With the onset of the cold season, the question of how to treat colds, acquires particular urgency. There is an opinion that the body must cope with such ailment, and helping it is a senseless occupation. The truth is there, but much depends on the severity of the manifestations.
What is a cold?
Thinking about what can be treated a cold, you need to clearly determine the disease that you want to eliminate. Officially it is called ORZ, combining viruses and bacteria that cause a painful condition. To get an infection in the body may be due to hypothermia or for another reason, weakened the immune system. Therefore, the answer to the question of what colds are, there will be - any that have affected the nasopharynx, except for the flu. He is also one of the number of viral infections, but he and the rest of the species are clearly distinguished by symptoms.
How does the common cold appear?
The disease manifests itself:
- headache;
- sneezing, coughing and hoarse voice;
- chills, painful sensations in the muscles;
- coryza with persistent, severe discharge or difficulty in nasal breathing due to congestion;
- weakness;
- reddening of the mouth;
- an unpleasant, scratching feeling in his throat.
Catarrhal diseases are not influenza, so they do not have a high temperature, in some cases it keeps within normal limits. The first symptoms occur about 1 to 3 days after the infection enters the body. It is important to know how to treat the onset of a cold in order to prevent the development of complications and to simplify the immunity task of protecting against pathogens.
The first signs of a cold are what to do?
- The main rule is to provide yourself with rest, because the disease gives a serious load to all systems, and additional activity will only hurt.
- It is not necessary to knock down a low temperature, antipyretic should be used at excess of 38 degrees. In this case, the doctor's help is needed, because there is a chance of having a more serious illness.
- Than to treat the first signs of a cold, opinions diverge - some believe that drugs will not allow the body to develop a protective mechanism, others believe it is compulsory to provide support. Both groups agree that it is necessary to alleviate the exhausting symptoms.
Loss of voice in colds - what to treat?
If there are problems of this type, then it is necessary to blame for this chronic tracheitis, aggravated against a background of general weakness. Therefore, if the voice for cold has disappeared, how to treat this deficiency should tell the doctor, prescribing antibiotics. In the absence of high temperature, they are not needed, you can do with auxiliary means.
- antihistamines;
- rinsing;
- oil inhalations;
- warming up your feet in hot water with mustard is not a full answer to the question, than treating a cold, but as a distraction procedure well suited. You can use a pepper patch on the calves.
Ears hurt with colds - than to treat?
Such sensations are caused by the penetration of negative microflora into the organ. How to treat an ear for a cold depends on the type of infection. The doctor can prescribe antibiotics or get by with drops (Otinum, Polidex), which will kill the pathogenic bacteria. Independently it is possible to use for instillation:
- oil of thuja;
- camphor alcohol;
- tincture of calendula, diluted with water;
- alcohol solution of boric acid.
Colds - how to treat quickly at home?
The appearance of unpleasant symptoms does not cause joy, so you want to get rid of them as soon as possible. When a cold has appeared, how to cure quickly, it's too late to think about, because it will take time to find effective means and preparation, which the disease takes advantage of. For this reason, it is worthwhile to know several techniques that provide relief of symptoms and a quick recovery of health. It is acceptable to use both pharmaceutics and folk methods, the main thing is not to start ailment, getting severe consequences.
Medicines for colds
When the question arises, what to treat a cold, I want to immediately go to the pharmacy and purchase an instantly acting remedy. The problem is that the funds with proven effectiveness are available only for fighting the flu (Amiksin, Relenza). Other viruses are suggested to be eliminated with the help of homeopathy, interferon-based drugs and other substances, the effectiveness of which has not been adequately tested. Therefore at their purchase it is necessary to be guided by own sensations and authority of the attending physician. The most common are:
- Arbidol;
- Kagocel ;
- Ergoferon.
Wishing to quickly get into the system, some think about what antibiotics for colds are better. In 80% of cases the answer is none. These drugs are powerless against viruses, they destroy only bacteria, and such pathogens are not very common. Recently, therapists, noticing the first signs of a cold, treatment is prescribed with the help of antibiotics. This is done for reinsurance, so that the patient who ignored the deterioration did not complain.
Reception of such drugs is only indicated if the symptoms persist and increase after 3-4 days of illness. Otherwise, it is better to weaken the symptoms than to treat the viral cold with antibiotics, resulting in unjustified side effects. Duration of use is set by the doctor, the standard scheme provides 5-10 days. The following medicines can be used:
- Amoxicillin;
- Augmentin;
- Ospamox;
- Flemoxin solute;
- Zinnat;
- Amoxiclav ;
- Supraks.
How to treat a cold folk remedies?
Medical involvement with such problems is not always required, so it is useful to know how to treat a cold at home. Before using a particular method, you need to make sure that there are no allergies to its components. Also, heating methods should not be used in the case of very high temperatures.
- Abundant drink. Suitable water or vegetable decoction. To bring down the temperature will help infusion of clover (a tablespoon of grass to a glass of boiling water), it is prepared for half an hour. If desired, you can add a little honey.
- Rinsing of the nose. It is necessary to add a teaspoon of salt to 250 ml of warm water. After this, it is recommended to drip fresh aloe juice 2 drops per nostril.
- Gargling. Decoctions of sage or chamomile, solutions of soda (a teaspoon to a glass of warm water) or furatsilina.
- Steam inhalation. Treatment of the first signs of a cold with the help of inhaling fumes of boiled potatoes will help clear the airways. Good show themselves inhalation with essential oils of eucalyptus or conifers.
- Warming. If the temperature is normal, then you can take a hot bath at night with pine essential oil or chamomile infusion. Then rub the skin with a towel and lie down in a warm bed. With a cold, you can arrange a local heating of the nose with the power of a hot chicken egg, but this can not be done if you suspect a sinusitis.
Colds - complications
With a normal immune system, the body needs only a small amount of support to fight viruses. Dangers are the consequences of colds, colds that have taken a severe form. This can happen if the symptoms are not relieved, or do not pay attention to the tightening of the disease, which indicates the bacteriological form of the disease. The following types of complications are common:
- pneumonia ;
- defeat of joints;
- sinusitis;
- chronic fatigue syndrome ;
- heart disease.
Colds and their prevention
- Wash hands after visiting public places. On fingers and palms pathogenic microorganisms which easily will pass to the person, will settle on furniture, having made possible infection of greater number of the person can be detained. Catarrhal diseases, which are prevented in this way, have little chance of getting into the body without direct contact with patients.
- Reduced stay in crowded places.
- Periodic ventilation of the room, especially if it contains an infected person.
- Physical activity. It promotes saturation with oxygen, which makes the immune system work more efficiently.