Catching a cold is very common and so are the various remedies and ways to get over a cold. After suffering from a cold, a person can feel sick for anywhere between one to two weeks. However, there are some effective ways, which can help you get over a cold quickly.
9 Ways to Get Over a Cold Quickly
Keep Yourself Hydrated By Drinking Plenty of Fluids
It’s important to increase your fluid intake when suffering from a cold to loosen the mucous and congestion. Patients suffering from a cold should drink lot of water, clear broth, soups, juices and warm lemon water with honey. Drinking fluids will also prevent dehydration. It is important to avoid coffee, alcohol and caffeinated sodas as these worsen dehydration.
Rest, Rest and Rest!-
It is very important to rest when suffering from a cold so that your body can heal quickly and get over a cold quickly. Rest is one of the most underrated ways for getting over a cold and people usually go about their daily activities when suffering from cold without giving their body the much needed rest to get over a cold.
Fight the Stuffiness
The stuffiness or the congestion felt in the nose when suffering from a cold can be very annoying. Using over-the-counter saline nasal sprays and drops can help alleviate the congestion and stuffiness of a cold quickly. One can also put saline drops into one nostril and then gently suction that nostril using bulb syringe to suck out the mucus and relieve the congestion. Saline nasal sprays can also be used to relieve the stuffiness and get over a cold faster.
Salt Water Gargling for Soothing the Sore Throat of Cold
Gargling with warm salt water temporarily helps in relieving a scratchy or sore throat. Lozenges and sore throat sprays can also be used for soothing a sore throat and help in getting over a cold.
Sip on Warm Liquids, Especially Chicken Soup
This is a very popular cold remedy, which has been in use since centuries. Sipping warm fluids, such as tea, chicken soup or vegetable soup throughout the day not only soothes a sore throat, but also eases congestion by increasing the flow of the mucus and is one of the best ways in getting over a cold.
Sleep Away Your Cold
It is very important to have more than adequate hours of sleep when suffering from any sickness including a cold. Sleeping less weakens the immune system and the body cannot rid itself of the cold easily when a person is sleep deprived. So, one needs to sleep a lot to fight the cold and get over a cold in an easy and relaxing manner by getting lots of sleep.
Infusing the Air with Moisture
A humidifier or vaporizer adds moisture to the air, which helps in loosening the congestion and is an effective way to get over a cold quickly. It is important to daily change the water along with cleaning the unit.
Have Some Honey
Consuming a teaspoon of honey daily during a cold, especially at bedtime helps in soothing the throat and also helps you sleep better. Honey also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which naturally fights the infection of the cold. Due to the sticky nature of the honey, it slowly slides down your throat and coats and soothes the sore throat. Honey can also be consumed by adding a teaspoon of honey to warm water and drinking it. Children younger than a year old should not be given honey. Honey is one of the most effective and best ways to get over a cold naturally.
Over-The-Counter Medications for Cold & Cough
Taking OTC medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants and analgesics offer symptom relief and hence help you in getting over a cold quickly. Aspirin should not be used in children or teenagers, as aspirin has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, which is a rare and fatal condition.
- Mayo Clinic – Common Cold: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351611
- The Do’s and Don’ts of Easing Cold Symptoms https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-dos-and-donts-of-easing-cold-symptoms
- Common cold https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/common-cold/
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