Best Remedy For Cold?

[RaistlinMajere]

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I have an interview next week and am starting to feel a cold coming on. Right now it's just a sore throat and slightly stuff nose, but I sense it's going to get worse. Any thoughts on the best way to reduce the symptoms, given that my symptoms are just starting?

 

[PineappleGirl]

I really swear by echinacea and vitamin C if the cold is just coming on. I think I may have averted a couple colds this way. Just take whatever's recommended on the bottle. If you've got a sore throat, dissolving a cough drop (choose the flavor wisely) in a cup of tea is pretty soothing.

 

[Bigsheed920]

Better get on that Nyquil bottle everynight. It is the best cold medicine.

 

[PBMaxx]

I swear by ColdEZE (Zinc). They taste like death, and make everything you eat or drink taste like @ss, but it's worth it to stave off a cold.

 

[Bigsheed920]

Yo PBMaxx.....i read an article way back on how what u take can actually affect your sense of smell. Look it up to be sure.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

Thanks for the responses.

Is there a particular brand of echinacea I should look for?

Nyquil is great, but I can only take that stuff while in bed. Otherwise I'll wake up in the morning on the floor--it knocks me out!

 

[Bigsheed920]

http://www.purplefrenzy.com/quigley.htm


Read this PBMAXX

 

[RaistlinMajere]

Okay so I'm not taking Zinc after reading that article.

 

[PBMaxx]

Whoa!

I have never heard of the nasal spray. I have only ever taken the lozenges.

As far as nasal remedies, I've used ZiCam, but that goes just inside the nostrils. I don't like it because it makes you feel like you have a runny nose all of the time.

 

[PBMaxx]

I do like to supplement a zinc regimen with ecchinachea and Vitamin C, but you have to time the Vitamin C around the zinc lozenge, b/c they supposedly counteract each other. Halls makes a lozenge with all 3 in it (Halls Defense line). I am just getting over a cold, and b/c of my "cocktail" approach it only lasted two days.

Cheers!

 

[PineappleGirl]

Is there a particular brand of echinacea I should look for?

I just buy whatever is the cheapest, usually the CVS brand stuff. I really don't think the brand matters.

 

[deejayshakur]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&u=/nm/20050303/hl_nm/colds_echinacea_dc&printer=1

placebo effect, guys and girls.

 

[tru-wellness]

I have an interview next week and am starting to feel a cold coming on. Right now it's just a sore throat and slightly stuff nose, but I sense it's going to get worse. Any thoughts on the best way to reduce the symptoms, given that my symptoms are just starting?

The best way to fight sickness and never get sick again is to
use glyconutritionals.

http://www.glycoscience.org

 

[skiz knot]

Best Remedy For Cold? The only remedy is time!

 

[huduvudu]

I have nothing against echinacea. In fact, I've never taken it to treat a cold. However, this is hot of the Clinical Infectious Diseases press, an article from Stanfurd:

This structured review suggests that the possible therapeutic effectiveness of echinacea in the treatment of colds has not been established.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15736012

take it for what it's worth...

[edit] if this link doesn't work goto pubmed and search for: Gwaltney JM
It's the first article that comes up.

 

[TwoLegacies]

drink lots of water! other than that, there's not much you can do but eat well and get enough rest.

i read an article about a study that claimed mild exercise helps, as well, but not strenuous exercise.

 

[pratik7]

EXERCISE!!!!!!!!!!! It dilates vessels and increases blood flow to the area of infection (throat, lungs, sinus) and allows the immune system (b cells, antibodies, and t cells) to quickly remove the virus. Also drink warm fluids 👍 👍

 

[fun8stuff]

Plenty of fluids and rest. Try and get like 10 hrs of sleep a day and drink 4+ cups of water. IB profen, pseudophedrine, other antihistamins are also good at relieving fever, nasal congestion, pain, and other symptoms. I think sleep is by far most important though.

 

[melimi]

Best Remedy For Cold? The only remedy is time!

yeah, uhm, it doesnt matter what u do
itll go away in ~48 hrs
its like the hiccups, theres no actual "cure", all u can do is wait (for hiccups, u stop after ~60 hiccups)

and if it doesnt go away, maybe its not a cold, allergies?

 

[tommerbommer]

One other thing that I do to try and prevent the cold from turning into a sinus infection is to use a saline nasal spray. It helps thin out the mucus and helps to drain your sinuses. Similarly, a vaporizer at night can help.

Don't forget to drink tons of water and rest a lot.

And as my mom would say..."Stay warm enough!"

 

[NiteOwl]

Since there isn't a way to "cure" a cold, heres stuff that will make you feel better: for the sore throat warm liquids (hot tea, coffee, soup, etc), sometimes cold foods help for the sore throat, cough drops or throat sprays, and a cold medicine (I have have a cold now and robitussin CF works pretty good, it really helps with a stuffy nose).

As for zinc nasal sprays, I had a biology teacher tell us that its a rip-off. He said its about as good as spraying plain water up your nose. Of course he has no medical training or anything, but he said that there is such a small amount of zinc in those products that it isn't worth it.

 

[Ross434]

I get sick about once every 3 years. When I do, its all about sleep and eating massive amounts of food - but then again, my diet is healthy most of the time anway. And im not a health freak.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I have an interview next week and am starting to feel a cold coming on. Right now it's just a sore throat and slightly stuff nose, but I sense it's going to get worse. Any thoughts on the best way to reduce the symptoms, given that my symptoms are just starting?

Most cold are caused by rhinoviruses, from the same family as poliovirus--> picornaviridae. The second most common cause of cold is a coronavirus, which is in the same family as SARS.

Rhinovirus virions attach to host cells using "zinc fingers." Increasing the concentration of zinc in the blood causes disruption of this attaching mechanism, preventing spread of the virus.

Therefore,

Take Zinc pills!

Also, take Echinacea & Vitamin C (immune system boosters.)

For symptoms, take claritin (loratadine), sudafed (suphedrine), mucinex (guafinesin), and advil (ibuprofen) as needed.

Increase the usual intake of water & electrolytes, and increase the usual amount of sleep.

 

[fateema368]

I have an interview next week and am starting to feel a cold coming on. Right now it's just a sore throat and slightly stuff nose, but I sense it's going to get worse. Any thoughts on the best way to reduce the symptoms, given that my symptoms are just starting?

I had this same thing and it lasted 2.5 weeks during finals. Get the mucus out, it's irritating your throat and making it sore. Beyond that, you've just gotta sleep, eat well, and let your body fight the infection. Drugs should only be taken when in agony, otherwise; day to day you should be just fine. Try to infect a gunner right around the time your snot turns green--it just makes the cold easier to deal with! 😉

 

[Lexian]

Echinacea & Vitamin C are supposed to be taken to help prevent colds. Once you start experiencing symptoms you've already caught the virus so it wouldn't make any sense to boost your intake of either one.

Zinc losenges work very well for me. It doesn't "cure" your cold but will help decrease the severity and duration of your cold. The caveat is that you must take it within the first 72 hours (I believe) of the appearance of your first symptoms. After that time clinical trials have shown that zinc won't have any effect on decreasing your cold symptoms. And yes, the losenges have a horrible aftertaste. If that concerns you, there are some dosage forms of zinc that come in a chewable gum form targeted to kids whose aftertaste is masked, although not completely.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Echinacea & Vitamin C are supposed to be taken to help prevent colds. Once you start experiencing symptoms you've already caught the virus so it wouldn't make any sense to boost your intake of either one.

Zinc losenges work very well for me. It doesn't "cure" your cold but will help decrease the severity and duration of your cold. The caveat is that you must take it within the first 72 hours (I believe) of the appearance of your first symptoms. After that time clinical trials have shown that zinc won't have any effect on decreasing your cold symptoms. And yes, the losenges have a horrible aftertaste. If that concerns you, there are some dosage forms of zinc that come in a chewable gum form targeted to kids whose aftertaste is masked, although not completely.

Echinacea has been shown to increase and improve both macrophage and natural killer cell production. It is also anti-inflammatory. Obviously, this will improve someone currently in the infected state.

Yes it also can help preventively.

 

[PineappleGirl]

I get sick about once every 3 years. When I do, its all about sleep and eating massive amounts of food.

YES! I am a proponent of the feed a cold theory too, although perhaps only because it's a nice excuse to order pizza and wings. 😀

Food, rest, warmth. All good things.

 

[Assistant]

In addition to all the advice above, you might consider reducing your sugar intake. So far this has helped me with fighting off colds but I have only been doing this for about a month and a half.

 

[EpointH]

I agree with the sleep and fluids comments. Also, a suggestion on how to relieve the pain of a sore throat (this won't help treat it, but it'll make you feel better) - gargle warm salt water, 1/4 tsp. salt in 1 cup warm water. I know it sounds absolutely disgusting, but it works - and at least you don't have to actually swallow it! Very soothing for the throat. I hope you feel better!

 

[PBMaxx]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&u=/nm/20050303/hl_nm/colds_echinacea_dc&printer=1

placebo effect, guys and girls.

Hey, whatever works, right?

 

[myodana]

duct tape, kids. it fixes everything.

 

[TwoLegacies]

yeah, uhm, it doesnt matter what u do
itll go away in ~48 hrs
its like the hiccups, theres no actual "cure", all u can do is wait (for hiccups, u stop after ~60 hiccups)

and if it doesnt go away, maybe its not a cold, allergies?

next time you get hiccups, try mind control. no joke. you can stop them by using pure willpower...

 

[JimmyMallo]

YES! I am a proponent of the feed a cold theory too, although perhaps only because it's a nice excuse to order pizza and wings. 😀

Food, rest, warmth. All good things.

Oh yea! Give me some HOT wings and I'll burn that sucka out

Really though, you may laugh but hot sauce (chipotle or tobasco, not picante 😉 ) really helps the sinuses clear out. I learned this while feeding a head cold at the Chipotle burrito shop by my house. Ate too much hot sauce and all of the sudden I could breath again. It actually lasted a lot longer than I expected also.