One thing that a weather change brings about is lung infections - most commonly cough and cold. Most people dread the change of seasons from one temperature to another because of the fear of how their body will react to the weather change. Be it extreme hot or cold, most people end up with a cough and cold. The more affected age groups again are the children and the elderly. However, all it takes to prevent this is to plan a little so that the body can get used to the change and not react with a cough or cold.

Prevention: There are few things that can be done which can help avoid catching cold.
1. Avoid sudden exposure to cold, from a heated room to the cold outdoors, especially in the evening and morning. Those who are used to a morning and evening walk may have to change the routine.
2. Avoid cold food items such as cool drinks, milk shakes and ice-creams.
3. Having a warm bath, early morning and late evening is advisable.
4. Avoid foods such as sour stuffs, pickles and fried foods.
5. Eat small, frequent meals that are prepared fresh are nutritious and of moderate temperature.
6. If there are infected people in your neighborhood, avoid being in close contact with them as you might get infected as well.
7. Wash your hands enough to keep them free of germs
8. As much as cold weather does not make you thirsty, push enough fluids so that your body stays hydrated. If water is not appealing enough, drink warm water or tea or lime.
9. Ensure the house, especially kitchen and bathroom are clean and disinfected.
10. Avoid exposure to dust and pollen as they carry lot of germs.
11. Avoid staying in a poorly ventilated room, enough circulation ensures germs are not concentrated in one room
12. Timely vaccination against flu

Treatment: Despite these measures, once the cough and cold has set in, the following are some easy remedies:

1. Steam inhalation, preferably with eucalyptus oil added to it.
2. Having warm soup with ginger and garlic added to it to soothe the throat
3. Ginger and other spices like cardamom and cinnamon can also be added to tea.
4. Lemon and honey can be added to a glass of warm water. This will soothe the throat and help fight cold.
5. Chewing Tulsi leaves can be beneficial
6. Yoga exercises such as Pranayama and Jalneti can be done to cleanse the nasal cavity, prevent sinus congestion, and clear mucus

Cough and Cold Due to Weather Change - Prevention & Treatment Tips

Cold and cough is caused by a viral infection, which can last for about two to four weeks. The symptoms include stuffy or a runny nose, coughing and sore throat. Many times, the infection may raise body temperature and the child may suffer from fever. Our body s immune system naturally fights with such infections. Depending on the type of cough and the symptoms, the virus can stay active in the body for about 4 to 6 weeks. It is quite painful to see the child suffering from cold and cough. The symptoms of this infection are worse during the first two days.

The child will experience pain and irritation in the throat with difficulty in swallowing, frequent coughing with mucous, breathing difficulty and high fever. Most parents rush to over the counter drugs for cold and cough to ease of their child s agony. However, most drugs/ cough syrups available over the counter only provide temporary relief. Medical evidence suggests that antibiotics do not kill viruses, thus, it is not advisable to treat cold and cough with antibiotics unless accompanied by another infection. So, what do parents do? Well, there is a lot that can be done.

Let s first understand the type of a cough your child might be suffering from:



Dry cough: Generally occurs due to infection in upper respiratory tract, cold or influenza. Children with asthma and allergies are also prone to this type of cough as dry cough is triggered by smoke or dust.
Croup Cough: A harsh barking and dry cough with swelling beneath vocal cords.
Wet Cough: Most commonly caused by cold. This is an infection of the lower respiratory tract characterised by mucous secretions.
Whooping cough: Characterised by fast coughing, breathing difficulties and a whooping sound while breathing.
Apart from this, If coughing starts suddenly along with choking, the child may have inhaled a foreign body. Immediate help may be required. For babies less than 12 months of age, cold cough followed by breathing difficulties may indicate bronchiolitis and require a paediatric attention. A normal cold and cough generally subside with two to four weeks. However, it is important to understand when to consult a doctor.

Chest pain or breathing problems
Cough lasting for more than 6 weeks.
A yellow, green or brown mucous indicating another infection.
Swollen glands, persistent high fever, rashes.
Body getting pale and symptoms getting worse.
Temperature higher than 38 degrees in the case of infants.
Precautions and diet that should be taken care of

Increase Intake of fluids especially hot liquids
Never stop breastfeeding the baby
Vapour rub applied on chest and back is an effective remedy
Inhaling steam provides relief to a sore throat and nose
Intake of crushed tulsi leaves with honey or hot turmeric milk is soothing and very helpful
There is little we can do to prevent viral infections. However, proper care and caution can ensure a smooth recovery.

Cold and Cough in Children - Precautions that Parents Must Take

What should you do when you are down with viral

Viral fever or in layman language, Flu causes runny nose , coughing , fever , bodyache and muscle pain. You need to isolate yourself first so that you do not spread to your near and dear ones as it really spreads fast. Common cold too is a viral infection! Many times when we think that our stomach is upset due to improper eating; but the reality is in many cases, it is viral infection. Viruses enter the body in multiple ways; it is almost impossible from stopping them entering inside. A few solutions though work wonders in keeping their effects at bay.

1. Adequate rest- Viruses take a lot away from your bodies. When you work while being affected by virus, you further bog your body down buying more opportunity for viruses to affect you more. Complete rest may sound lazy, but it in fact is a great way to start off the healing process.
2. Drink right- Drink a lot of water, a hydrated body fights virus better than one that is not. Consume fruit juices, energy drinks and vegetable soups every now and again. Stay away from dairy products like milk, butter milk, milkshakes etc.
3. Eat aplenty- Eat plenty amounts of food. When you are down with virus, you tend to lose appetite. But make sure that you eat as much as you can; this helps in replenishing the energy resource of the body which will battle the virus better. Don’t overeat though.
4. Eat it right- Eat salads, fruits, brown rice, cereals etc. In simpler words, eat light; don’t eat stuff that demands a lot of energy for digesting. If eating is difficult, vegetable soups with whole vegetables and dals in them are ideal.
5. Stay warm- Resting doesn’t just mean the lack of activity. Proper rest is when you keep yourself warm. It’s essential to feel good and almost all viral infections make you cold. Tackle this by staying inside your blanket. Use full sleeve shirts and long pants with gloves, a cap and socks supporting them. 

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What should you do when you are down with Viral Attack

Seasonal changes can be very exciting for most people. Each season brings with it a new set of colours and nature takes a new turn. However, for people with seasonal allergies, a seasonal change also comes with a set of allergies. From skin rashes to wheezing to breathing difficulties, the list of symptoms can be quite long. Asthma is the most common problem, and the attacks can be quite bothersome with wheezing attacks and breathing troubles.

With advancements in the field of medicine, there is a lot of relief for asthma patients. A little understanding on how asthma attacks happen will help in understanding how to control it. Asthma is an allergic reaction caused by narrowing of the airway with thick mucus, which makes breathing difficult. During an attack, the person can have a dry cough, face shortness of breath and wheezing.

Asthma is often triggered or worsened by some factors, and being aware of these can help prevent or manage an attack:

Common allergens like pollen, mites, ticks, furs of animals, bird feathers, specific foods (peanuts, milk products, eggs, etc.) and mold spores appear during change of season.
Environmental chemicals like cigarette smoke, car fumes, dust, etc., can also trigger an attack.
Attacks of cold or flu can lead to an asthma attack.
Workout during cold weather can be problematic, but exercise can also help control asthma attacks. Lung function improves sufficiently, but an exercise regime should be drawn up for the patient based on his condition.
Stressful emotions like anger and anxiety can also lead to an attack or make it worse.
Some medications like aspirin, beta blockers, glaucoma drops can aggravate attacks of asthma.
Once you know the triggers, here are some common measures that can help prevent and relieve the wheezing.

The preventers reduce the inflammation in the airway tube and the swelling. While they do not provide immediate relief during an attack, using these in the long term helps avoid attacks. These are low-dose inhaled corticosteroids such as beclomethasone, fluticasone, and budesonide. Doctors would advise their usage even when there are no symptoms, as asthma attacks can be triggered when they are not taking these medications for a while. Newer drugs include leukotriene antagonists like montelukast and zafirlukast. Relievers are used for symptom relief and include Salbutamol (short acting) and Salmeterol/Formoterol (long acting). Peak flow meter may be useful in acute attacks, wherein the peak flow rates can be reduced.
A good strategy is to use preventers regularly and rely on relievers during an attack. The first one helps build resistance and so reduces the incidence of attacks. Reach out to a doctor if a severe attack ensues (lasts more than 3 hours).


Tips to Control Allergy Driven Wheezing this Season

Sneezing is a necessary evil. It is the way through, which our body removes irritants from the nasal tract or throat. It is an involuntary activity. It can disturb your daily life and dealings with people. You can face major embarrassment in the public due to sneezing. It happens uninformed or without warning. The other name for sneezing is sternutation. There are a number of factors due to which sneezing can occur. Be it cold or an allergy, you can sneeze at any time. In common cold, a viral infection causes sneezing, runny nose and headache. Your body s response to some allergens can also cause sneezing. It can be coupled with itchy eyes and other irritations.

The inflammation of the nasal cavity can also cause sneezing. This condition is termed as Rhinitis. It is caused due to certain external factors like pollution, weather conditions, stress and infections. Common colds are infectious and can be passed on to others. Sneezing can also be accompanied with nosebleeds, which can be an indication of some serious medical problem.

Ways to deal with sneezing

Squeeze your nose: It is advisable that you squeeze your nose. Hold the tip of your nose and stretch it. Stretch the nose outward from your face. It must be remembered that you shouldn t cause pain to the nose. You stretch the cartilage gently.
Blow your nose: It is advisable that you use a tissue and blow your nose at the time of sneezing. You must get clear of your sinuses.
Pinch your upper lip: You can use your thumb and forefinger to press your nostrils upwards and pinch your upper lip. Your thumb should face toward the nostril.
Use your tongue: You will have to press your tongue behind the front teeth. It should be pressed at the area where the roof of your mouth meets the gum palate. Use your most powerful muscles against your teeth. It should be done until you get a tickling sensation.
Stop, drop, and wait: Get a small table and hold your face over the top of it. Stick your tongue out and see how the sneezing stops.

Sneezing - 5 Ways You Can Deal With It!

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

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