How to Treat the Common Cold – guest post

 

Causes

  The common cold is a contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system. It is caused by the transmission of more than 200 types of viruses, the most widespread of which are the rhinovirus, the Para-Influenza virus, and the adenovirus. Because these many types of viruses can cause the common cold, the body's immune system is unable to properly develop an effective immunity or resistance against it, so colds are recurring conditions.

Cold viruses are transmitted by direct contact with infected individuals or through airborne viruses that are released when an infected individual sneezes or coughs. They can also be contracted when a person comes into contact with objects such as pillows, telephones, and coffee cups that harbor cold viruses. Cold viruses can live on these types of objects for several hours.

Symptoms

  When a person contracts a cold virus, a certain period (between two to three days) will elapse before the cold manifests itself through various symptoms. These symptoms include stuffiness in the nose area, hoarseness, coughing, sore throat, headache, heaviness of the body, watering eyes, diminished appetite, and constant sneezing. Any number of these symptoms may last from three days to two weeks depending on the individual. Moreover, symptoms are generally the same for all age brackets--adults, adolescents, and children.

Conventional Treatment

The common cold is classified as a self-limiting sickness and will eventually dissipate over time in normal people who have no health issues. It has no known cure. However, various treatments and home remedies may be used to alleviate the various symptoms associated with the common cold. These treatments include getting adequate bed rest and drinking ample amounts of fluids. For people whose symptoms include sore throat and coughing, lozenges, cough drops, and other over the counter medications are advised. Some patients may request antibiotics from their doctor, but since these infections are cause virally, antibiotics will not improve symptoms. Overuse of antibiotics can even cause bacterial resistance and overgrowth of yeast or fungal infection in some patients. Antivirals like Tamiflu can offer limited improvement.

Alternative Treatments

  Some people take herbal concoctions and diet supplements to treat the common cold even though solid scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of these treatments is yet to be established. Some of the more popular alternative common cold treatments include the intake of Vitamin C and the mineral zinc (please note that the FDA issued a warning that claims zinc could damage sense of smell). Some people also take certain preparations of the herbal plant, Echinacea. Some studies confirm the efficacy of Echinacea in shortening the duration of common cold symptoms when taken as soon as symptoms manifest. Other studies are inconclusive, however.