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Common Cold - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by a virus. Cold weather does not cause colds, although most colds are caught in the fall and winter. This is because most cold viruses thrive better in colder temperatures, when there is less humidity in the atmosphere. There are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold, an infection of the upper respiratory tract, but the most common ones are rhinoviruses.

Common cold symptoms

• Sneezing.
• Sore throat.
• Headache.
• Fever.
• Feeling unwell

Symptoms of the common cold usually begin two to three days after infection and often starts with nasal discharge and obstruction of nasal breathing.

Causes of common cold

Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses (the name comes from "rhin," the Greek word for nose) that are in invisible droplets in the air we breathe or on things we touch. More than 100 different rhinoviruses can infiltrate the protective lining of the nose and throat, triggering an immune system reaction that can make your child's throat sore, his or her head ache, and can make it hard for your child to breathe through the nose.

The common cold is transmitted through person-to-person contact, typically when an infected person touches the eyes, mouth, or inside of the nose and spreads the virus to the hands. Poor hygiene promotes infection. It is estimated that healthy adults get an average of two colds per year. Children generally get many more because their immune systems are immature, and they have not yet developed immunity to many of the viruses that cause colds.

Vitamins and nutrients to cure common cold

Natural home remedies to cure common cold

• Fill a glass with warm water and mix in 1 tsp of table salt and gargle several times a day.
• Take hot water in a bowl and put some Vicks vaporub. Place your nose over the vapors and inhale, covering yourself with a towel. Helps to get rid of common cold.
• Astragalus, native to Mongolia and China, helps promotes the multiplication of the white blood cells that are vital for fighting infection for common cold.
• Drink a teaspoonful of ginger juice mixed with equal quantity of honey.
• Hyssop, an evergreen that can be taken as a tea, acts as an expectorant and has antiviral properties that will help to cure common cold.
• Garlic juice made by adding few drops of garlic oil to a teaspoonful of onion juice and diluting it in a cup of water is helpful to cure common cold.
• For a sore throat, add 3 to 6 drops of pure tea tree oil to warm water and gargle. Repeat this up to three times daily. Take up to 2 tea tree oil lozenges and allow them to dissolve slowly in your mouth. Repeat this treatment as often as required, alternating it with goldenseal extract. These products can be found in most health food stores.

Considerations and prevention tips

• Flush facial tissues after they have been used. Because they harbor the virus, tissues can pass on the virus or cause you to reinfect yourself.
• Sleep with the head on a high pillow.
• Wash your hands often. Cold viruses can survive for several hours on hands, tissues, or hard surfaces. A healthy person can contract the virus by touching a contaminated surface, then touching his or her own mouth or nose. Using an antibiotic soap may prevent you from reinfecting your­self, but these soaps can also contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, so it is best to use them only when necessary.
• Good hygiene is the best defense against getting a cold.
• In general, eat well-balanced meals, and try not to get chilled or over tired.

Are common cold contagious?

Common cold are the most contagious during the first 2 to 4 days after symptoms appear, and your child may be contagious for up to 3 weeks. Your child can catch a cold by breathing in virus particles spread through the air by sneezing or coughing or from person-to-person contact. The viruses are easily transmitted through contact with the secretions of infected people (e.g., handshakes, shared objects, kissing).