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Cold-like symptoms Treatments

Cold-like symptoms: Treatments Inroduction

Treatment of the common cold starts with prevention. Preventive measures include covering the mouth and nose with an elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing and washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. Antibacterial cleaners can also be effectively used to clean hands and surfaces. It is also important to avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth, which can transmit the virus from the hands into nose and mouth.

There is currently no cure for the common cold. Once the disease is contracted, treatment includes measures aimed at relieving symptoms so that a person is comfortable enough to get the rest needed to keep up strength and recover without developing complications.

Treatment includes rest, drinking extra fluids, and using over-the-counter cold remedies as directed to ease symptoms. However, it is currently recommended that children under the age of six not use cold or cough drugs because of the risk of serious side effects.

Alternative treatments include supplements or products that contain vitamin C, echinacea, or zinc. Chicken soup is a time-tested home remedy that can help to break up congestion and provides easy-to-digest nutrients and extra fluid to help keep up strength.

Antibiotics are not prescribed for the common cold because they are ineffective against the viruses that cause the common cold. However, antibiotics may be prescribed if a person develops a secondary bacterial infection as a complication of the common cold, such as bacterial pneumonia or acute bronchitis.

In some rare cases, antiviral drugs may be prescribed.

Alternative Treatments for Cold-like symptoms

Alternative treatments, home remedies, other other complementary therapies that have been listed as possibly helpful for Cold-like symptoms in various sources may include:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin A
  • Zinc
  • Echinacea
  • Goldenseal
  • Maitake mushroom (beta-glucans)
  • Reishi mushroom (beta-glucans)
  • Shiitake mushroom (beta-glucans)
  • Garlic
  • Husteel (homeopathic additive)
  • Thymus extract
  • Acerola berry
  • Chicken soup
  • Hot chile peppers
  • Rest
  • Liquids
  • Yogurt
  • Chamomile tea
  • Soak feet in a mustard powder bath
  • Gargle with warm water containing dash hot sauce
  • Echinacea and warm water gargle
  • Breathe heated air
  • Horseradish
  • Ginger
  • Ginger tea
  • Wasabi broth
  • Horseradish broth
  • Red pepper flake broth
  • Mustard foot bath
  • Wet socks to bed
  • Reduce stress
  • Acupressure
  • Naturopathy
  • Inhale ginger and eucalyptus leaf steam
  • Fennel seed powder with raw sugar
  • Cinnamon and honey
  • Sitopaladi and maha sudarshan churna, equal parts
  • Avoid dairy products
  • Mild exercise
  • Breathing exercise
  • Triphala tea or supplement
  • Ginger, cinnamon and cardamom tea
  • Ginger, cinnamon and lemongrass tea
  • Belladonna homeopathic remedy
  • Ferrum phosphoricum homeopathic remedy
  • Allium cepa homeopathic remedy
  • Kali bichromicum homeopathic remedy
  • Nux vomica homeopathic remedy
  • Pulsatilla homeopathic remedy
  • Arsenicum album homeopathic remedy
  • Mercurius homeopathic remedy
  • Aconite homeopathic remedy
  • Inhale warm rice vinegar
  • Garlic milk
  • Chinese folk remedies
  • Radish and green onion
  • Green tea with mung beans
  • Chinese patent herbs
  • Daikon radish, green onion and ginger soup
  • Fenugreek tea
  • Drink water with mullein tincture
  • Avoid medicated nasal sprays
  • Nasal wash or irrigation (e.g. Neti pot)
  • Saline nasal spray
  • Steamy shower
  • Rest with head elevated
  • Stop smoking
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Warm washcloth compress
  • Very spicy foods
  • Humidify the environment
  • Inhale VapoRub steam
  • Fluids
  • Avoid antihistamines
  • Petroleum jelly for chapped nose
  • Popsicles

Treatments for Causes of Cold-like symptoms

Review the treatment information pages for various causes of Cold-like symptoms:

More causes: not all possible causes for Cold-like symptoms are listed above; for a full list refer to causes of Cold-like symptoms.

Treatment Notes

Only your doctor can advise whether any of these treatments are appropriate for your specific medical situation. Always discuss all treatment options with your doctor before making a decision, including whether to start or discontinue any treatment plan.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Cold-like symptoms:

The following list of conditions have 'Cold-like symptoms' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Cold-like symptoms or choose View All.

View All A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P R S T U V W Z

Conditions listing medical complications: Cold-like symptoms:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Cold-like symptoms' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

 

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