Common cold and cough is one of the most common viral illnesses that have no specific treatment. Allopathic medicines provide palliative cure to just treat the symptoms, there is no definite antiviral for it. There is also popular belief having cold once or twice a year is a good way to cleanse the body. On the contrary, cough and cold could be the first symptoms of a serious underlying disease like pneumonia. From that angle, it is better to treat it than to just let it run its natural course. Especially in children and elderly, it can be chronic issue with repeated bouts and therefore, treatment becomes mandatory.

The good news is that homeopathy provides a cure for this, that not just treat external symptoms. Also, like any other condition, homeopathy looks at treating the whole myriad of associated symptoms, thereby providing holistic treatment. Below are 5 common homeopathic remedies for chronic cough and cold:

1. Aconitum or aconite: used in the early stages of a cold that was sudden in onset and severe. There could be associated nasal discharge, fever and chills, chest congestion, itchy throat, and a traumatic experience. The person may also feel thirsty, anxious, and agitated.

2. Allium cepa: severe burning and watery eyes, nasal irritation, copious amounts of discharge, hoarseness, and headache. The runny nose improves in open air, but worsens when being indoors.

3. Arsenicum album: the patient usually has complaints on the right side including watery nasal discharge, weakness, restlessness, chills, thirst. The discharge can irritate the upper lip and nasal mucosa. The cold gradually moves to the throat and the irritation also shifts down (this phase requires a different treatment). 

4. Belladonna: when the cold has a sudden onset with red face, high fever, cold feet, this can be used in the early stages of the cold. There is associated high fever, tickly throat, glassy eyes, dry cough, restlessness, and delirium 

5. Euphrasia: burning eyes and profuse nasal discharge lead to reddened eyes and cheeks. More common in children, the condition worsens in open air, at night, and while lying down. The cough then moves down into the larynx, produces a harsh, hoarse voice. 

6. Pulsatilla: yellow or greenish mucous, nasal congestion, mouth breathing are some symptoms where this is used. It is very commonly used in newborn babies, if the discharge colour is green or yellow. Associated symptoms include moodiness, easy crying, craving for attention, easily hurt and sensitive. 

Homeopathy does'cure' the cough and cold in patients, in the true sense of the word. That provides palliative care and holistic treatment of the condition too.


Homeopathy for Common Cold and Cough

Common cold can be defined as a viral infection affecting one s upper respiratory tract (throat and nose) characterized by mild fever, sneezing, body aches and headaches, congestion, cough, sore throat, runny nose and a general feeling of being unwell. It takes around 10 days to recover completely from the sickness. Although there is no treatment as such for common cold, however, few remedies might ease the symptoms.

Stay Hydrated: Lemon and honey mixed with lukewarm water, in addition to clear chicken broth, works therapeutically on congestion or dehydration. However, refrain from caffeinated sodas, coffee and alcohol; beverages that can aggravate dehydration.

Rest: Your body requires time to heal. Therefore, sufficient rest should be the utmost priority.

Soothe your Sore Throat: A saltwater gargle early in the morning can bring great relief for your throat. Hard candy, lozenges and sore throat sprays can be used as alternatives if you cannot gargle properly.

Sip on Something Warm: Nothing feels better than a hot clear chicken soup when you are down with fever. It works wonderfully on the sore throat. Other warm beverages such as tea or a cup of warm clove juice helps to improve nose and throat congestion by easing the mucous flow.

Take Medications: Pain relievers, antihistamines (drugs to treat allergies) and decongestants might contribute to some relief. Nevertheless, these over-the-counter medicines cannot prevent or cure cold entirely.

What not to consider as remedies?

Antibiotics: Antibiotics help fight bacterial infections and are hence, not as effective against viral infections, the main contributor towards common cold.

Cold medications for children below 6: Over-the-counter drugs may have life-threatening consequences for children below the age of 6.

Suffering From Cold? Try These Remedies!!

There are a variety of reasons why a person can fall sick. A good number of these illnesses cannot be prevented though a person may take general precautions. Having said that, in the case of influenza, it can be prevented to a large extent and it does not seem all that smart to avoid taking easy precautions when one has an option, right?

Every year, thousands of people die from influenza, which is so unfortunate because an annual shot can reduce that number by almost 60 percent. So what exactly makes a flu shot or vaccine work? As a result of the vaccine, after about two weeks or so, antibodies begin to develop in the body. These antibodies help fight off infection, specifically the kind that is targeted by the vaccine. It is important to get vaccinated for this flu on an annual basis.

Choosing the right flu shot
Considering the great number of options there are when it comes to flu vaccines, which are the ones to be injected? It is a good idea to get the opinion of a doctor to see which one to choose. This is because the choice is dependent on a variety of factors, which a medical professional would be able to assess appropriately. Note that it is important not to use the nasal spray version of the vaccine as the medical authorities have recently found that it is not as effective a method as it once was.

When should you get it?
Flu season does vary across the world, but in the US, it starts in about October and goes on till May. During this time, the flu viruses are a lot more active. When one gets a flu shot, it is this period that one needs to look out for. So, it is better to get vaccinated in late September or the start of October, so that there is minimal unprotected exposure to the viruses.

Who is it for?
It is to be kept in mind that every individual who is older than six months should be vaccinated. While it is said that getting a vaccine shot year after year reduces its effectiveness, it is still important to do so. This is because each year, the shot is altered to reflect the biggest virus threats in that year. There might be few side effects of the flu vaccine such as redness in the injected area, soreness or swelling. However, as long as one gets a flu shot in time, it is almost a given that there will be almost no time spent  down with the flu .

Flu Shot - Why Is It So Important?

Runny nose is a condition when one s nostrils keep on discharging a fluid. This happens due to congestion and inflammation of the linings of nasal passages and sinuses and is caused mostly by a viral infection known as common cold. Allergy or Sinus infection lead to the swelling of inner linings of nose and sinus. Inflammation caused by virus increases seepage of fluid from the blood vessels into the lining of the nose and also into the nose. This leads to swelling up of nose lining resulting into blockage of air flow and a runny nose.

One can refer to some safe and natural home remedies for runny nose that can give relief from this very uncomfortable condition and help expel the fluid comfortably. If one is experiencing other symptoms like a fever, cough, and or sore throat in addition to runny nose, then visit doctor to treat the underlying cause. Try to determine the reason for a runny nose as the causes of runny noses dictate the potential cure. If it is due to allergies then one can take antihistamine and if is due to cold/sickness then take steam and use decongestants. If it dues to clogging then blow nose and try and clear the irritant. Most of the times, it can be due to sleep deprivation.

One must clean out nose regularly by blowing it through when the nose is runny. If one is not able to get the irritant out of your nostrils, try nasal irrigation product. 
Gently massage nose and area between eyes and earlobes to ease sinus pressure to slow down the flow of a runny nose. Apply light pressure to each nostril, closing and opening them slowly followed by rubbing above eyes and on ear lobes. 
Use steam to ease discomfort by reducing the mucus produced by runny noses. One can take a hot shower or bath, turn on a humidifier, or lean over a bowl of hot water.
Try medication and supplements to further manage symptoms. There are a variety of prescription and over the counter medication to help manage runny nose. Nasal sprays, containing olopatadine, vapour rubs and topical decongestants, Magnesium and zinc supplements can help open up cells and nasal passageway.
Apply pressure down ten times on the corner of the nose very gently to keep one s nose from getting worse. This pressure point can help alleviate sinus congestion and headaches that are due to colds and allergies. The nose should be almost closed each time pressure is applied to the area. The same procedure needs to be done on the area just above
Use salt water to flush out the nasal passages, freeing up mucus. One can either use a syringe or other product designed for nasal irrigation. Soak a hand towel in hot water and place it on the face to alleviate sinus pressure and open up the nasal passages.
A supplement of Magnesium 400mg oral pills can help blood vessels dilate and restore blood vessel responsiveness in the mucous producing glands. Oral Zinc supplements of 15mg benefits intracellular pathways that cause secretions like mucous.

6 Simple Home Remedies To Stop Runny Nose

Influenza is more commonly known as the flu. It is an infection that affects the respiratory system and is caused by the influenza virus. This injection is recommended for kids who are under the age of 6 months. It ensures that the baby is safeguarded from the virus during an influenza outbreak. Since the nature of virus changes year on year, the immunity doesn t last for more than 1 year. This vaccination is ideally taken during the month of October and November. The effect of the vaccination typically lasts for 6-8 months.

Ideally, kids who have never had a flu vaccination should take 2 vaccinations within 4 weeks. Kids who have received a shot of flu should undertake this vaccination once in a year. This arrangement is ideal up to 9 years of age. Flu shot is extremely important for a kid due to the following reasons:

It saves a kid from chronic lung and heart disorders such as asthma and cystic fibrosis
Kids suffering from immune deficiency, cancer, and HIV should take this vaccination to avoid further complication of the existing disease
Kids suffering from diabetes, kidney diseases, and metabolic disorders should go for this vaccination without a second thought
Kids suffering from a neurological disorder, haemoglobin deficiency, and anaemia should take this vaccination to refrain from the risk of aggravation of the present disease
Pregnant women should ideally take it for the safeguarding the fetus
Flu shot should not be taken be taken if:
1. A baby is under the age of 6 months.
2. The baby has thimerosal allergy.

Is flu shot safe?
The flu shot is considered to be very safe. It does not result in flu. Few side effects include:
a. Soreness of the place where the needle is injected. This doesn t last for more than a couple of day.
b. Body ache and mild fever for the first couple of days after the vaccination is done.
c. There is little to no pain in the place where the injection is injected by the doctor.

What is nasal flu vaccine?
This is an influenza dose that is not injected into the body but given in the form of nasal spray. Healthy kids above the age of 2 years are fit to get this injection. For those kids who have a history of chronic illness should check with their doctor to go ahead with nasal spray. Each dose is given in each nostril. Like the influenza vaccine, nasal flu vaccine should be undertaken once for those who have already taken this dose once. Kids who have not undergone this vaccination are eligible for 2 dosages each 4 weeks apart from each other.

Influenza Vaccine - Why is it Important for Kids?

Chronic cold is caused by a variety of virus. They attack the mucous membrane to start with and go on replicating with every passing hour. Typical symptoms are sore throat, cough, sneezing and fatigue. There are enough home remedies that can successfully address the symptoms of chronic cold and get the stalwart immune system works faster. 


Ginger tea: A cup of freshly prepared hot ginger tea will instantly show results for a chronic cold. The compound gingerol found in ginger can sharply cut down inflammation of the mucous membrane. It also creates a safe passage for the mucus to flow out of the body. The tea not only tastes good, but adds the much needed fluid that the body requires during the cold. 2 cups of ginger tea in a day is good enough to drive the cold away.
Steam: Steam in any form is a great agent to eradicate cold and cough from within. Be it in the form of tea, a hot bath or simply breathing in and out from a hot bowl, steams are wonder agent for chronic cold and cough. Certain agents such as peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus leaves can be mixed with hot steam and the same can be inhaled for quick relief from a stuffy nose. The antiviral effects of the above mentioned agents can dislodge congestion, make way for the mucus and give relief from throat relief.
Syrup of honey and onion: If the chronic cold is accompanied with a nasty cough and with yellow sputum, a combination of honey and onion juice can be a wonder agent. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of this mix help to loosen the phlegm from the chest. It also reduces the swelling of the throat and can keep the fatigue down.
Cough syrup: This syrup is not the ones that are available over the counter. It is prepared from liquorice root, ginger, marshmallow root and cinnamon. This syrup will readily arrest sore throats, soothe the mucous membrane and clear the phlegm from inside. For some test improvement, one spoon of honey can be added to make the syrup drinkable. 2 tablespoons of this syrup should be consumed twice in a day before any meal.
Salt bath: A salt bath comprising of scented salt, hot water, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil can ease the body from tiredness and congestion. It is a welcome relief from the nasty cold. A bath of 15 minutes can relax the body and reduces body pain if any.
Gargle: The old fashioned gargle is one of the best remedies for getting over from chronic cold and cough. Warm water along with salt, cider vinegar, and dried sage is necessary to make the solution. Gargle helps to clear the mucus, fixes voice and gives relief from chest uneasiness.

Chronic Cold - 6 Home Remedies To Help You Treat it

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