Remedies for a Cold

Remedies for the common cold are as old and as numerous as the illness itself. But because no official cure for the time-honored virus exists, all of the age-old remedies flying around can make it difficult to pinpoint what works and what does not. Easing suffering does not have to be a blind endeavor.

What Does Work

• Sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and fatigue are the symptoms of a cold. Remember that there is no cure for a cold, but the following remedies can ease the suffering caused by these symptoms and speed up recovery. Stay hydrated because fluids can break up congestion and prevent dehydration. Gargling salt water relieves a sore and scratchy throat. Also, nasal saline drops can remove virus particles and reduce congestion. Clean steam produced by a well-cleaned humidifier eliminates the dry conditions in which colds thrive and can break up congestion. Long thought of as just a creature comfort for the sick, homemade and canned chicken soup has been tested and proved to reduce inflammation and help the immune system recover faster and break up congestion. While some of these remedies may be unpleasant, nature's candy, otherwise known as honey, is a pleasant and effective way to reduce coughs associated with colds.

  In addition to remedies that have been proved to work, there exist a few that although unproved, they still make valiant efforts as remedies. Vitamin C helps extremely active individuals, Echinacea may reduce the length and harshness of a cold, and zinc taken through a nasal spray or lozenge is effective in reducing symptoms when taken in the first 48 hours of a cold's onset.

What Doesn't Work

• Unfortunately for individuals sick with a cold, several common remedies offer little to no relief from the illness. Avoiding the wrong treatments can help speed up the process of recovery. The most commonly used yet ineffective cold remedies are antibiotics. While rushing to the doctor's office for a prescription to alleviate common cold symptoms may seem like a good idea, powerful antibiotics eliminate bacteria and would do nothing to sooth the pain of a cold virus. In addition, using antibiotics unnecessarily creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

  The use of antihistamines has long been thought to reduce sneezing and nasal drainage. However, the small improvement coupled with the possible side effects means the benefits may not outweigh the drawbacks. Also, while over-the-counter cough syrups may be popular, the small amount of effective ingredients renders them virtually useless, and they may be harmful to children younger than 14.