Cough, runny nose, hoarseness - What helps against cold?
"A cold takes two weeks with medical treatment, but without this but 14 days"? Unfortunately, this old saying is quite correct. Because against the viruses, which weaken our immune system and cause fever, cold, sore throat and coughing, no herb has grown until today. There are some things you can do to make the symptoms of the infection more bearable and to help your body fight against the pathogens. Here are the most important tips and home remedies for the common cold.
Stay away from antibiotics!
Many people believe that an antibiotic is the quickest way to cut short a cold. But that is wrong. Because more than 90 percent of colds are caused by viruses? and antibiotics do not help against that. The main advice is therefore: Stay away from antibiotics. Because the meaningless taking of these funds (without explicit recommendation from the doctor) harms more than it uses and can also promote the formation of resistance in bacteria.
It makes more sense to promote healing through gentle tutoring? This relieves the symptoms and helps to get over the cold faster and to get fit again. The most important are three things: rest, warmth and lots of fluids.
Cold: Dear steam bath as nasal spray
Everyone knows that: Especially at the beginning of the cold, the nose itches and runs like crazy, later it is then blocked and we get no air. If we are unlucky, it will last for a week. As with the other cold symptoms, we can at best alleviate the effects here. Chamomile steam baths help to soothe and moisturise the nasal mucous membranes. Nasal sprays with salt water also have a moisturizing effect.
You should be more cautious with nasal drops and sprays that swell the mucous membranes. These remedies clear the nose in the short term and can help children fall asleep, for example. Important: These nasal sprays should never be taken for more than a week. Otherwise, the noses get used to the active ingredients and becomes downright dependent on them. Are we putting her down, is her nose swelling? although the cold is long gone.
Sore throat: keep warm and drink a lot
Especially at the beginning of a cold the neck often hurts: The cold viruses have reached the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and now unfold their destructive work here. As a result, the throat is red and sore, the throat is scratching and swallowing hurts. Now heat is important: Wrap a thick scarf around your neck - even in bed. Warm neck wraps also help: moisten a cloth with hot water and add a few drops of an essential oil if desired. Now wrap the damp cloth around your neck and a dry towel as a barrier over it.
And one more thing is true: Keep your throat moist. To relieve sore throats and promote recovery, you should drink a lot. Particularly effective is hot tea from herbs that are anti-inflammatory and germicidal, including sage, thyme, chamomile or mallow. Not liked, but also good for the sore throat is the gargle with salt water? our grandmothers have already insisted. Neck candies can provide relief against the pain because they often contain anesthetic additives. In addition, they stimulate the salivation and thus also help to keep the throat moist.
Hoarseness: shut up!
Often the infection lays on the vocal cords? we are getting hoarse. The voice stays away or is croaking and rough, every word hurts. The reason: The vocal cords are inflamed and swollen and therefore can not swing properly. But what can you do to make this happen again?
The most important advice of the experts: Do not talk! Protect your voice and do not try to whisper, because that makes the vocal cords even harder. Another taboo is hawking. This is because the vocal cords move and become even more irritated. If you want to do something good for your voice, drink a lot and inhale, because the moisture is good for the inflamed vocal cords. On the other hand, there are few drops in the throat or gargles, because that hardly matters in the larynx.
Cough: Get out with the mucus
Whether dry, tormenting cough or mucous expectoration: As annoying as the cough is, it is an important means of our body to get rid of viruses, mucus and dead cells. Coughing up the mucus is one of the common cold symptoms that we can not completely handle with medication. and should not. In order to dissolve the mucus and to relieve the coughing, experts recommend: drink a lot, preferably hot teas with essential oils such as thyme, marshmallow or ribwort. Inhaling with hot water or a sage infusion relieves the coughing.
A proven home remedy is the cough syrup "brand self-made": Cut an onion, add rock candy and let stand for a while or heat it briefly.In the bowl now collects a clear liquid that? Teaspoonful ingested? Provides relief. Because the onion contains several ingredients that have a germicidal and anti-inflammatory effect.
How effective are expectorants? so-called cough remover? work from the pharmacy, is rather contentious. In any case, you should drink a lot after taking N-acetylcysteine and Co, because only then can these agents manage to liquefy the mucus. Cough blockers and cough suppressants, on the other hand, are effective, but to be used with caution. These funds should be taken at night before going to bed, so that you can sleep undisturbed. As a long-term medication, these agents are counterproductive because they prevent the mucus from coughing up.
