What remedys work for a stinking cold

[lucy123]

Hi

I know a few of us on here are suffering from stinking colds, and mine seems to be lasting too long!

What do you use to try and rid the cold?
I have done the Anadin and Paracetomal route.

I started with a raging throat and headache that lasted about 3 days, and now have the stinking head cold that goes from sneezing away to feeling totally blocked up causing headache again.

Sorry to winge over a silly little cold but I am getting fed up with it now, and seem to be getting cold after cold!!

 

[cazscot]

Hi Lucy, (((hugs))) I got sent home yesterday so know how you feel... I take cold/flu tablets that have paracetamol and a decongestant in them I am on Asdas own make at the moment most of the makes have caffeine in them. Can't honestly say if they are making any difference... I use menthol crystals in a bowl of hot water to clear my sinuses. Hope you get rid of it soon I have had mine since last Wednesday but think it is starting to clear now. Xxx

 

[Copepod]

Pharmacists are the people to ask. They can sell a wider range of products than are available from outlets that aren't chemists. They can also recommend supplements that might lessen your frequency of colds.
In the meantime, hot drinks might help.

 

[Caroline]

Ask the pharmacist to see what he/she reccomends., but don't forget to tell them you are diabetic.

In the mean time have plenty of low/no sugar warm drinks. Many people find the low suagar varieties of orange squash and blckcurrant help. Rest if you can, and even if you don't feel like eating much, try to have light meals as this will enable you to keep taking any medication you are on.

When my cough is really bad I find having a hot shower helps, although others find putting something like vics or olbas oil in hot water and inhaling the steam helps.

Paracetemol will help reduce the temperature and the pharmacist will advise on anything that will help

I hope you are better soon, colds are lousy at any time.

 

[AlisonM]

Since Dx I tend to avoid all my old favourites, like Lemsip or hot toddies (Lemon, Honey, Whisky and hot water). I take large doses of Vitamin C, a painkiller and add an extra multi-vit with zinc then drink loads of fluids. I use Olbas or Clove oil in a bowl of boiling water and also put a drop or two on a lightbulb by the bed to aid breathing. Then I climb under my duvet to keep warm. I find Chamomile tea is quite soothing for sore throats.

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Liz!]

The best thing for a cough or congestion is breathing steam - you can buy special little cups with spouts, to pour nearly boiling water in and breathe the steam in deeply. You can add oils or not. If you do this for as long as you can bear it, then bend forwards over a huge pile of cushions and have someone pat around your diagphram and upwars, you will cough and cough and cough (have tissues handy!) but it really does work. I cleared a chest infection like this a year ago as I didn't want to take antibiotics.

It helps because your mucous has become sticky and the little cilia, which re like little flicky things which move all the time in your lungs and breathing tubes can't work, they are stilled. The steam helps get the mucous soft and more easily cleared, you can cough it away, the cilia start working again, and the sticky mucous which is where bacteria can live and give you an infection is gone!

I also use garlic which kills viruses - squeeze a clove into cold water, swill round, sieve into another cup, drink the sieved juice. It's horrible! but viruses replicate themselves in your cells. Antibiotic can't get in side cells which is why they don't work against viruses. But garlic kills viruses and also gets inside your cells as soon as you drink it. This also works very well if you take it very near the start of a cold.

Aspirin, gargling with it, is good for a very sore throat as it is anti-inflammatory.

 

[teapot8910]

I use Lemsip day/night tablets and the drinks too along with inhaling steam and keeping really warm. Hope you feel better soon xx

 

[lyndasw]

Ah Lucy I wish I knew. I had a migraine last Monday which cleared up but I then had a normal headache for three days. Then the sore throat started and the full on cold which has been with me for five days. I did feel better this afternoon but then had a huge nose bleed! It was so bad that they panicked in work and called a first aider, who in turn started to get worried and at one point they were talking about taking me to casualty - have to say it was quite impressive Still trying to get the blood out of my jumper now. Anyway I suppose colds can't last for ever so lets hope we are well by the weekend 🙂