Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
HOST: Unfortunately the only way to get rid of a
cold, is by simply waiting it out. But there are some things you can do to ease the symptoms
of a cold.
First: Drink lots of fluids. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarette smoke, which can cause
dehydration and aggravate your symptoms.
Get some rest. If you have a bad cold, you should stay home from work. No one will miss
you if you're sick, and they'll be happy you didn't give it to them too.
Adjust your room's temperature and humidity. Keep your room warm, but not overheated. If
the air is dry, use a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer to moisten the air, it helps
ease congestion and coughing. Also, make sure to keep the humidifier clean to prevent the
growth of bacteria and molds.
Soothe your throat. Gargling with warm salt water several times a day or drinking warm
lemon water with honey may help soothe a sore throat and relieve a cough.
Use saline nasal drops or sprays. You can purchase these drops over-the-counter, and
they're effective, safe and nonirritating, even for children. watch out for the decongestant
nasal sprays. They are a great quick fix but they should not be used longer than 3 days,
colds are caused by a VIRUS so antibiotics don't work, they don't kill viruses! What
you can use are over-the-counter cold medication. These won't make a cold go away any sooner-
but they can relieve some symptoms. Please read the packing very carefully before taking
any cold medication. Some of them should not be used in people with certain medical conditions.
For fever, sore throat or headache, try something mild like acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. If your
child has a cold, do not use aspirin, because it may cause Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially
serious disease.
For runny nose and nasal congestion, you can take an antihistamine or decongestant. For
a cough, try a basic cough syrup with an expectorant and maybe even a suppressant if your cough
is mild. Remember for children under age 4 do not give any cough and cold medications
and check with your doctor before giving cough and cold medications to any children under
age 6.
Again, you shouldn't need these longer than a week. If you do, then see your doctor.
Now, the best way to avoid getting a cold is to protect yourself from those viruses
that cause the illness in the first place. Here are some "common sense" tips so you can
stay cold free as long as possible:
First, Wash your hands. Clean your hands frequently and teach your children the importance of
hand washing. If water isn't available, then use an alcohol-based hand gel or wipe.
Scrub your stuff. Keep doorknobs, handles and countertops clean, especially when someone
in your family has a cold. Wash your child's toys after playtime if your child has a cold.
Use tissues. Always sneeze and cough into tissues, and throw away tissues right away.
If you leave a pile of used tissues around, you'll only keep the virus around with them.
Don't share. This is a good time to be a little selfish. Use your own glass and utensils when
you or someone else is sick.
Stay away. Avoid having close contact with anyone who has a common cold for long periods
of time.
Don't touch your face! Remember, your eyes, and nose, are direct entry points for that
cold virus.
So remember, chances are you will get a cold. At least now you know how to prevent them.
But if you do get a cold, you'll know what to do.
The common cold can be a real pain. Use the tips in this segment.
Don't let a cold get you down, and keep an eye on your symptoms to make sure they don't
get worse.
Thanks for being part of HealthiNation, the more you watch the more you can learn about
your health.