Common Cold Cure - Herbs And Ayurvedic Remedies, Common Cold Treatment

Common cold is the most common dosha disorder affecting human beings. Everyone has suffered from common cold at some point or other in their lives. Its symptoms are too well-known. In Ayurveda, this very ordinary ailment is called as Pratishyaya.

All the three doshas are responsible for the occurrence of common cold. Vata dosha common colds have dry coughs, little mucus discharge, hoarse voice, headache and a runny nose. People with pitta dosha who have common colds will have fever, sore throat, yellowish nasal discharge and continuous blockage of the nose. People with kapha dosha common colds have thick mucus discharges with dull headaches and heaviness of the head.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Common Colds

- Bishop's Weed (Trachyspermum ammi) Bishop's weed has the power to open up clogged nasal passages. Its seeds are tied in a cloth and inhaled directly to clear congestions. It is very effective in treating nasal blockages in children.

- Cassia (Cassis fistula) Cassia roots are effective in treating cold. The roots are burnt and the smoke from them is inhaled. The mucus discharge will increase after such a treatment, but within a while it will stop completely.

- Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) Cinnamon is boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper and honey. This reduces the sore throat problems and also prevents the cold from becoming chronic, or developing into something serious like pneumonia or influenza.

- Cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum) Cumin seeds are antiseptic. So they have beneficial effects if the cold is accompanied with fever. It is also helpful in treating the throat irritations.

- Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Ginger extract taken several times a day is an excellent remedy for treating coughs that accompany common colds. Ginger tea is also very effective in treating colds.

- Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) Chewing a few leaves of tulsi (holy basil) will remedy sore throat problems. An extract of the leaves boiled in water can be used as a drink for the same benefits.

- Onion (Allium cepa) Onion has the power to liquefy the phlegm. This makes the sticky mucus runny and it is discharged out of the nose.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Common Colds

- Common cold patients are typically advised to fast for one day so that the body toxins wash out. Then the patients can have hot vegetable soups, or steamed vegetables with little or no spices in them. Foods that are difficult to digest such as cheese, yoghurt, milk, oily and spicy foods and sweets must be avoided.

- Hot foods are advisable when you have a common cold. Hot chicken soup is a traditionally known remedy for common cold.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatment for Common Colds

- Bhringasava is the prescribed Ayurvedic remedy for common colds. This is generally prescribed in quantities of 15 ml thrice a day for seven days.

- The nasal drops called Anutaila are also prescribed by many Ayurvedic doctors. Other common medicines are Vyoshaadi vati, Kantara Arya Ava Lehya, Tribhuvana Keerti, etc. These preparations must be taken in time to prevent the cold from getting converted into flu.

- Trikatu powder is suggested to be taken with honey. This decreases the inflammation of the respiratory tract. Shadbindu taila can be used as nasal drops. This is to be used twice daily as long as the symptoms of the common cold are felt.

(4) Home Medications

- Take a pinch of salt. Put a few drops of mustard oil in it and blend it till the oil loses its fluidity. Dab this mixture on the nostrils, neck and chest. It will tingle a bit, but the relief will be fast.

- Mix some jaggery and black pepper together. Boil this in water. Sip this quickly when hot as you do with tea.

- Squeeze the juice of two lemons in a glassful of water. Put sugar to sweeten the mixture. This must be taken at bedtime to seek relief from the nasal catarrh.

- One more remedy is to blend nutmeg and opium with cow's milk into a paste. This is to be applied on the nose and the forehead while going to bed.

- Mixing black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and the seeds of the Nigella sativa (Krishna Jeeraka), and using it as a snuff helps in opening severely congested nasal passages.

- Before going to bed, apply eucalyptus oil on the forehead, chest and the nostrils in the night. Then wrap yourself in a warm blanket and go to sleep. You will sweat profusely in the night, but let that happen. In the morning, the common cold will disappear, and so will any fever if present.

- It is not advisable to remain in a cramped room when you have a common cold. Open the windows and let the air pass, but don't do this if it is cold outside. Take some walk in the fresh air and get enough rest.

Another point to note is that common cold is infectious. Hence, if you have got common cold, you should take all due precaution that it doesn't pass on to others. Do not go near infants and children as they are the most vulnerable to attracting common cold. Also use a handkerchief when you cough or sneeze. Keep your utensils separate.

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Home Instructions for the Common Cold: Relieve Symptoms and Shorten Recovery Time

Complete home instructions for the common cold should include how to prevent the spread of the virus to other family members, how to shorten the duration of symptoms, foods and other products that relieve symptoms and how to strengthen the immune system, so that you and your family will have fewer colds next year.

The stages of the common cold vary. Some people experience no symptoms at all, while some experience a full range of frustrating ailments; from fever to body aches to coughing, sneezing and runny nose. Unlike influenza, which typically begins with a relatively high fever, most adults do not experience any fever at all. In children and infants, temperature can climb to 102 degrees farenheit.

A large number of different viruses can cause the common cold, but scientists know the most about the rhinovirus. It is a very common virus and can be grown easily in a laboratory setting. Research indicates that the beginning stages of the common cold usually occur two or three days after exposure to the rhinovirus. The most active viruses are present in nasal secretions during the first four days of infection. Thus, the first step in home instructions for the common cold is to try to keep those who have begun to show symptoms away from those who are not infected, at least for the first few days.

Parents who are caring for a sick child should wash their hands well and often, particularly before touching their own face or another family member. Disinfectants may help to remove the virus from surfaces, but it is believed that the rubbing action is what removes viruses. Anti-bacterial hand soaps and cleaners have no effect on viruses, but the hand washing action rubs them off. The rhinovirus has been shown to be active for as long as three hours on skin and surfaces.

The next step in our home instructions for the common cold covers shortening the duration of symptoms. Most research about common cold treatment is geared towards shortening symptoms, since curing the infection is not possible. First, let's look at what does not work. Regardless of what stages of the common cold a person is currently suffering from, an antibiotic is not effective. Antibiotics neither kill viruses, nor shorten the duration of viral infections. They are only effective against bacterial infections. If symptoms last for more than two weeks, a bacterial infection may be present and a visit to the doctor is appropriate. There is no indication that inhaling steam is an effective treatment. Steam may temporarily relieve congestion, but will not shorten duration of symptoms.

While cold weather does not cause the common cold (as mentioned, it is caused by a virus), staying comfortably warm and dry will make you feel better. Getting out in rainy, wet or cold conditions often cause symptoms to worsen temporarily. When stages of the common cold experienced include fever, chills are often present. There is no reason to avoid bundling up when chills are present, but there is no indication that "sweating it out" is an effective treatment. Sweating may actually increase dehydration and experts agree that staying well-hydrated is particular important during a cold.

When asked about home instructions for the common cold, most doctors will recommend that you get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and take acetaminophen for headache, body aches and fever. Parents should not give children aspirin or aspirin containing products, as it has been associated with Reye's Syndrome, a rare, but life threatening illness that sometimes follows chicken pox, influenza and other viral infections. Some doctors may recommend zinc tablets to shorten the duration of symptoms, if used in the early stages of the common cold. There is a bit of controversy surrounding the use of zinc nasal gels or sprays. Some studies have shown that they shorten the duration of symptoms, while others conclude that they are not effective and should not be used, because they can cause permanent loss of the sense of smell. In order to have any positive effect, they must be used in the early stages of the common cold, within in the first two days.

Taking supplements of vitamin C, E, A or zinc may be helpful home instructions. For the common cold treatment, some experts recommend them. It is always important to follow the manufacturers recommended dosage. High dosages of vitamin C can cause diarrhea; zinc can cause anemia; A can cause irritability and painful joints; E can have an anticoagulant effect. The better health supplements take all of this into consideration when creating products for use during viral infections or as a preventative of viral infections.

Sometimes over-the-counter multi-symptom cold relievers are included in home instructions for the common cold. If you choose to use these, it is important to read the directions and ingredients. Some products contain aspirin. Others contain alcohol. Some cause drowsiness and should not be used when driving or operating dangerous equipment. Studies have shown that many are ineffective on common cold symptoms and most should not be used by children.

Home instructions for the common cold would not be complete without listing a few home remedies. These can make you feel better, relieve symptoms temporarily and are safe for use by most people, since they are common food products. Chicken soup contains selenium, a trace element necessary for proper immune system function. If you can make your own, then add garlic, onions, black pepper and/or ginger. These are helpful to the immune system and taste good. If you must buy canned soup, choose the low-salt versions. Warm mullein or other herbal teas are soothing to the throat. Green tea can increase energy and boost the immune system. Studies have shown that during early stages of the common cold, vitamin C in the blood stream depletes very quickly, so fruit juices can help the body get the vitamin C that it needs to fight the infection.

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The Dangers of a Common Cold to a Baby

Coryza or Common Cold is a highly infectious respiratory disease cause by viruses. To a full-grown adult, cold is a simple viral infection. However, to a baby, common cold is a very fatal illness. There are more than 100 types of virus known to cause cold. Even with the advancement of modern medical science, no cure has been formulated to stop the disease. Infants are highly prone to cold because their anti-bodies are not yet fully developed and cannot fight infections. Fever is a universal symptom; it is a sign of infection. Cold symptoms are usually typical; most respiratory diseases have the same symptoms. Prolonged cold in babies can result to serious complications. Pneumonia, bronchitis and middle ear infections are few of the serious complications involved. That is why doctors advised breast-feeding. Breast-feeding is very important to an infant since a mother's breast milk contains antibodies that cannot be found in infant formulated milk. Pediatricians advise mothers to breast feed their babies at least two weeks after birth. The reason to this is to promote immunity to the baby.

Common cold is long thought as a result to exposure to cold weather condition or changing weather condition. Cold can be transferred via droplets or airborne, this makes the diseases as highly contagious. Several drugs had been design to stop cold, but with more than a 100 cold causing viruses which might fail to stop the illness. Vitamin C is an essential remedy in fighting cold, though it boost your immune system against infection, once you have a cold no amount of vitamin C can cure you.

Complete bed rest is still the leading cold remedy. Resting your body is vital against infection. Medical researchers once suggested that a vaccine should be formulated against cold in babies, but failed to produce such a cure. Common cold is the leading reason why students and office workers are absent. Simple practices like cover your mouth during sneezing and coughing can be helpful to stop the spreading, especially if a baby is around. Another effective prevention from catching a cold is through proper hand wash. In case you take your baby to densely populated areas, make sure he or she is well protected against infections because a disease like common cold is very fatal to a baby.

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Causes of the Common Cold and Effective Natural Remedies

A common cold is related with the condition of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract which is caused by the infection with common cold viruses. It is also known as acute coryza. In comparison to other disease the occurrence of common cold is frequent. Any person may suffer from the problem of cold several times in a year. It generally lasts from 3-10 days. The first three days for the patients are very miserable.

Causes

1. A cold may be the result from exposure to the virus. The intensity of the common cold depends upon the health of a person and also on environmental factors.

2. It may be the result of low vitality, lack of sleep, mental depression, fatigue and due to some factors like sudden changes in temperature, dust, and other irritating inhalations contributes to the causes of cold.

Some of the important symptoms of common cold are sneezing, chills, mild fatigue, headache, achy bones and muscles, sore throat, stuffy and runny nose, scratchy and tickly throat, low grade fever, watering eyes and also watery discharge from nose which thickens and turns yellow or green.

This problem can be easily treated with the help of natural remedies. Some of the popular and effective natural remedies -

1. For common cold lemon is very important remedy. It is very effective and beneficial in different types of cold with fever as it contains vitamin C that increases body resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of illness also.

2. To reduce the severity of the cold, the soup of garlic is an old remedy. It must be taken at least once in a day. You can prepare soup by boiling 3-4 chopped cloves in a cup of water. It is very effective in reducing the symptom of common cold as garlic contains the properties of antiseptic and antispasmodic and also several other medicinal virtues. The oil present in the garlic helps to open up the respiratory passages. Take five drops of garlic oil and combine it with a teaspoon of onion juice and dilute in a cup of water and if this solution is taken 2-3 times a day then it will give an effective result in curing this problem.

3. The other excellent remedy is ginger. Boil approximately 10 grams of ginger which is cut into small pieces in a cup of water. After that strain it and add a teaspoon of sugar in it. Drink this decoction hot.

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