Aching body, watering eyes, stuffy or runny nose are the first symptoms of a common cold a man can catch up to 50 times in a lifetime. It’s spreading extremely fast through air droplets, when they enter your body through your nose, mouth and eyes. Also you can catch it from the surfaces an ill person has touched. And all this ‘story’ because of a microscopic living creature-called virus. Only about 200 types of viruses have been discovered yet, but there are also too many unrecognized ones that people have already caught. Usually the symptoms of a cold last 3-5 days and they include:
· Runny and stuffy nose(congestion)
· Aching muscles and joints
· Sneezing
· Sore throat
· Mild cough
· Headache, earache
· Fatigue
The most spread type of cold viruses is rhinovirus (~80%), followed by human coronaviruses, adenoviruses and enteroviruses. A common misunderstanding is that cold weather or sweating cause a common cold. But actually it is ‘due to’ the fact that many viruses causing the common cold are spreading seasonally, that is- Autumn to Winter and mid-Springtime. But it has more social explanations, as we know the cold is more common in children, because of their kindergarten and school routine. And the other reason is the frequently changing temperature in the respiratory system. Although children are more at risk than others but anyways, no one is insured against getting a cold virus.
How to cure and what to avoid:
One should always remember that there is no vaccine that can cure viruses. It’s a myth! Also never use antibiotics for colds as they are for killing bacteria not viruses! Antibiotics never fight against viruses and the worst is they can complicate the treatment of further bacterial infections. The best way of treating cold viruses is staying at home and taking care of yourself in natural ways. Here are some tips for treatment.
· Drink a lot of liquid, mostly water, and fresh juices to avoid dehydration and clear your organism.
· Eat vegetables and fruits to provide yourself with more vitamins
· Take some trusted and effective supplements like this Chinese Herbs for a quick help
· Frequently use lemon, ginger, cinnamon and in your liquids to boost the immune system
· If your cold is accompanied by cough, use honey as much as you can
· Gargle your throat and rinse your nose a few times a day with a mild mixture of salt and water (one not a full spoon of salt to one cup of warm water)
· Stay at home but ventilate the room 2 times a day certainly (even when its’ winter)
· Use room humidifying devices to reduce the congestion
· And of course take as much rest as your body need
If you are keener to taking remedies you can use pain relievers, nasal sprays or drops, and if you also have a mild fever, you can use ibuprofen-containing medications.
! As mentioned above, the symptoms of common cold last for 5 days in general, but it’s also individual and the condition takes no more than 10 days. If you take all the necessary treatments and you’re not getting better, you should certainly see a doctor to find out the real cause and also prevent further potential complications because the symptoms of cold and flu are similar. Be attentive and take care of yourself.
