How to Get Rid of a Cold

The common cold is "common" because almost everybody gets one a few times a year. A cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by any of 200 viruses. It usually clears on its own within a week but in the meantime triggers irritation and pain in your nose and throat. Read on for tips on how to soothe your symptoms and reduce the recurrence of colds.

Things You'll Need

• Mild pain reliever like acetaminophen
• Saline nasal drops
• Echinacea
• Vitamin C
• Chicken soup
• Humidifier
• Warm lemon water and honey

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Instructions

• 1

  Assess your symptoms to confirm that you have a cold and not a more serious illness. A runny or stuffed nose, coughing, congestion, slight fever, mild aches, sneezing and watery eyes all indicate a normal cold.

• 2

  Seek medical attention if your fever is 102 degrees F or higher, you feel overly fatigued or achy, you experience chills or sweating and your symptoms linger for more than 10 days or worsen.

• 3

  Give yourself time to get better. Take the day off! Rest and drink extra fluids to shorten the duration of a cold.

• 4

  Take a mild pain reliever like acetaminophen to calm a sore throat, reduce a fever and lessen a headache. Acetaminophen can damage the liver if taken too frequently or in doses greater than the recommended amount.

• 5

  Use over-the-counter saline nasal drops to safely relieve a stuffed nose and congestion without producing further irritation. Decongestant nasal sprays should be used only in the initial days of the common cold. Avoid prolonged use because it may result in chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane.

• 6

  Decide if you want to use a cough syrup. Many medical experts recommend not using cough syrups because they tend to provide little relief and do not treat the underlying cause of the cough. Do not administer cough syrup to children.

• 7

  Consider medicine alternatives. Medical research shows promise but has not yet proven the effects of alternatives like echinacea, vitamin C, zinc and chicken soup. The salt, heat and liquid in soup help fight infection. Gargling with warm lemon water and honey can alleviate coughing and soothe a sore throat. Moist air created by mild room temperatures and a humidifier can ease congestion and coughing.

• 8

  Limit the recurrence of the common cold by adopting better health care habits. Wash your hands frequently and with plenty of soap. Use tissues, not your hand or sleeve, when sneezing or coughing and then discard them. Keep away from others who have colds and refrain from sharing utensils or drinking glasses. When someone in the household has a cold, clean countertops and other surfaces more often.