Author:
Louise Ward
Date Of Creation:
11 February 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
A cold or flu can be miserable, but it is usually not so severe that it requires medical attention. Both colds and flu are viral infections but colds often go away quickly and colds get worse.The two diseases have similar symptoms, including runny nose, sneezing and sore throat, so the same treatment can be effective for both colds and flu.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Support Your Body in Fighting Disease
Rest much. Healthy adults need at least 8 hours of sleep each night. However, when you have a cold or the flu, you will need more rest.
- Rest as soon as you feel tired. You will feel much better when you wake up.
- Sleep helps the body send more energy to the immune system, which in turn helps fight diseases faster.
Add enough water. The body loses water during a fever or when mucus is released. Therefore, you must drink enough water to replace the lost water.- Water that is good for the sick include filtered water, juice, clear gravy or warm lemon juice. Fruit juices, gravy and lemon juice will help replenish your electrolytes.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages or coffee as they are dehydrating.
- The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink enough fluids so you don't get thirsty. Cloudy or dark urine is a sign that you need to drink more water.
Eat chicken broth. This traditional dish is very beneficial because it has anti-inflammatory properties and helps relieve congestion.- An abundant source of nutrients will also make you healthier to fight off disease.
- The salt in the broth will help increase the electrolytes.
Keep warm. When you have a fever, even a mild fever, you may feel cold. The reason is that the body temperature is higher than the surrounding temperature.- Add a blanket or use a hot water bottle. However, don't overdo it, especially for young children, as this will increase body temperature and make the illness worse.
- Keeping warm will help reduce shivering and allow the body to send more energy to the immune system.
Keeping moisture in the air. Use a mist or humidifier to make breathing easier.
- Turning on a humidifier at night will help you sleep better because you will have less congestion and less cough.
- If you don't have a humidifier, you can create moisture in the air yourself by placing a pot of water on the radiator or placing a wet towel on a clothes dryer. The water will slowly evaporate into the air.
Method 2 of 3: Symptomatic Treatment
Reduce congestion with Saline nasal drops. These nasal drops are only saline, so they are safe for children.
- Use a dropper to put a few drops of the medicine into the nostril. This will help reduce mucus and dry it out.
- Saline nasal drops are available over the counter or you can make your own at home.
Gargle with warm salt water. This will help reduce throat discomfort.
- Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of water and rinse your mouth.
- Spit out the salt water after rinsing.
- Since salt water is safe, you can use it as often as you want.
Reduce congestion with over-the-counter nasal sprays or drops. These medications should only be used for a few days. Using too much can cause inflammation of the tissues in the nose and worsen the symptoms.
- Put the dropper in the nostril and administer a few drops or spray. You should feel less congested almost immediately.
- Do not use sprays or nasal drops on young children.
Treat fever or pain with an over-the-counter pain reliever. These medications help reduce fever, headache, sore throat or joint pain.
- Common pain relievers include Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen or Aspirin.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions and consult a doctor before giving a medication to a child. Many over-the-counter medicines are not given to young children.
- Aspirin should not be taken by children and teenagers. Taking aspirin can cause a serious illness called Reye's syndrome.
Loosen phlegm or mucus with an expectorant. Medications for coughs and colds may include the expectorant Guaifenesin. This medicine helps to loosen phlegm or mucus in the lungs.
- Drinking plenty of water will also help to loosen phlegm.
Suppress a dry cough with a cough syrup. Cough syrup only helps relieve cough, does not help cure colds or flu completely. If your cough keeps you awake, a cough syrup with the ingredient Dextromethorphan will help you fall asleep.
- Cough is the body's response to getting rid of pathogens and irritants. Suppressing a coughing attack means you are stopping this reaction from happening. Talk to your doctor about whether to use cough syrup or not.
- Do not give cough syrup to children under 4 years old. For children over 4 years old, follow the instructions on the product bottle. When there are no specific instructions for each age, consult your doctor.
- Some cough syrups contain Acetaminophen or other antipyretic / analgesic agents. Therefore, you should not take these drugs with medicines containing Acetaminophen at the same time to avoid causing an overdose.
Take antiviral medication. If you feel badly tired from the flu, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication.
- Common antivirals are Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (Relenza).
- These drugs do not really shorten the duration of illness. Usually, these drugs only shorten the duration of the disease by about 1-2 days.
- The side effects can be more serious than the flu. Oseltamivir can cause delirium and self-abuse syndrome in adolescents (but very rarely). People with breathing problems should not use Zanamivir because it can cause vomiting.
- Some strains of the flu virus can become resistant.
- For people with certain medical conditions like asthma, taking antiviral medication to treat the flu may be more beneficial.
See your doctor if you have signs of a severe infection. Adults with the following symptoms or if symptoms worsen or do not go away in 5-7 days should see a doctor:
- Fever higher than 39 degrees Celsius
- Fever is accompanied by sweating and chills
- Cough with colored or bloody sputum or sputum
- Swollen glands
- Severe sinus pain
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain or stiffness
- Inability to drink water or induce vomiting frequently
- Chronic illnesses such as asthma, cancer and diabetes get worse
- Elder
Take your child to the doctor if needed. Young children have a weak immune system and are more likely to experience complications. Take your child to the doctor right away if he or she:
- Fever over 38 degrees C in children over 4 months old.
- Fever 40 degrees Celsius
- Signs of dehydration such as lethargy, drowsiness, urinating less than 3 times a day, not drinking enough fluids, dry eyes and mouth
- Fever over 24 hours for children under 2 years old
- Fever over 3 days for children over 2 years old
- Vomiting
- Stomachache
- Extremely sleepy
- Headache like hammer
- Neck stiffness
- Shortness of breath
- Cry all the time. Especially in children who are too young and unable to express pain or discomfort.
- Ear hurt
- The cough doesn't go away
Method 3 of 3: Preventing a Cold or Flu
Get a flu vaccine every year. This will strengthen your immune system to fight off strains that your doctor thinks will be common in the next year.
- Vaccines are not completely avoidable, but will help reduce the incidence of illness.
- You can get the vaccine or take the vaccine as a nasal spray.
Wash your hands often. This will help protect the body from infections that are commonly spread by shaking hands, touching handrails, ...
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also very effective.
Stay away from crowds to reduce your exposure to disease. If you are in a small, narrow space with lots of people, your risk of having at least one person in a crowd becomes sick. Crowded places and narrow spaces include:
- Schools
- Office
- Public transport
- Music room
Boost your immune system with a healthy diet. A healthy diet will help increase energy so your immune system can fight off disease.
- Get enough vitamins by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Good sources of vitamins include apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, broccoli, pears, beans, spinach (spinach), cauliflower, pumpkin and asparagus.
- Get enough fiber from whole grain bread sources and whole grains like rice bran, oats, and whole wheat.
- Get more protein for your body from lean meats, poultry, beans, fish and eggs. Avoid fatty meats.
- Avoid processed / packaged foods. These foods are high in sugar, salt and fat. They provide calories for the body but do not contain the nutrients you need.
Stress management. Stress can reduce immunity and make you more susceptible to a virus. You can reduce stress by:
- Do exercise.Try to exercise at least 5 times per week. Exercise causes the body to release the hormone endorphins and relax.
- Get enough sleep. Most adults need 8 hours of sleep each night. Some people need 9-10 hours of sleep.
- Meditate
- Yoga
- Massage
- Establish a close social relationship. Talking will make you feel less lonely.
Try natural ingredients. The effectiveness of natural ingredients remains controversial. Some studies suggest they actually help, while others disagree. Even so, there are a few natural ingredients that are commonly used:
- Taking vitamin C at the beginning of symptoms can help shorten the duration of the illness.
- Chamomile can help boost the immune system. Chamomile is available in many forms, including tablets, liquid, and tea. Talk to your doctor if you want to use chamomile while taking prescription medications.
- Zinc can be helpful if taken as soon as symptoms appear. However, do not use zinc nasal sprays because it can damage your sense of smell.
Limit smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoking impairs resistance to illnesses, including the flu and the common cold. Quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke will help keep your body healthy. advertisement
Warning
- Do not take any medications, supplements, or herbal supplements without first consulting your doctor if you are pregnant, have health problems or are taking other medications. Consult your doctor if you want to give your child medications, supplements, and herbs.
- Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- Over-the-counter drugs can also react with each other. Therefore, it is not recommended to take more than one drug at a time. Also, taking multiple drugs with the same ingredients at the same time could lead to an overdose.
