How to care for a cold
Having even a slight cold can create a change in your daily life. The common cold is known to prevent you from living your life without constant interruptions and irritating lags. At one time or another, we have all experienced a cold and their affects.
Many people just wait for their cold to pass or don’t even change their behavior at all. This isn’t the best option to pursue. If you learn how to care for a cold, you will be able to get back to your regular, healthy life.
Symptoms
The common cold is associated with several symptoms. While a cold is caused by a virus that infects the nose, other parts of the body can be affected, like the ears and throat.
Symptoms can include sneezing, a runny or congested nose, headaches, a sore or scratchy throat, coughing, fevers, chills, and grogginess. Normally, colds last about seven to eight days, but if it’s severe enough a cold can last up to two weeks.
Prevention
It is important to know how colds are spread if you want to prevent catching one. If someone is in the first few days of their cold, they are at their most contagious because this is when they have the highest concentration of the cold virus. If an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches their nose, they can spread the cold virus.
Your hands are most likely to both spread and pick up viruses. If your infected hands touch any surface, it will infect that surface and then anybody that touches that surface can be infected. This is why it is important to wash and sanitize your hands many times, especially when you’re the one infected. The virus won’t spread as much if everyone simply washes their hands frequently.
Diet
Your fluid intake should increase while you are ill. Drinking fluids like water, juices, and tea can help. Hot liquids soothe your throat and help with nasal congestion. Keep your meals regular and the contents healthy. Soup is a common favorite food where colds are concerned and it’s a good choice.
Medication
Currently, there is no known cure for the common cold as the virus changes rapidly and it also has hundreds of different strains. There are several medications that can be taken to help your cold symptoms and durations. Here are a few common medications that you may want to look into for your next cold.
Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen should be taken to ease your cold symptoms. Take the proper doses according to the description on each medication.
If you can handle the extra zinc in your system, it is also suggested for your cold. In a recent study performed by Wayne State University, zinc is found to shorten the length of a cold by a few days. However, there are several side affects that may come with taking zinc such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, and more. If you are thinking about using zinc to help your cold, make sure you know the proper dosage that is appropriate for you.
Echinacea is a very popular and commonly used herb that is used to shorten the duration of a cold. It is also very controversial in the world of medicine. The speculation of whether or not this herb actually works in curing a cold is still alive and well. There are a few recent studies that support both sides of the argument. The final result is that studies have been using too low of Echinacea doses to work properly. If you want to use Echinacea for your cold, make sure you are using enough of it in order to actually work.
Cough drops to ease coughing and throat problems are also recommended for quick, short term relief. It is nice to take cough drops because the relief is almost instant and you can take them as much as it is needed.
Nasal sprays and decongestants are useful for your nasal symptoms. Young children should not use these types of nasal remedies for their cold. It might be a good idea to put a humidifier or a saline nasal spray for children to thin the nasal mucus.
It is important to know that antibiotics do not work. Antibiotics are meant to kill bacteria, not a virus. Because many antibiotics work by breaking down the bacteria’s cell wall, it will not work with a cold virus as a virus does not have that cell wall.
Rest
Getting plenty of rest is the best solution for a cold. Staying at home is recommended, but that isn’t always an option for everyone. If you can stay at home, this is a good idea. By doing this, it is less likely for your cold virus to spread and infect your coworkers. Staying home can offer a chance for you to rest. It is important to rest as often as possible and get a lot of sleep. It is recommended that you sleep at least 7-9 hours a night to help overcome your cold more quickly. If you find that you have having trouble sleeping because of nasal congestion, prop your pillows at a 45 degree angle and you’ll find it may help.
Treatment
Wash your hands frequently. You want to keep as many germs out of your system and away from you as possible. When you take a shower, make sure that the water is hot. The steam can help with your congestion. To help your sore throat, it is a good idea to gargle with warm salt water.
Because the average adult is afflicted with a cold about 2-3 times a year and a child 6-10 times a year, learning how to care for a cold is important for everyone to know. By following these simple words of advice, you can quickly get over your cold and also prevent a cold before it begins.
