How to Treat a Cold

Because the common cold is caused by a virus, there is no cure. A cold will go away in about a week and treating the cold symptoms it causes is the best approach. You may want to try home remedies and homeopathic treatments to make yourself or your patient as comfortable as possible.

A number of cold medicines are available that treat more than one symptom at a time, but your mother and grandmother probably had a lot of good advice for cold treatment that didn’t involve medication at all. First, get comfortable and allow yourself to get some extra rest. This will allow your body to use its own defenses to knock out that virus.

Not only do fluids hydrate the body, making it more efficient in fighting disease, they also help thin mucous so it drains more readily. Using a humidifier can also help drain mucous and works as a wonderful cold treatment. Warm drinks and soup soothe sore throats and nasal passages. Drinking juices such as orange or apple provide vitamin C, which has long been thought to boost immunity.

People have been using spicy foods for generations to help clear the nose. The active ingredient in peppers is capsaicin. While causing the nose to run might seem counterintuitive, it actually helps clean out the virus. Another treatment for cleaning out a stuffy nose is dissolving a half-teaspoon of table salt into a cup of warm water. Rinse out each nasal passage separately. Some people find the use of a neti pot helpful when rinsing their sinuses with salt water. Use caution when blowing the nose because studies have shown that forceful nose blowing may cause irritation and force mucus further into the sinus cavities.

Treating a sore throat from a cold is most often done by using warm liquids. Chicken soup, herbal tea, or warm water with honey and lemon will soothe the throat. Gargling with warm salt water will also work, and may help remove mucus from the area. On the other hand, you may find cold temperatures to be a better cold treatment when there is a sore throat. If you feel like trying it, have a cold drink or a popsicle.

While it is unusual to have a fever with a cold, aches and pains are common. Along with bedrest, you’ll find that a warm bath, heating pad, or a gentle massage with essential oils such as lavender or menthol will ease them. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke when you have a cold, as it will irritate a sore throat and stuffy nose.

Cold treatments such as Echinacea and zinc have been touted by homeopathic practitioners, but their effectiveness is not clear. Decide for yourself. 

Finally, remember that it’s important to avoid spreading the germs. You’ll want to protect your friends and family so stay away from them while you’re contagious. If that’s not possible, wash your hands often, avoid touching your face, and don’t shake hands, kiss, or hug others. 

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