Although colds are harmless in most cases, they are still annoying. If you have no complications with a cold, you can usually treat it yourself. Here you can read everything important to the question “What helps against cold?”.
Relieve cold symptoms
The question “What to do against a cold?” Arises especially in the winter months in almost every German household. According to recent studies, adults contract a cold two to five times a year. Little children even up to ten times. When you catch a cold, symptoms such as runny nose, cough, hoarseness, sore throat or even a slight fever. Many sufferers feel choppy and tired and would like to have good tips. In case of a cold, however, the symptoms can be relieved. Prevent a flu infection is not.
These behaviors help against cold
In the case of a cold, the mucous membranes of the nose and throat area are greatly irritated by the virus attack. Therefore, avoid anything that could be another irritant. These include mainly cigarette smoke or exhaust gases. Try to increase the humidity in your home, for example with damp cloths on the heater and ventilate regularly.
A lot of drinking
In the case of a cold, sore throat is the dominant symptom in most cases. In addition, the throat is often heavily verschleimt. In many people, coughing up can be painful. When asked “What helps against cold sore throat?” Above all, the recommendation that you need to drink a lot. As a rule of thumb, two liters per day, preferably in the form of water or herbal teas. Thus, the mucus is liquefied and can be easily coughed off. In addition, keep a sore neck warm with a scarf.
Keep warm for a cold
What to do if you have to get out in spite of a cold? Be sure to pack up warm! Because when you are cold, certain body regions are not so well supplied with blood. Pathogens are so much easier to attack. And that’s something your immune system can not use right now. In particular drafts you should try to avoid a cold.
Eating with a cold
There are also some tips that can help you if you want to get rid of a cold quickly. In many counselors is on the question “cold – what to do?” Recommended especially to swallow vitamin C supplements. Studies here could not confirm a benefit. Vitamin C is just one of the vitamins that build and support a healthy immune system. Your immune system should support you every day with a balanced and vitamin-rich diet – not just in case of illness.
In acute illness, no food offers quick help with a cold. But you can increase your well-being and support your immune system in warding off the pathogens. Most commonly, chicken broth is recommended for colds. Chicken broth has three advantages: First, it is easy to swallow, secondly, it has a calming and analgesic effect on the throat mucous membranes in sore throats. Third, the ingredients support the immune system and strengthen the body.
In addition to various teas, hot lemon and ginger are also recommended as a drink when it comes to “what helps against colds”. Hot lemon soothes the throat, dissolves the mucus and also contains vitamin C. For cold with a throat rough hot milk often helps with honey. Please note that babies are not allowed to get honey. For them, it can be harmful.
Other tips against cold are:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly.
- Make sure you have as little contact with sick people as possible.
- When you have a cold, do not sneeze into your hands, but always into a cloth or your elbows.
What helps against cold with fatigue and fatigue?
Feel tired and tired, give yourself a break. If you do not spare yourself, even though your body demands it, it can happen that the viruses spread further or that you are additionally attacked by bacteria. However, sparing does not mean that you have to do without exercise completely. A daily walk in the fresh air can help to heal the common cold.
Even children with a cold do not necessarily have to keep bed rest. But you should pay attention to a calmer daily routine. Also, avoid putting yourself or your child with a cold in places where many others are. On the one hand, there is a risk that you will catch other people with the common cold and at the same time the risk of you becoming infected with other pathogens.
What helps against cold: home remedies
In the topic “What Helps Against Cold?” Various home remedies are recommended. With most of these home remedies, you can specifically treat a cold symptom. Getting rid of a cold within a few days is not possible. Make sure that not all home remedies, which are commonly recommended, necessarily have an impact. Few home remedies also have proven effectiveness by medical professionals.
Cold: home remedies
What you need to look out for in the individual home remedies, read under home remedies for colds.
What helps against cold: medicines
In most cases, the question “What helps against cold?” Can provide simple home remedies and the right behavior so much relief that a cold is overcome without medication. Only in rare cases, the symptoms are so strong that they are recommended. This is especially true when the common cold and fever and severe pain are added.
In children, many of these drugs may not be used. With them and adolescents up to 14 years of age ibuprofen and paracetamol are used in severe pain and fever. But especially with fever you should not put too early on medication. The increase in body temperature is a natural reaction of the body to infestation with pathogens. Most pathogens can not survive such high temperatures. The fever thus supports the body in fighting the pathogens. If in doubt, consult your doctor.
No help with cold usually provide antibiotics. Because in influenza, viruses are the pathogens.
Cold: Tips for quick help with cold
Frequently, the question “What helps quickly against cold”, if you have an urgent appointment. Getting rid of a cold fast is impossible. Because your immune system just needs time to eliminate the viruses in the body. Quick help with a cold is therefore mainly directed against acute symptoms.
What to do for a cold: stuffy nose
What helps against cold with severe cold is for example a nasal spray. As a result, the mucous membranes swell, breathing is easier and also possible pressure on the ears and associated ear pain subsides. However, you should be aware that you should not use nasal sprays for more than a week at a time. Otherwise, the body gets used to the substances contained. The exception is a nasal spray based on sea salt, which you can use as long as you want with a cold.
What to do against cold: runny nose
But what helps with a constantly running nose? Colds (rhinitis) can be very uncomfortable. But it is actually useful: the constant secretion of nasal secretions cleanses the mucous membranes of the nose of pathogens and toxic substances. In particular, helping to clear the nose helps to clear away all secretions. In addition, nasal douches are often recommended as home remedies. In a nasal douche, a dilute saline solution is drawn up through one nostril and expelled through the other. Above all, the nasal douche should support the natural cleaning function of the nose and make it less susceptible to other pathogens. Whether she actually works against a cold, however, is doubted by the medical profession.
Tips for a cold, which promise the quickest possible help, are also inhalation steam baths or cold baths with various additives. They release so much mucus from the nose and throat that you can definitely breathe freely for some time thereafter.
What to do for a cold: coughing fits
Very often comes the question on “what helps with cold with violent coughing fits?”. First, you should drink a lot. In addition, smokers should stop smoking at this time. You can also suck throat drops, for example with thyme, for acute suppression of the coughing stimulus. In addition, gargling helps with chamomile solution, chamomile or sage tea to soothe an inflamed and rough neck. For a particularly dry and scratchy neck, it is especially recommended to spare the voice and not to drink alcohol.
To reduce the duration of the cold, you should be aware of the risk factors for a cold. Avoid cold, stress and stress. Often, if no home remedy wants to reduce the symptoms of the common cold, but the only solution to the question “What helps against cold? “The answer” lots of rest and relaxation “.