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Cold and Flu Medicine is a standalone category in general medicine because during fall and winter time the majority of people suffer from the common cold. The common cold, including chest cold and head cold, and seasonal flu are caused by viruses. However, it’s important to know the difference between flu and cold symptoms. A cold is a milder respiratory illness than the flu. While cold symptoms can make you feel bad for a few days, flu symptoms can make you feel quite ill for a few days to weeks. The flu can also result in serious health problems such as pneumonia that may require hospitalizations.
That’s why how to treat cold and how to treat the flu are the most common search criteria on the internet.
When you feel the effects of cold and flu, you will be looking for relief from the symptoms. The good news is, there is a wide range of cold and flu medicines out there that will help provide relief for these symptoms and help you get over the cold or flu.
Still, the question is what is the best cold and flu medicines. In this article, we’ll discuss different approaches to the treatment of cold and flu, the pros and cons of each method, and how important vaccinations for flu and pneumonia are.
The treatment that you will need will, of course, be dependent on the symptoms that you experience. Some cold and flu medicine will be able to tackle multiple types of symptoms.
Common cold symptoms
Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion follow, along with a cough by the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold.
With cold symptoms, the nose teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days. Later, these become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not usually mean you have developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection.
Flu symptoms
Flu symptoms are usually more severe than cold symptoms and come on quickly. Symptoms of flu include sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches and soreness, congestion, and cough. Swine flu in particular is also associated with vomiting and diarrhea.
Best medicines for cold and flu
No medicines can cure colds and flu. There is a joke that treated flu goes away in seven days, but untreated in one week. However, there are many over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that can ease the discomfort caused by the symptoms of colds and flu. Also, there are prescription medicines and a vaccine that can treat and prevent the flu.
Below we’ll discuss two different approaches to cold and flu treatment – traditional and naturopathic.
To ease the discomfort from specific cold and flu symptoms, consider using the following types of OTC medicines:
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is generally one of the best medicines for cold and flu. It is an ideal medicine for cold and flu that helps reduce fever and pain. However, do not take more than one drug that contains acetaminophen. Taking too much acetaminophen can damage your liver. Acetaminophen doses should not exceed 4 grams per day. Individuals with liver damage or liver problems should not exceed 2 grams of acetaminophen per day.
- Mucinex is a great choice and also one of the best medicine for cold and flu. The name Mucinex is derived by what the medication is famous for attacking the mucus associated with the cold, allergies, flu, or infection. It does this with the help of the active ingredient, guaifenesin, an expectorant that works hard to combat chest congestion by thinning the mucus in your air passages, allowing you to cough it up. Mucinex Maximum Strength features two layers of Guaifenesin—one that is released immediately, and the other, which slowly dissolves over the next 12 hours, giving you half a day of relief.
Note: Medications like Fluticasone (available without a prescription) or Mometasone (prescription needed) are also one of the best medicine for cold and flu that can relieve symptoms. These medicines for cold and flu are also used for seasonal allergies. Antihistamines will also help.
Natural remedies for cold and flu
Whilst there is no better treatment for cold and flu than prevention, there are natural remedies for cold and flu symptoms which do not require you to fill your body with over the counter drugs (OTC).
Listed below are natural remedies for cold and flu
Home remedies for cold and flu
Viruses are responsible for colds and flu, so antibiotics are not able to cure or prevent these illnesses. Plenty of rest, fluids, and home remedies for cold and flu can help relieve symptoms.
Listed below are home remedies for cold and flu:
- Staying warm and resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu is a home remedy for cold and flu that helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by resting.
- Hot liquids is a home remedy for cold and flu that relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat. If you’re so congested that you can’t sleep at night, try a hot toddy, an age-old remedy. Make a cup of hot herbal tea. Add one teaspoon of honey and one small shot (about 1 ounce) of whiskey or bourbon. Limit yourself to one. Too much alcohol will inflame the membranes and make you feel worse.
- Epsom salt is a mineral compound that can be used in a bathtub. Soaking yourself in a bathtub with Epsom salt is a home remedy for cold and flu that can promote a process known as vasodilation. This means that the blood vessels dilate, due to which more oxygen travels to different organs. Vasodilation also stimulates the production of white blood cells, which helps in fighting infections like cold and flu. Epsom salt can also help you by providing pain relief.
- Blocked sinuses and congested airways are common symptoms of a cold, which menthol can help relieve. Menthol comes from many types of mint plants. It has antibacterial and pain-relieving effects and is an ingredient in many vapor rubs.
- Oregano oil is a home remedy for cold and flu that contains thymol and carvacrol, which both have antibacterial effects. People traditionally use essential oils containing thymol to relieve the symptoms of cold and flu.
- Honey contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, it is a great natural remedy for cold and flu. You can mix honey in lemon tea. This is beneficial because honey can help you by soothing the pain or dryness in the throat and the lemon can help clear congestion.
- Berries contain polyphenols, which have antiviral properties and may help fight flu viruses. Research has shown that elderberries can reduce symptoms of the flu and that a cranberry beverage could help support immune function. In some in vitro studies, berry extracts demonstrated the potential to help fight off influenza. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are also good sources of vitamin C, which can help support the immune system.
- Steamy showers is a home remedy for cold and flu that moisturize your nasal passages and may help you relax. If you’re dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath.
Herbs for cold and flu
Herbs for cold and flu are great options as they can be found in your home. Herbs for cold and flu have very little side effects and can be as effective as traditional medicines if used properly. It is important to remember that serious health conditions like sinus, bronchitis, or meningitis can often mimic the symptoms of a common cold. Therefore, if you are experiencing severe symptoms for more than a week, you need to consult a doctor and not just rely on your herbs for cold and flu. Listed
- Echinacea is a herb for cold and flu that has been long used by Native Americans for more than 400 years to prevent cold and flu. This is because this natural remedy for cold and flu contains active flavonoids and chemicals that have many therapeutic benefits like boosting your immune system and reducing inflammation. You may use the herb in tea or consume 1-2 grams of its root thrice a day for a week to get relief from cold and flu.
- Ginger is a well-known herb for cold and flu that contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It is very good for your health as it is an effective treatment for conditions like congestion, cough, sore throat, cold, and fever. It also helps in reducing nausea, which is a symptom of influenza. You can eat a few slices of ginger in small amounts or mix it with a cup of boiling water and drink it. The best option is to consume ginger juice as it gives the best possible results quickly.
- Garlic is a herb for cold and flu that helps fight off the common cold because it has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Garlic has long been effective for colds and the flu. People can eat raw garlic, incorporate cooked garlic into meals, or take a supplement. Unless a person has a garlic allergy, it is usually safe to use.
Homeopathy for cold and flu
Homeopathy offers a system of healing that is safe for people to use with a bit of understanding about the nature of the homeopathic remedies and their nature. Homeopathy is unique in that it addresses the state of the person who is ill concerning the symptoms that they suffer with at the time and takes into account the dynamic interconnection of the whole person as a complex system.
Homeopathy for cold and flu is a safe, gentle, and effective form of medicine that can help with recovering quicker from winter cold and flu side effects.
Here is a list of some of the best homeopathic remedies for cold and flu:
- One of the homeopathic remedies for cold and flu that works great if you have symptoms related to intense thirst, restless as well as high fever. Does your face look sometime red? It can also have symptoms of cold and flu. In this, Aconite will help you to get the best treatment. In symptoms of flu, use at the first sign of illness. Aconite medicine can work in 24 hours or less than this.
- You can use this homeopathic remedy for cold and flu when you have a feeling that you are quickly becoming ill and light and commotion are you feel worse. Sometimes you can also feel fever and a sore throat. So if you feel these symptoms in you, belladonna medicine will be the best for you.
- This homeopathic remedy for cold and flu is an effective medicine in the early phases of cold symptoms when throats get sore and start to swell, minor fevers and flushed faces, running nose, and dry hacks set in or start to shake in the chest, particularly around night time.
- Does your nose runs during the day but gets cramped when you’re trying to sleep? Also sometimes you may be super sensitive to light, noise, and smells, these are also symptoms of Cold & flu. In this, Nux Vomica one of the homeopathic remedies for cold and flu remedies will help you to treat this in very little time.
- This homeopathic remedy for cold and flu is commonly given to children who experience either acute or chronic cold or flu. Do you also feel symptoms related to Plagued by thick, yellow mucus, a wet cough in the morning, and a dry cough at night? In this, you can try Pulsatilla remedy to overcome cold & flu. Pulsatilla is a natural remedy for cold and flu that is effective with no side effects.
- This homeopathic remedy for cold and flu is mostly given to children who get recurrent colds and whose symptoms match certain Natrum Mur characteristics.
- A person who has frequent colds, sore throats, flu, and chest problems with burning pain and feelings of weakness, restlessness, and anxiety may benefit from this homeopathic remedy. The person’s head may feel hot while the rest of the body is cold, and problems can be worse near midnight. The nose often feels stopped up, and the person may sneeze repeatedly, without relief.
Conclusion on cold and flu medicine
In the majority of cases, common cold and flu manifest very mild symptoms, and natural remedies for cold and flu, as well as popular home remedies for cold and flu, will take care of your illness and bring you back to normal fast. Still, it is better to see your primary physician make sure that the symptoms of the common cold do not cover some serious conditions like bronchitis or pneumonia. If this is the case you may need special medical care.
If you are a fan of naturopathic medicine google for a naturopathic doctor near me and take professional advice.
If you experience common cold and flu symptoms every year during winter time you may need to undergo natural treatment for weak immune system under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor.
If you live in the City of Brotherly Love contact Philadelphia Holistic Clinic (267) 284-3085 to schedule your appointment with Victor Tsan, MD for evaluation and treatment
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