Colder weather brings more of these viruses — but a few key tips can head them off or lessen their symptoms
"The only way to treat the common cold is with contempt,” physician William Osler, cofounder of Johns Hopkins Hospital, once said.
But it's also smart to treat it with respect and patience.
After all, over a century has passed since Osler's observation, and the common cold continues to bedevil humanity. “Cold viruses are very hardy and change all the time,” says Ronan Factora at the Cleveland Clinic. “You can't vaccinate against the common cold because it's just a very, very difficult virus to keep up with. People have been suffering from the common cold for a long time, and it doesn't look like we'll actually have any specific treatment course any time soon."
Ways to Think About the Common Cold
These statements are not medically approved and shouldn't take the place of your doctor's advice. They are home remedies that many people claim have helped relieve the effects of a winter cold.
The seasons are changing which means ... it's cold season! Kids are coming home from school with snotty noses that seem to last forever.
Often, you just have to wait out the cold until it's gone, but that doesn't mean you have to suffer the effects of it the entire time.
Here are 13 home remedies that can help relieve cold symptoms like sinus pressure, running noses, coughs, and headaches:
Saline Spray
A simple spray of over-the-counter saline solution can help with congestion that is deep in the sinuses.
Neti Pot
Need something more than a saline spray? Neti pot it is! This really clears out the sinuses and is completely medicine-free.
Cough Drops
There are many different cough drops on the market that can relieve a sore throat. If you're in a pinch, a peppermint will help too. Look for cough drops that contain echinacea and zinc for a boost to your immune system.
Menthol
Never take menthol internally, but rubbing some on your chest and/or under your nose can relieve a cough and runny nose faster than most things. Some people even rub it on their feet!
Chicken Broth
It is not a coincidence that people make chicken noodle soup for the sick. The heat of chicken broth warms the body, but it also has healing properties. Chicken broth is a great way to get nutrients when you don't have an appetite.
Honey
Honey is a great natural substitute for cough drops. It coats the throat for instant relief. There are even studies that show manuka honey is the best for healing.
Ginger and Lemon
These easy-to-find flavors are simple additions that help boost your immune system.
Saltwater Gargle
Gargling with saltwater has proven to relieve the discomfort of a sore throat.
Eliminate Dairy
Dairy can build mucus in the body. Even if you are dairy-tolerant, try eliminating dairy from your diet for a week to help ease congestion.
Humidifier
Adding moisture to the air will help with both a sore throat and congestion. The easiest way to use a humidifier is to put one in your bedroom while you sleep.
Hydration and Rest
When your body is hydrated, it works at its best. When you rest, your body has time to heal. The more you hydrate and the more you rest, the more efficiently your body can heal.
Vitamin D
Ask your doctor for a vitamin D check, especially if you live in the northern hemisphere. It is a simple blood test and if you are deficient, ask your doctor how much you should take. Low vitamin D definitely affects your ability to fight off illnesses.
Elevation
If you are congested, keep your head elevated! Laying down makes sinuses drain, which is not what you need when you are trying to rest. While sleeping at an angle (or even sitting up), seems impossible, it's also impossible to sleep when you can't breathe correctly. Give it a try!
If cold symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, contact your doctor. You may have a sinus infection or they may want to see you to make sure it's nothing more serious. Know that coughs can linger for weeks or longer, even once your cold is gone.
If you do catch a cold, you're likely to be under siege for seven to 10 days, says Summer Allen, a family medicine doctor with the Mayo Clinic. To avoid getting one in the first place, follow these six tips.
1. Wash your hands — a lot
We get more colds in the winter not because of lower outdoor temperatures but because the cold outside forces us indoors, into closer quarters, for longer periods. “So if someone near us has a cold, there's more potential that we are exposed to it,” says Allen. A typical path of transmission, he says, could start with someone who has the virus coughing or sneezing into their hand, then touching a door handle. If you touch that same handle and then wipe your eyes or mouth with the same hand, you can contract their cold. To prevent this, he says, “wash your hands as often as you can, or use some form of an alcohol-based sanitizer, if open water is not available."
2. Pay attention to your environment
You can't exist in a bubble, but cold viruses are highly contagious, which means they can also be transmitted through tiny virus particles in the air that you breathe in. “If you see people coughing or sneezing, keep your distance,” says Factora.
3. Disinfect often-used surfaces
You don't have to take it to an extreme, but if, say, you're a grandparent hanging around with your grandkids — who are reservoirs for these viruses, getting seven to 10 a year — disinfect the surfaces that are touched the most often, experts advise. This means wiping down things like door handles, countertops, TV remotes, light switches, phones and keyboards.
4. Hold onto your cup, fork, plate …
Keep your drinking glasses and eating utensils to yourself. (Label glasses with the user's name so there are no mix-ups during bigger gatherings.) And remember: The fact that someone in your family is not showing symptoms doesn't mean he or she doesn't have a cold. Symptoms usually appear one to three days after a person has been exposed, Allen says. If someone in your house already has a cold, know that hand towels could transfer the virus, and be vigilant about throwing out dirty tissues.
5. Know the flu shot won’t help
Though it is absolutely prudent to get a yearly flu shot, remember that it guards against the flu, not colds. “The flu shot is trying to protect you specifically against influenza viruses, usually Type A and Type B, and not the common cold,” Allen says.
6. Don't think “one and done”
Just because you've already had one cold this winter doesn't mean you can't get another one. Adults get an average of two to three colds a year. That's in part because there are hundreds of strains of rhinoviruses ("rhino” means “nose,” which is the place common colds hit hardest) and other cold viruses lurking out there, and having caught one does not make you resistant to another, notes Robert McLean, president of the American College of Physicians.
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