How do you get rid of a head cold?

Question

I stayed home from class today because I´m so drowsy and in pain.

Answer 1

While there are things you can do to help prevent colds (see Preventing Colds & Flu), there is no cure. Antibiotics are useless against the common cold – they treat bacterial infections, not viral ones.

While getting adequate rest & fluids is the most important way to assist your body to heal, good nutrition can also help.

Balanced Diet
It is important to maintain a normal, healthy diet to provide the nutrients your body needs to fight off a cold. While you should not eat if not hungry, healthy light meals such as salads and soup can help keep energy levels up.

Try to include plenty of Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes and capsicum. A supplement may help if the diet is inadequate. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and helps support the immune system in the battle against colds and flu.

Garlic has anti-viral and mucous-reducing properties and can also help the body’s natural healing processes.

It’s important to keep fluid intake up, so drink plenty of water. And don’t forget those old folk remedies of a cup of hot lemon and honey tea or chicken soup are still remarkably effective!

Helpful Supplements
Zinc is a co-factor in many enzyme processes in the human body, especially the immune system. When zinc is deficient, immune cells show decreased function.1

With strong anti-viral properties, studies have shown zinc supplementation can help reduce the duration of the common cold.2

Herbs can also help build immunity and assist the body to recover faster. Echinacea is a widely known and popular herb which can help treat and reduce the symptoms of the common cold.

Another important cold-fighting herb is Astragalus. Considered by many to be even more potent than echinacea, this highly revered Chinese herb has been used for centuries for it’s immune-boosting properties and to treat upper respiratory tract infections.

Astragalus increases virus-fighting T-cells in the immune system, helping fight off the infection and shorten the duration of the cold.3

Gentle, Non-Invasive Treatments for Coughs & Colds
Anaesthetics, antiseptics, anti-inflammatories, antihistamines, pseudoephdrine, antitussives, mucolytics… the world of pharmaceutical cold and flu remedies is wide and confusing. While some drug-based treatments are appropriate at times, they can also have side-effects. In some cases, many are only suppressive and not a ‘cure’ for the cold.

Vapour Therapy
Remember sitting with your head under a towel over a bowl of steaming water? This simple remedy is still one of the best ways to treat congestion caused by the common cold. Our bodies are up to 60% water and the respiratory system needs moisture to operate effectively – if not, it cannot do its job of trapping cold and flu viruses and keeping the airways clear.

Warm steam loosens phglem, helps clear congestion from the chest and nasal passages and allows easier breathing.
Steam therapy can help both chesty coughs, dry coughs and nasal congestion– by making it easier to expel mucous, reducing irritation and moisturising the delicate mucous membranes of the throat.4

Steam vaporisers are an easy and convenient way to reap the benefits of steam therapy - particularly during the night and in children’s bedrooms, allowing more restful sleep. Read more about Vapor Therapy here.

Eucalyptus Oil – Nature’s Cold & Flu Fighter
Ahh… eucalyptus oil. Its clean, fresh familiar fragrance is as revitalising as it is comforting. Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil has been long renowned for its ability to help provide soothing relief of cold and flu symptoms, with powerful expectorant (mucous- loosening) properties which help clear chest and nose congestion. It also has a natural disinfectant and antibacterial action which can assist in fighting colds & flu. Over 150 years old, this tried-and-true Aussie remedy is still a family favourite today.

Here’s just a few ways to use Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil (and other eucalyptus-based products) for colds:

* Add Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Inhalant to your steam vaporiser’s water chamber. The soothing vapours provide all night relief for the symptoms of colds and to ease nasal stuffiness
* You can also use Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil or Inhalant in a bowl of steaming water or a hand-held Vapour Inhaler if at work
* Sprinkle Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil on the bottom of the shower – the hot water will evaporate the oil providing a refreshing wake-up call and helps clear the nasal passages in the morning
* A drop or two of Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil on a handkerchief carried around during the day helps provide all-day natural sinus relief.
* Use Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Spray around the house and bedrooms to disinfect and kill germs, leaving a fresh bushland fragrance.
* Using a eucalyptus-based chest rub such as Euky Bearub at night can help comfort, soothe and provide relief from cold and flu symptoms.
* Ask your pharmacist about saline solutions to help clear stubborn nasal congestion – a natural alternative to steroid nasal sprays. Or try Nasex which contains natural eucalyptus essential oils, for effective temporary relief.

Supplementary Measures to Treat Colds

* Rest - especially if you have a chest cold. Gentle exercise is fine if you have mild head-cold symptoms (runny nose, watery eyes) but rest is most definitely needed if your symptoms are below the neck (cough, general weakness and fatigue).
* Stop smoking, or avoid passive smoke – both impair lung function and irritate the respiratory tract.
* Take paracetamol if you have a fever.
* Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and wash your hands to prevent passing the infection on to others.

Answer 2

This is something that I've been doing and it truly helps. It sounds totally disturbing, BUT it works! Search online for a Neti Pot. There's different types but they all do the same thing. It salt water that cleanses the sinus cavities. Not only does it relieve the pressure that feels like your eyes are going to pop out, allow you to breathe, but it also helps shorten the duration. The salt water helps to kill the virus that is causing the cold within your nasal passages, so your body has a better chance of fighting it. Do this in the morning and at night. It helps to lessen the severity of a cold and now at the first sign of getting sick I use my Neti Pot, and I don't get sick like I use to.

I use to get sick at least every month (if not more frequently) with a cold/flu/etc but since I use the Neti pot I haven't gotten sick like I use to. I've been using it for 10 months or so. I'm a believer! I've got some of my friends to try it.

Once again, it sounds disturbing to put water up your nose, but it doesn't hurt and it helps. If you think it's too strange to put water up your nose, you're not sick and miserable enough.

Watch the demo first so you know how to properly do it.
You can get Neti Pots at some health food stores like Whole Foods, some Yoga studios, online, or I've even seen them once at Walmart! I got mine from the himalayan insistute

Good luck and I hope you feel better!

Answer 3

My pricey lady, there is not any speedy approach to do away with a head bloodless. You simply must drink tons of fluids, take decongestants to help in preventing the dripping if you're experiencing that, and relaxation in mattress or lay down in a quiet situation. It might aid to have any person who can maintain you and pamper you a little bit, like mother used to do! Good good fortune, and get greater quickly!!!

Answer 4

Unfortunately you have to wait it out. You should drink alot of liquids, soups that sort of thing, and take an over the counter remedy to alleviate the pain...bedrest if you can...

Answer 5

treat your symptoms, and in 7-10 days it will go away. unfortunately there is no instant cure for a head cold.

Answer 6

You cant hurry it along only make your self as comfortable as you can while it lasts. you know the drill. take 2 aspirin and dont call me in the morning.