What should we do if we get cold symptoms? Are we infected with Corona?
In the vast majority of cold cases, the disease is mild and gets better on its own within a few days. Therefore, at the beginning of the symptoms of a cold, you should not worry and there is no need to go to the hospital. Because the hospital environment is considered a polluted and crowded environment and it may cause new diseases to be transmitted to you.
In most adults, the symptoms of the disease improve with home remedies and without the need for a doctor’s prescription, so you do not need to see a doctor in the first 5 to 7 days of the onset of symptoms, and only see a doctor if the symptoms worsen.
But what can be done at home to improve the disease:
What treatments are useful in adults?
– Rinsing the nose with lukewarm washing serums 2 to 4 times a day is very effective.
– Common cold pills and syrups that contain antihistamines and decongestants cause less coughing and better breathing through the nose.
– If you have a headache or body pain, pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen are helpful.
– Nasal decongestant sprays may improve nasal breathing. Carefully pay attention to the amount and method of taking these drugs. In general, nasal decongestants should not be taken for more than 3 days in a row, and in case of more nasal congestion, they should be stopped immediately.
– Supplements containing zinc may cause faster recovery of the disease. But the effectiveness of these supplements is provided that you start taking them within the first 24 hours of the onset of cold symptoms. Of course, remember that consuming too much of them can cause bad taste in the mouth or stomach pain.
– Daily consumption of vitamin C will not protect you from colds, but it will probably cause it to recover faster. Remember that if you take vitamin C after the onset of cold symptoms, it will not help, and at the same time, taking vitamin C through natural sources such as citrus fruits. It has more effect.
– Rest as much as possible, drink simple lukewarm liquids such as water, pale tea and local herbal teas, and strictly avoid fast foods and artificial drinks.
What treatments do not help?
– Because viruses are responsible for the vast majority (98%) of colds, antibiotics are ineffective because they have no effect on viruses.
– If antihistamines are used without decongestants, they are ineffective.
– Antiviral drugs do not help.
Antitussives such as dextromethorphan and guaiafensine do not help.
– Codeine is ineffective
– If you don’t have allergies, corticosteroid nasal sprays won’t help.
– Do not pay attention to non-scientific materials and treatments that do not have a scientific basis, because they may make the disease worse.
Dr. Babak Ghalebaghi
Specialist in Allergy and Clinical Immunology
