Got a cold, what to do?

Cold is a common disease in winter, causing symptoms such as sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, ... negatively affecting daily life, work and quality of life. To repel colds, patients need to adjust their diet and activities, combined with the use of drugs as prescribed by the doctor.

Cold is one of the common diseases that people get sick with a frequency of 4 - 8 times/year for young children (especially children under 6 years old) and 2-4 times/year for adults. Colds appear when the body's resistance is reduced, attacked by viruses. Common symptoms include: sneezing, sore throat, clear runny nose, stuffy nose, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, fever, cough,...
How long does a cold go away? Usually, the disease can heal on its own, the body recovers on its own within 7-10 days (for adults) and 10-15 days for children without using any medicine. However, in the process of catching a cold, patients, especially young children, often get superinfections, which can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitis,... receive active treatment in medical facilities.

2.1 Adjust diet and activities Eat enough: Drink more water, juices, soups and broths to relieve nasal congestion and prevent dehydration. The types of vitamin C and zinc also help improve the immune system, fighting colds. At the same time, users should pay attention to avoid drinking alcohol, coffee and carbonated drinks because they can cause more dehydration. Get enough rest: Helps improve sleep, reduce stress, quickly recover health after a cold. Sore throat: Gargle with warm salt water, suck on throat lozenges to relieve sore throat and prevent colds from getting worse. Sweating: The best way to treat colds and sweat is to exercise when you have a mild cold to help you feel better. However, if the patient has an underlying medical condition such as heart disease, asthma or other medical conditions, it is advisable to consult a doctor before exercising with a cold. Clearing the nose: The strong, frequent blowing of the nose can cause internal irritation, affecting the lining of the nose and sinuses, easily leading to sinusitis. To clear the nose, it is best for the patient to drop a physiological saline solution into the nose to soften the mucus, helping the nose to be less stuffy. Maintain humidity in the room to avoid dry air that causes cold-causing bacteria to multiply and attack the body.

2.2 Use medications exactly as prescribed Commonly used drug groups for people with colds include:
Decongestants, anti-nasal drugs Including oral sympathomimetic stimulants (pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, .. .) and nasal drugs (oxymetazolin, xylometazoline, naphazolin,...). When using these drugs, there may be risks such as insomnia, headache, drowsiness, digestive disorders, ... or chronic nasal congestion if used for a long time. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends against using decongestants and anti-congestive agents for children under 2 years of age;
Antihistamines Help limit respiratory secretions, reduce edema of the respiratory mucosa, relieve nasal congestion and irritation. The 1st generation antihistamines (alimemazine, promethazine, chlorpheniramine,...) help sedation, reduce runny nose, sneezing, but can cause side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, mental disorders - movement ,... Second-generation antihistamines (cetirizine, fexofenadin, desloratadine, loratadine,...) can prevent sneezing, runny nose and stuffy nose but have no obvious effect. Rare side effects of 2nd generation antihistamines include dry mouth, headache, nausea, arrhythmia, palpitations,...

Intranasal corticosteroids Including budesonide, fluticasone furoate/propionate,... can relieve cold symptoms but also have potential side effects such as emotional disturbances, behavioral disturbances, and reactions. spirit,...
Painkillers and fever reducers Often use the group of acetaminophen (paracetamol) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, antipyretics (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac,...). Acetaminophen has a good analgesic and antipyretic effect, should only be used when headache and high fever. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs have the effect of reducing headaches. Some side effects that may be encountered when using these 2 groups of drugs include: skin allergies, edema, gastrointestinal disturbances or anaphylactic reactions (very rare).

Note when taking medicine
For adults: Use nasal drops and antihistamines for up to 7 days when the first symptoms of a cold appear. Then, depending on the progress of the disease to consider the use of pain relievers, antipyretics and other drugs. Use antibiotics only for severe and prolonged lower respiratory tract infections. Adults should not use cough suppressants because it will limit coughing and expectoration, causing prolonged sputum stagnation, aggravating superinfection. For young children: Use with extreme caution. Do not use decongestants and first-generation antihistamines for children under 6 years of age, consider when using them for children 6-12 years old, because they can cause central nervous system depression, digestive disorders, even cause convulsions, increased heart rate, and death. First-generation antihistamines should not be used in children under 2 years of age because they can cause respiratory failure leading to death.

Certain foods can soothe cold symptoms, providing the nutrients the body needs to recover faster. They are:
Hot water, lemon and honey: Mix 1 teaspoon of honey and lemon juice in a glass of warm water, drink it twice a day. Hot water soothes an irritated throat, lemons rich in vitamin C help improve the immune system, and honey is a natural antibacterial that can kill off viruses. The combination of these 3 ingredients can effectively support the treatment of colds; Garlic: Mix 2 cloves of garlic with 1 cup of warm water, drink every day until the symptoms of discomfort are reduced. Garlic contains vitamin C, selenium and other minerals, which have the ability to prevent and treat colds. At the same time, garlic also acts as a solvent, helping to clear the nose and remove mucus effectively; Coconut water: Full of electrolytes, it helps to hydrate the body, strengthen the immune system, and fight infections and colds. In addition, coconut water also contains caprylic acid and lauric acid with anti-fungal and antibacterial properties; Turmeric: Mix 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 glass of warm milk, drink daily. Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory properties, which help relieve sinusitis, relieve symptoms of nasal congestion and reduce excess mucus; Ginger: Add 1 piece of fresh ginger to hot water with 1 slice of lemon and 2 tablespoons of honey, drink daily. This is a great remedy for coughs and colds thanks to its ability to prevent coughs, relieve nasal congestion and have good antiviral properties.

In addition to the above measures, each person should be self-disciplined to prevent colds by wearing warm clothes when going out, eating well to strengthen resistance, exercising enough, taking a warm bath, ..
Just apply the above ways, in parallel with that you pay attention to maintain a scientific diet, sleep will help cold symptoms be repelled and reduce the risk of recurrence.

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