COLDS

Cold is caused by many viruses. The symptoms of a cold are a runny nose, red eyes, sneezing, sore throat, dry cough, headache and general body aches.

There is a  gradual one or two  days before the  onset.  As  a cold progresses, the nasal mucus may thicken. This is the stage just before a cold dries up. A cold usually lasts about one or two weeks.

Colds can occur throughout the year but are most common in cold weathers.  Children have an average of   six  colds in a year while adults have fewer.  Colds cannot be prevented by using a mouth-wash or  antibiotics  There is  no  particular cure for colds. The solution is to treat the symptoms if you catch a cold. Sometimes a cold could lead to a bacterial infection such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

HOW TO PREVENT A COLD

·         Eat well and get plenty of sleep and exercise to keep up your resistance.

·         Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth, but cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

·         Wash your hands often, particularly when you are around people who have colds.

·         Stop smoking.

·         Breast feeding should be  encouraged, breastfed babies seem to have fewer, milder colds.

STEPS TO RELIEVE A COLD

·         Get extra rest after work or school. Slow down just a little from your usual routine. It isn’t necessary to stay home in bed, but take care not to expose others.

·         Drink plenty of liquids. Hot water, herbal tea, or chicken soup will help relieve congestion.

·         Over the counter drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen,  etc  can help relieve aches but don’t give them to children without  a prescription.

·         Humidify the bedroom and take hot showers to relieve nasal stuffiness.

·         Watch the back of your throat for postnasal drip. If streaks of mucus appear, gargle to prevent a sore throat.

·         Use  disposable  tissues not handkerchiefs to reduce spreading the virus to others.

·         If your nose is red and sore from rubbing with tissues, put a bit of petroleum jelly on the sore area.

·         Treat each symptom separately.

·         Use a mucus thinning agent to improve mucus drainage.

SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR YOUR COLD WHEN

·         A very  high fever that does not go down after two hours of  taking home treatment.

·         A  high  fever with shaking chills and cough.

·         Persistent fever.

·         Sputum is yellow, green, rust -coloured or bloody and other symptoms are worsening.

·         If facial pain, fever and other signs develop.

·         Nasal discharge changes from clear to  coloured  after five to seven days of a cold.

·         Cough that lingers more than 7 to 10 days after other symptoms have cleared especially if it is producing up sputum.