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Symptoms and treatment for common cold

Posted by editor07 on Thursday 30 Apr 2009

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The common cold is also known as acute viral rhinopharyngitis or acute coryza in medical terms and is the inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (URT) that is caused by viral activity. This disease tends to occur more than any other illness and can last anywhere from 3 to 10 days.

Symptoms of common cold:
Common cold is characterized by sore throat, congestion of the nasal passages, runny nose, feeling of malaise, sneezing, rise in body temperature, headache, chills, body ache, muscular weakness, scratchy throat, hoarse voice and loss of appetite.

What causes common cold?
The primary cause of common cold is exposure to virus. There are over 200 viruses that can cause common cold and can exist anywhere from telephones, pens, computer desktops and pillows to coffee mugs, books and staircase railings. If a person comes in direct contact with an individual affected by common cold, he/she is most likely to get the infection. Other causes of common cold are low levels of immunity, allergic disorders of the nose and throat, variations in atmospheric temperature, fatigue, depression, sleep deprivation and exposure to dust and other irritants.

Treatment for common cold:
If you happen to be down with common cold, you must drink lots of fresh fruit juices and hot drinks to neutralize the acid content of the blood and to clear the kidneys. Taking warm water mixed with lemon juice and honey or pineapple juice is highly beneficial for dealing with this condition. You can also take lots of fresh fruits such as apples, grapefruit, grapes, melon, oranges and peaches. Bananas should be avoided.

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid, found in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, turnips, strawberries, papayas and sprouts is one of the best natural cures for common cold. It should be taken in therapeutic doses of 100 mg-200 mg per day to shorten the duration of common cold.

Cinnamon is a warming herb and has been used for the treatment of common cold in combination with ginger since time immemorial. Take a small piece of cinnamon stick and add it to boiling water with a small piece of ginger root. Allow it to boil for about 5-7 minutes. Strain and add ½ tsp honey to it. Drink while it is hot. Another warm and relieving remedy for common cold is garlic soup. It reduces the severity and duration of common cold. Garlic is known to possess antiseptic and antispasmodic properties and its volatile oil flushes out all the harmful toxins from the system.