12 Ways to Deal with Common Cold
There are mornings when you feel feverish, unmotivated, have a cough, and a stuffy nose and cough. That’s not all. An aching body and a heavy head add to your misery. More often than not, it’s just a case of the common cold. A quick visit to the doctor, though, is always a good idea.
A common cold is difficult to cope with especially on days when you have to work, and this may cause a huge disruption to lead a normal life.
When suffering from a common cold or a stuffy nose and cough, it can lead to sinusitis which is simply a sinus inflammation.
This sinus infection may have potentially developed into an infection whereby it can either be acute and chronic.
Acute sinusitis typically starts with a cold which then turns into a bacterial infection. The stuffy nose and cough and the mucus congested in your chest lead the path to a bacterial infection in your nose or throat. This bacterial multiplication causes acute sinusitis. Sensitivity to allergens such as pollutants or hay fever can also cause stuffy nose and cold.
Rhinosinusitis (chronic sinusitis) typically is recurrent and lasts longer. In chronic sinusitis, nasal sinus membranes are thickened which cause inflammation. The causes are unknown; however, people are usually allergic or have asthma. The warm winter days have an accompanying phenomenon with them which is an increase in the pollen count around you. These pollen grains in the air are a cause of hay fever which contributes to sinusitis at a higher rate.
The methods to relief you from that stuffy nose and cough are:
Vaporizers – These can help you relieve the stuffiness and the congestion caused by the stuffy nose and cough. Some vaporizers can be kept in the room whereas others can be used directly on the face to get quick relief. Adding mint to the vaporizer can also help relief the symptoms quickly. Steam inhalation helps people instantly. Since the nuisance is a blocked nose, steam targets to help relief the inflammation of the nasal passage.
Antibiotics – These, when taken in proper doses and per the course, help relieve the symptoms.
Pain relievers – This is usually accompanied with the fever medicine to provide relief with the body ache or a headache that is accompanied by the cold.
Decongestants – As a stuffy nose and cough are usually caused due to a stuffed chest, it is essential to try relief the decongestions. There is a good amount of difference felt once the decongestions are used.
Saline nasal sprays – These can be used round the clock to ease the breathing that becomes extremely difficult with the stuffiness of the cold. They offer immediate relief methods from a blocked nose, but these should be avoided use for a constant period and continued period. These can lead to an insensitivity of the nasal lining and have associated side effects.
Antihistamines – The watery eyes, runny nose, and constant cough are mostly caused by the cold and flu for which the Histamine may be held responsible in most cases. Antihistamines may help you relieve some of these symptoms. However, caution must be taken as these medications can make one extremely sleepy, cause dry mouth, or dizziness for some.
Cough suppressants – Medicines such as Expectorants help suppress a cough and provide some relief. These also help clear phlegm that may be congested and causing excessive difficulty. These may also cause drowsiness and should be taken with caution.
Lozenges – These act to numb the back of the through to relief from the cough reflexes. They are effective and can be taken for sporadic relief.
Allergy medications – this helps relieve the allergy whereby the symptoms of cold can be helped with.
Fluid intake – You should drink more and more water or other juice to ease the clearance of the stuck phlegm. Water and warm tea help improve the breathing as well. A good hot chicken soup also hurts no one.
Heating pad laid over your nose – This can help decongest the nose in severe cases.
Gargles – Gargling also helps relieve the congestion and painful throat. They can offer immediate relief and soothe the throat lining.
It is also important to understand what your allergy is and what is triggering the cold. It is also advised to avoid dry environments or use a humidifier this is suggested keeping in mind that certain allergies to molds or humidity may create your sinus issues.
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables and other chemicals may also boost your immune system to prepare your body to fight infections such as cold and flu.