing belowsome of the remedies or action tips that have been proven most effective. So, if you want to know how to fight the cold you can not miss this article.
- We recommend you read: “The 13 differences between a cold and a flu”
What is the common cold?
The common cold is generally an affectation that does not involve major complications and that in most cases the intervention of a doctor will not be necessary. It is characterized by a viral infection of the nose and throat, being different viruses that can be the cause of this pathology.
The most typical symptoms are sore throats, body and headache, we can have fever, although this is not usually very high; feeling of congestion and blocked airways and coughing or sneezing. In short, a general malaise that affects our daily lives and does not let us feel good. The duration of the cold is usually between a week and ten days and there is no treatment that cures it although some procedures have been seen to reduce the symptoms and make the subject feel better.
- We recommend you read: “The 12 best cough syrups (dry and liquid)”
Effective tips that help lessen cold symptoms
The cold is a very common pathology for which different remedies have been tried to try to reduce the symptoms and so that the affected person feels better. Below we will mention some of the most effective tips tested to intervene this disease.
1. Constantly moisturizing
One of the most common tips that have been seen effective is to stay hydrated since in this wayit helps us to soften the irritated throatand makes us not dehydrate because of the constant expulsion of mucus. It is advisable to drink plenty of water and we can also drink infusions or juices. Similarly, adding honey and lemon has also been proven beneficial to soothe a sore throat and reduce irritation.
2. Stay home
Your body is not 100% so it needs to rest in order to recover more quickly and return to normal. So, the best way to achieve this purpose is to stay at home since apart from favoring the cure of the cold we also avoid getting infected with other viruses and passing ours to other people.
3. Treat a sore throat
As we have pointed out, one of the symptoms is a sore throat, which can be quite annoying, causing us to cough or pain when swallowing. In this way, in order to reduce this discomfort, we can gargle with salt water, which has been seen to help combat pain and irritation, take ice chips that can be beneficial to reduce inflammation of the throat or you can also try candies, both mint and some sold in pharmacies that are more specific and favor the softening of the throat, thus reducing pain.
4. Decreases obstruction in the nose
It is very annoying not to be able to breathe well, for this reason it is very important to keep the airways without mucus. Excess mucus is also a symptom of the common cold, so sometimes it will not be possible to blow us, since the ducts may be very clogged, making this action impossible or we can have a very irritated nose and it causes us pain to do so. For this reasonwe can use serums or saline solutions that help reduce the mucous plug, facilitating the expulsion of this and improve the feeling of congestion.
5. Take hot showers
Another remedy to reduce congestion and benefit the mucous plug from becoming softer and thus facilitating its expulsion is to take hot showers. We will take advantage of the inhalation of water vapor, which as we have said will help soften the plug, to cough and blow and thus remove more accumulated mucous.
6. Wash your hands often
The cold is a consequence of the action of a virus that as we have already said can be infected, in this way toavoid the spread of the virusand end more easily with the presence of this, it is advisable to wash your hands assiduously thus reducing the possibility of contagion. To wash our hands optimally we must use a soap or a hand sanitizer with alcohol, making sure to wash all parts of them well.
7. Drink hot drinks
Drinking hot liquids such as soups, broths or infusions has also been proven beneficial to relieve throat irritability and help soften the mucosa and thus be able to more easily expel the plug and reduce the feeling of congestion.
8. Taking drugs
If the cold causes you persistent discomfort or does not let you lead a functional life you can take a drug to help relieve pain and improve the state of illness. The most typical medications are ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory, and paracetamol, an analgesic, we can choose one of the two and take it every 6 hours if we continue to feel bad. In case of seeing that taking medication every 6 hours is insufficient we can alternate the two drugs every 4 hours.
In the same way, there are also medications, without a prescription, specific for colds and coughs, such as some antihistamines, analgesics and decongestants. You can benefit from them if the discomfort is persistent, although always without abuse.
Despite this information or recommendation, we have to be careful not tomake excessive use of medicationsand if we see that after a few days the symptoms do not improve or we see that they worsen it will be necessary to go to the doctor to start with a more specific treatment.
9. Try honey
Honey is a food that helps soften the throat, soothing the pain when we have it irritated. So, it is recommended to take this when we are colds, either taken alone or with infusion, which as we have said before drinking hot drinks is also beneficial and helps relieve throat discomfort, in this way the taking of the two together, infusion with honey, will be perfect.
10. Create a friendly atmosphere in your room
When we sleep with colds, given the plug of mucus and congestion we have, it can be annoying, increasing pain and discomfort and not letting us sleep well. For this reason it can help us to put hot water, which gives off water vapor, next to the bed, so, as we have said before, this steam will help the environment not to be so dryand to be able to unclog the respiratory tract.
11. Keep your head tilted to sleep
If we keep our head tilted during the night using the help of a cushion, we will facilitate better breathing and contribute to the mucus going down and not blocking the airways.
12. Taking vitamins, nutrients and herbaceous plants
This advice or remedy is still not approved or confirmed by scientific research, even so the beneficial effect of some of them has been proven, for example vitamin C has been effective in shortening the time of symptoms if we take it continuously, as a supplement, before the cold appears.
Propolis, a substance produced by bees from resin, can also have positive effects if we take it preventively to the disease and when we notice the first symptoms of the cold, since it has antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and thus benefits the functioning and normal state of the respiratory tract. It will also help the discomfort last less.
On the other hand, the intake of nutrients such as zinc can help reduce the days of discomfort, shortening the disease, if we take it just when we notice the first symptoms. Even so, as it may present secondary symptoms, it is always recommended that you consult your doctor beforehand.
Finally, herbaceous plants such as echinacea can also contribute to reducing the severity and duration of cold symptoms if we take them when the first symptoms and signs of the disease appear. Despite the beneficial results it may have, it is necessary before starting to take it to consult with your doctor since it interacts and interferes with many other medications.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
