How to treat a cold naturally

When suffering from colds and colds, some may suffer from symptoms associated with the disease that may affect daily life, and that is why it is important to get rid of a cold by resorting to some natural methods that help in treating colds addition to drug treatment.

What are the symptoms of a cold?

The incubation period for the virus, from infection to the onset of cold symptoms, is 24-72 hours.

Symptoms vary from person to person and include:

• runny nose, mucous congestion in the nose,
• stuffy nose,
• sneezing
• sore throat.
• In most cases, sore throats go away quickly while gonorrhea and congestion remain the main complaint of patients, especially in the second and third days of onset.
•  On the fourth and fifth days, cough becomes the first concern, while the severity of other symptoms subside.
• A cold usually lasts 3 to 7 days, although it lasts for another two weeks in about a quarter of patients.
• Colds may be more difficult and severe in children, people with chronic illnesses, people with compromised immune systems, and those who are malnourished.

Cold treatment Cold

treatment is generally aimed at relieving only the signs and symptoms of illness.

Treatment includes the following medications:

• canAntihistamines relieve cough and runny nose.
• Medicines that treat cough .
• Medicines to relieve nasal congestion , usually in the form of drops.
• It has been proven in a number of studies that treating colds with zinc  and Vitamin C and herbs can be helpful and effective in treating cold symptoms.
• Antibiotics are not needed because they have not been shown to be effective in treating the common cold.
• Antiviral therapy, whether combined with or without anti-inflammatory drugs, has been shown to relieve symptoms and even shorten the course of the disease.

Treating a cold without medication with vitamins and minerals

When having a cold, many patients resort to eating citrus fruits rich in vitamin C to treat a cold without medication:

• Vitamin C

Eating foods rich in vitamin C with the aim of treating a cold is only suitable for a certain group of people, who exercise regularly and constantly. On the other hand, there is some scientific evidence that vitamin C is able to shorten the duration of illness.

• Zinc

Eating zinc-rich foods may help treat cold symptoms and reduce the duration of the disease. In turn, the US Food and Drug Administration indicated that using zinc-rich nasal sprays for long periods would cause a person to sense a smell, so it is preferable not to use them and take them from their natural sources only.

It should be noted that zinc appears in small amounts in many types of foods, and that zinc is better absorbed from animal sources than from plant sources, and from foods rich in protein: lean meats, seafood, whole wheat bread, cereals, and legumes. . Dried are good sources for this.

Complications of the common cold

Possible complications of a cold include:

• Sinusitis

Sinusitis is caused by bacteria, and occurs in 0.5% - 2.5% of adults after they have a cold, and this infection has been shown in computerized imaging tests in 39% of people Patients with a cold after a week.

Characteristic symptoms of inflammation: purulent gonorrhea, headache, persistent fever.

• Pneumonia

mainly due to respiratory syncytial viral infection.

• Asthma exacerbations

About 40% of asthma attacks are caused by the common cold.

Diagnosing a cold

A doctor can diagnose most people with a cold based on their symptoms, but if the doctor suspects a bacterial infection, they will take a chest x-ray to make sure there is no infection.

Home Remedies to Quickly Relieve Cold Symptoms 

Honey

Honey is one of the best ways to help relieve coughs associated with colds, and it is recommended to add it to warm drinks, and avoid giving it to children under one year of age. 

Gargling with salt water

Gargling with salt water is one of the best ways to help relieve sore throats associated with colds, and you can prepare it at home as follows: 

• Put a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water.
• Gargle 4 times daily for best results.

Eating warm herbs Eating warm herbs

helps relieve sore throat and other symptoms associated with colds, and the following is an explanation of some of them:

Ginger tea Ginger

is one of the best herbs that help soothe the throat and relieve symptoms associated with colds due to its anti-inflammatory properties, and it can be prepared as follows:

• Add 2 tablespoons of ground ginger or several pieces of fresh ginger to the warm water.
• Leave it to boil for 5 minutes.
• Drink it warm, and for best results you can sweeten it with honey.

Chamomile

tea Chamomile tea is one of the warm herbs that strengthen immunity and help get rid of cold symptoms quickly, and it can be prepared as follows:

• Put a spoonful of chamomile on a cup of boiling water.
• Let it soak for 10 minutes.
• Drink it warm after sweetening it with honey.

Inhaling a saline solution Inhaling a saline solution

may help get rid of a stuffy nose associated with the common cold, and can be prepared and used as follows: 

• Add 1/4 teaspoon of table salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water.
• Inhale the solution 2-3 times daily.

Garlic

contains allicin, which is an antimicrobial, so adding garlic to your diet can reduce the severity of cold symptoms and may protect you from getting sick.

Probiotics

are friendly to the good bacteria in the stomach, so eating foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt, helps boost the immune system and fight pathogens.

Milk,

especially if turmeric and ginger powder are added to it, helps in treating cough and other symptoms associated with colds.

Tips to relieve cold symptoms 

The following is an explanation of a number of tips that contribute to relieving cold symptoms:

• Make sure to take enough rest to relieve fatigue and general fatigue associated with catching a cold. 
• Eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as lemons and oranges, because of their role in strengthening the immune system and speeding up the recovery stage from a cold. 
• Make sure to drink enough water during the day to strengthen the body and restore its activity within a shorter period. 
• Take nutritional supplements that contain zinc for its role in strengthening the immune system and restoring activity within a short period after consulting a specialist.