Many of us will catch a cold this winter and cold remedies seem to be as common as the common cold itself.
The common cold is viral and will last for up to 10 days and will leave you feeling flat with symptoms like blocked noses, coughs, and nasal drips. There is no ‘cure’ for the common cold. However, there are many solutions to the symptoms, which lead to us feeling miserable when we have a cold.
Rest as much as possible and allow your body to fight and recover from the cold. Drink fluids such as water, soups, and fruit juices to keep hydrated. Warm fluids can help as they will reduce congestion by increasing mucous flow. Lozenges containing menthol, lemon or eucalyptus will aid in this way and also aid a sore throat, relieving that scratchy feeling.
A sore throat can also be relieved by mixing a half spoon of salt into a 200ml glass of water to use as a gargle, gargling a soluble over-the-counter painkiller or by using a pain-relieving spray or a lozenge which contains an anaesthetic to numb the irritated surface of the throat.
Remember that for small children lozenges are not suitable as they could choke on them, and that they are not yet old enough to gargle. Do not give products containing aspirin or anaesthetics to children under 12.
For a blocked nose saline nasal drops are available for children while decongestants, saline sprays, and washes are for adults. You can use saline drops for babies with congestion by applying one or two drops in the nostril and then gently suctioning the nostril with a nasal aspirator.
For adults there are over-the-counter decongestant sprays and drops that will relieve congestion quickly and will have a significant duration of action. Many will suffer with a nasal drip which will be relieved by use of an antihistamine. This will also aid in relieving your sore throat and lessen coughing. There are many cough syrups and combination over-the-counter products which address congestion, nasal drip, coughing, and pain.
They do not cure the cold but can reduce the misery-causing symptoms. If you are taking prescribed medications many of these may not be suitable and you should check this with your pharmacist before taking any of them.
