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

Have you been coughing so often that it is intervening with your daily routine? Drop that bottle of cough syrup that gives you an instant relief but along with a feeling of drowsiness. Though coughing may appear to be a simple issue, it is very harassing and can lead to various severe problems. Ayurveda has the power to alleviate the suffering to a considerable degree. The Pranavaha Srotas show how the  vata  that controls the respiratory systems in the body can be balanced with Ayurvedic means so that you are relieved.

Symptoms and their mistreatments
There are two types of cough, one with the phlegm that s termed as wet cough and creates congestion, due to which you are unable to breathe. The other type of cough is the dry one, which hurts your throat and forms a pressure on the chest area while you cough. Well, whether dry or wet, a simple disease related to coughing is powerful enough to deprive you of your night s sleep. If you are a patient of bronchitis or any other respiratory disease like sinus, then you are required to deal with the nagging problem of cough.

Ayurveda offers a great way of relieving cough.

Gargles: Whenever you feel soreness around your neck, take a glassful of warm water and add a pinch of salt in it and start to gargle. The salt would help to drain out the excess fluids from the inflamed areas, thus, reducing the symptoms. It also helps in removing the mucus and thinning of the mucus. Gargling with salt should be avoided by patients suffering from hyper-tension. Such people can use simple warm water without salt.
Take honey: It is not feasible to gargle anywhere and everywhere and in such cases, you can have a spoonful of honey as it is believed to soothe the irritation in the throat area. If you have a particular tendency to cough during the night time, then a glassful of warm milk with some honey can relieve your suffering. Diabetic patients should avoid honey.
Turmeric remedies: A traditional Indian remedy to alleviate soreness of the throat region is to drink hot milk mixed with honey. You may even opt for turmeric gargles where you will have to mix half teaspoon of turmeric along with the same quantity of table salt in a glassful of lukewarm water and gargle with it. To get rid of dry cough, alternately, you can mix some turmeric powder in a spoonful of honey and take it thrice in a day.
Allopathic and synthetic medicines are generally loaded with numerous side-effects including nausea and drowsiness. In the worst case, it may lead to dependence and addiction as well. Thus, embracing Ayurveda can help you get out of the ailment permanently.

Cough - 3 Easy Home Remedies for Treating it!

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

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?

Fever in children is a very common phenomenon, but still parents absolutely dread it. It can completely break your heart to suddenly see a happy, healthy child not getting up from the bed. Your first instinct when that thermometer crosses that dreaded 100 degrees F is to rush to the doctor for an immediate cure. That is probably the best remedy as a doctor can often catch additional signs of any disease that you may miss out on. Beyond that, here is how you can understand about fever in children better and how you can help. Technically, your child has fever when the body temperature crosses 100.4 degrees F.
 
Some children manage to stay active even then, but slowly get bogged down with muscle pain or other accompanying symptoms like cold, diarrhea, vomiting etc.
 
Causes: Fever is normally caused by the body's reaction to fighting an infection. (That is why most doctors say it's a sign of a robust immune system). When the body's natural defense system is stimulated, the core inner temperature rises, thereby making it harder for the bacteria and viruses that caused the infection to survive. Most fever subside on their own but that's a tough thing to accept as a parent who only wants to see their child up and running as soon as possible.
 
What you can do: Keep an eye on that temperature obviously. You need to find a doctor the moment the fever crosses the threshold temperature (101+ for less than three months olds, 102+ for 3-6 month olds and over 102 for older children). You should also see a doctor if there are accompanying symptoms or if you've given a dose of Paracetamol but the fever shows no sign of subsiding. It might happen at midnight and beyond, when no regular pediatrician is unavailable. So it is best to find out which hospital has an emergency center capable of handling such eventualities near your home.
 
Fever medications: It is super important for parents to know that fever medications must be given in the correct dose at the right times based on a child's weight, age, and overall health. An overdose can lead you straight to the emergency room. Don't mix a cold/cough medication that also has a fever medication in it.
 
Home remedies: Encourage your child to drink as much fluids as possible to prevent dehydration. Some doctors advise complete body sponging to bring down the temperature and this can be done as long as it doesn't cool the body too suddenly (there are contradictory notes on this practice, so do consult you doctor before your do this).
 
As parent, it is important you equip yourself with the right knowledge before you provide treatment to your child. 

Parenting Tips for Fever in Children


Lung cancer may not always give out noticeable symptoms in the early stages. Most cases get diagnosed in later stages. It can happen to anybody irrespective of age or geographical location although smokers fall under high risk groups. Prevention and awareness can help. Check these lung cancer symptoms as early screening/diagnosis may help people fight the disease.

1) Unstopable Cough: Be cautious if your cough lingers. While a cough associated with a cold or respiratory infection will go away in a week or two, a persistent cough that lingers can be a possible sign of lung cancer. Don't dismiss a stubborn cough, whether it is dry or mucus-producing, as "just a cough."  See your doctor right away.

2) Disrupted Chronic Cough: Pay attention to any changes in a chronic cough, esp. if you smoke. If you are coughing more often and it has gone deeper or hoarse, or you are coughing up blood or more mucus than usual, it’s time to make a doctor’s appointment.

3) Short breath: Shortness of breath or becoming easily winded is also a possible symptom of lung cancer. This symptom occurs if lung cancer blocks or narrows an airway, or if fluid from a lung tumor builds up in the chest. Keep a track of how quickly you go short on breath. Does it happen while taking stairs or doing routine jobs is a question to answer.

4) Wheezing: When air passages of the body become blocked, constricted, or inflamed, the lungs produce a wheezing  or whistling sound as you breathe. While it can be due to other causes, wheezing is also a lung cancer symptom, which is why it demands your doctor’s attention. If wheezing continues, don’t assume it’s asthma or an allergy. Let your doctor find out what's causing it.

5) Chest Pain: Lung cancer may cause pain in the chest, shoulder, or back area. These aches may not be associated with coughing. Consult a doctor if you notice any type of chest pain, whether it is sharp, dull, constant, or twitching.

6) Hoarse Voice: If there is a noticeable change in your voice that stays for more than 2 weeks, or if someone else points out that your voice sounds hoarse or deeper, get it checked out by your doctor.

7) Loss of  weight: A sudden and unexplained loss of weight can be associated with lung cancer or another type of cancer. Cancer cells use energy in the body. Do not ignore it.

8) Painful Bones: If it gets spread to the bones, lung cancer may produce pain in the back or in other areas of the body. This pain may get worsen at night while resting on the back. Notice your aches and pains, and discuss them with your doctor.

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Alert! Don't Ignore These Signs of Lung Cancer

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