5 Remedies For Cold And Cough That Really Work!
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 defined treatment for a common cold, however, few remedies might ease the symptoms-
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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.
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Rest: Your body requires time to heal. Therefore, sufficient rest should be the utmost priority.
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Soothe your Sore Throat: A saltwater gargle early in the morning can bring great relief to your throat. Hard candy, lozenges and sore throat sprays can be used as alternatives if you cannot gargle properly.
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Sip on Something Warm: Nothing feels better than a hot clear chicken soup when you are down with a fever. It works wonderfully on the sore throat. Other warm beverages such as tea or a cup of warm clove juice help to improve nose and throat congestion by easing the mucous flow.
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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?
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Antibiotics: Antibiotics help fight bacterial infections and are hence, not as effective against viral infections. Indeed, viral infections are the main contributor to a common cold.
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Cold medications for children below 6: Over-the-counter drugs may have life-threatening consequences for children below the age of 6.