Tip 1: What medicines to take for a cold
In the autumn-winter period, the risk of contracting a cold is especially high. Today, there is a very large selection of cold medicines on pharmacy shelves. However, you should not self-medicate by purchasing this or that drug. First, consult your doctor.
Instructions
- Increasingly, television screens recommend a variety of medicines, including for colds. Of course, drugs such as Fervex, Theraflu, and Coldrex will actually help relieve the first symptoms of the disease: sore throat, swelling of the nose, aching muscles, fever, headache. But this is directly an ambulance. Such medications only relieve symptoms, but do not cure the common cold. Taking such medications is justified when the disease is just beginning, but you need to finish urgent matters before leaving work. Experts do not recommend abusing these medications, since they usually contain paracetamol. If you overdose, serious problems with the liver, kidneys and heart can occur.
- To relieve a dry cough during a cold, which is caused by soreness and discomfort in the throat, it is recommended to take mucolytic drugs. This is the so-called class of drugs that effectively and painlessly liquefy mucus, removing it from the bronchi. For example, “Ambroxol”, “Bromhexine”, “ACC”. In this case, it is very important to drink plenty of warm liquids - herbal infusions, fruit drinks, tea. If possible, various herbal inhalations are especially useful for coughing. For infusions, it is recommended to choose breast tea, linden blossom, eucalyptus, and chamomile.
- To cleanse the nose during colds, sprays such as Otrivin, Aqualor, and Aquamaris have gained deserved popularity. In addition, these drugs can be used as prophylaxis - after visiting crowded places, during a flu epidemic. For a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing, vasoconstrictor drops should be used. For example, “Naphthyzin”, “Sanorin”, “Galazolin”. Such drugs effectively relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa. Please note: vasoconstrictor drops are not recommended for use for more than 7-10 days.
- Among the popular homeopathic medicines that doctors often prescribe to patients for the treatment and prevention of colds are Anaferon and Oscillococcinum. In addition, antiviral capsules “Arbidol”, nasal drops “Grippferon”, and suppositories “Viferon” have proven themselves well in the pharmaceutical market. These drugs have an immunostimulating effect. They are used in complex therapy.
- Antibiotics can be taken only as prescribed by the attending physician. As a rule, they are prescribed if the patient has a confirmed bacterial infection. Please note: uncontrolled use of antibiotics can cause serious consequences.
Effective folk remedies and herbs
- Blackberry tea. Grind dried blackberry leaves (1 tbsp), pour boiling water over them, strain after a couple of hours. Drink 30 minutes before eating. A good cough suppressant.
- Herbs (cough remedy). One tablespoon of wild strawberry leaves, raspberries, three tablespoons of blackberry leaves, dry crushed tricolor violet (1 tsp). All this needs to be mixed, use a tablespoon of the composition per glass of boiling water, let it brew covered for half an hour, strain. Reception: a glass a couple of times a day.
- Potato . This vegetable will help bring down the temperature. Grate two raw potatoes and mix with a tablespoon of vinegar (apple vinegar). Use the mixture to make compresses on the forehead.
- Viburnum and honey . A mild remedy for colds and runny nose. Mix one tablespoon of viburnum juice and honey, take half an hour before meals.
- Nettle, sage and lemongrass . The herbal tea is good for colds and flu. Mix dry crushed nettle leaves (3 tbsp), the same amount of schisandra chinensis shoots and sage (1 tbsp). Pour a teaspoon of the composition into a glass of boiling water, strain after a couple of hours. Reception: one glass in the morning and evening. If desired, you can add honey.
Fast-acting antiviral agents
A cold can strike each of us when it is completely unacceptable to get sick. When you need to be as focused and full of energy as possible, your nose suddenly starts running and your throat feels sore. They are followed by sneezing and coughing, accompanied by weakness and high fever. In this situation, urgent measures are required. A quick-acting cold remedy will get you back on your feet in time.
How to quickly cure a cold at home
The key to quick healing is to take all necessary measures at the first alarm bell. If the illness occurs for an obvious reason, due to inattention to the immune system or hypothermia, and the symptoms are not a manifestation of the influenza virus, then you can use the following home treatment tips and quick-acting cold remedies.
- Take your temperature. If the mark on the scale has not reached 38 degrees, then you should not take antipyretics for a cold.
- Vitamin C. At the beginning of the disease, a large dose of ascorbic acid will effectively help the body with a cold for a speedy recovery. The best option would be an effervescent vitamin - it is absorbed faster and warms. Five oranges a day will be a natural alternative to pills or capsules and will help treat colds.
- Drink a lot of water, tea, compotes, fruit drinks. They must be warm, this will help remove toxins, which is important for colds.
- Get as much sleep as possible. After drinking a warm drink and crawling under the covers, wearing warm socks and clothes, get as much sleep as possible. Sweating while sleeping is an important part of recovering from a cold. It is better to observe bed rest while in hospital. The room should be frequently ventilated.
- Stay warm. If there is no high temperature, then you can steam your feet and take a hot shower.
- Take your vitamins. Such support will be useful for the body during colds. It is best if he gets it from fruits, but if this is not possible, they should be replaced with pills from the pharmacy.
- Medicines to treat colds. Quick-acting cold remedies sold in the form of diluted teas and powders that should be poured into hot water are suitable. It is permissible to consume three or four of these sachets during the day, but the course should not last more than three days. Powders for colds with Paracetamol reduce fever, eliminate chills, and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Immunostimulating medications will help in treatment. Antiviral medications for colds and flu help kill the infection. If the disease drags on, switch to antibiotic injections.
- Remedies for runny nose, cough and sore throat. If your palate hurts, you can choose either lollipops or mixtures, rinses and sprays. Drops will help you cope with a runny nose, among which it is better to choose not powerful vasoconstrictors, but medicines containing herbs. A sea salt solution will be useful for rinsing the nose. A cold often does not produce sputum, so regular cough suppressants will suffice. If phlegm does appear in the bronchi, you should use a means to remove it.
- Fluid intake. Warm tea, compote or juice promotes sweating and recovery, while removing toxins that prevent the body from fighting a cold. Plain water will not be the best remedy, and carbonated drinks will not help your recovery. You should drink as much as you feel necessary, without overpowering yourself.
- Vodka. Alcohol should be warmed up a little and rubbed all over the body. This remedy will help quickly relieve high fever.
List of the best new generation flu and cold medicines
Today, several classes of drugs are recommended:
- “Arbidol”, “Ozeltamivir”, “Amiksin”, “Viferon”, “Ocillococcinum”, “Ingavirin”, “Kagocel”, “Anaferon” (antiviral).
- “Theraflu”, “Coldrex”, “Fervex”, “Antigrippin”, “Grippferon”, “Anvimax” (antipyretic and sore throat, against influenza and ARVI)
- "Acetylcysteine", "Ambroxol", "Bromhexine", "Carbocysteine" (expectorants)
- “Butamirate”, “Glaucin”, “Prenoxdiazine”, “Levodropropizine” (drugs for dry cough).
- Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin (antipyretics).
- Drops based on xylometazoline, naphazoline (vasoconstrictor for a runny nose).
Review of fast-acting remedies for colds on the lips
Colds that occur on the lips are often herpes - the Herpes Simplex virus, which affects 95 percent of the world's population. Once in the body, it exists unnoticed and “turns on” when the human body is weakened by hypothermia, lack of vitamins, nutrients or other diseases. There are many effective ointments to combat herpes. These products should be applied to areas of the lips affected by colds several times a day, the course should not exceed 5 days.
You should not use your fingers when applying the product due to the risk of transferring the virus to another place. Among the common names of ointments for colds, the best ones in the ranking include “Gerpferon”, “Zovirax”, “Gerpevir”. The main active substance in them is acyclovir, which prevents the multiplication of the virus. Tromantadine-based ointments are available, such as Viru-Merz.
What antiviral drugs can children take?
If a child exhibits symptoms of ARVI and if for some reason a doctor is unavailable, measures should be taken to combat the disease in order to prevent complications. If, after all the simple remedies have been tried, the disease does not recede, you will have to resort to antiviral drugs, but only those that are specifically intended for children. Tamiflu, Remantadine, Relenza, Amantadine are considered acceptable.
If bronchitis occurs in infants, then Ribavirin will help, and if the child’s body is weakened or has heart problems, Synagis will be the best choice. Tamiflu is acceptable for use by children over the age of one year, and Arbidol flu tablets can be given from three years of age. “Interferon” for solution is used at any age, as well as homeopathic drugs such as “Aflubin”, “Anaferon”, “Oscillococcinum”. To lower body temperature, Paracetamol or Nurofen and Ibuprofen syrups are suitable.
Effective folk remedies and herbs
- Blackberry tea. Grind dried blackberry leaves (1 tbsp), pour boiling water over them, strain after a couple of hours. Drink 30 minutes before eating. A good cough suppressant.
- Herbs (cough remedy). One tablespoon of wild strawberry leaves, raspberries, three tablespoons of blackberry leaves, dry crushed tricolor violet (1 tsp). All this needs to be mixed, use a tablespoon of the composition per glass of boiling water, let it brew covered for half an hour, strain. Reception: a glass a couple of times a day.
- Potato. This vegetable will help bring down the temperature. Grate two raw potatoes and mix with a tablespoon of vinegar (apple vinegar). Use the mixture to make compresses on the forehead.
- Viburnum and honey. A mild remedy for colds and runny nose. Mix one tablespoon of viburnum juice and honey, take half an hour before meals.
- Nettle, sage and lemongrass. The herbal tea is good for colds and flu. Mix dry crushed nettle leaves (3 tbsp), the same amount of schisandra chinensis shoots and sage (1 tbsp). Pour a teaspoon of the composition into a glass of boiling water, strain after a couple of hours. Reception: one glass in the morning and evening. If desired, you can add honey.
What is an inexpensive and effective remedy for preventing colds?
Very often, a cold in an adult occurs as a result of a weakened immune system. Exposure to external factors, poor nutrition, and lack of vitamins can lead to a loss of effectiveness of the immune system and increase the likelihood of infections entering the body. To avoid this, interferon inducers can be used. They will ensure the production of natural defenses by the body, which will allow it to successfully resist colds. This type of drugs includes:
The body needs vitamin support. To prevent colds, Vetoron, Gerimax, and Aevit will help. Preparations that help cope with the effects of the external environment - adaptogens - include extracts of lemongrass, eleutherococcus, and leuzea. Immunomodulators, such as Bioaron S, Immunal, Likopid, will help restore the strength of the immune system and will be useful for the prevention of colds and flu.
Antiviral medications used to prevent colds will help give the body additional strength in the fight against pathogens. The best are “Grippferon”, “Viferon”, “Arbidol”, “Amiksin”. Don't forget about honey and vitamin C - they will prevent the development of a cold. Echinacea is a cheap, simple preventative. Get more rest, give up cigarettes and don’t forget to take seasonal vitamins.
Video: what to do at the first sign of a cold
Diagnosis and treatment methods - how to relieve nasal congestion in adults (inhalations)
It is easier to prevent a cold than to struggle with a high fever, runny nose and cough for several days. But if trouble does occur, it is important to help the body cope with the symptoms as quickly as possible, and then fully recover. In most cases, the main “culprit” of the disease is an exacerbation of a chronic bacterial infection.
If cold symptoms occur in a child under 2 years of age, a doctor is definitely needed!
Unlike ARVI, a cold never begins acutely and proceeds sluggishly. At the same time, the duration of the recovery period directly depends on the general state of health, primarily on local immunity. It begins with a slight increase in temperature, usually no higher than 37.5 C, and a runny nose. On the second day, cough, general malaise, weakness and headache appear. In most cases, this is a very mild illness that can only be treated at home.
Treatment of a cold is always symptomatic, that is, aimed at improving during the illness.
In order for full recovery to occur as soon as possible, you need to help the body cope with the disease. To do this, he needs optimal conditions, which simple tips will help create:
- It is necessary to create optimal air parameters in the house: the air temperature should not be higher than 20 - 22 C, and the air humidity should be 60 - 70%. This will help create conditions under which the nasal mucosa does not dry out.
- Ventilate frequently and do wet cleaning every day. If it's cold, it's better to dress warmly, but the air in the room should be fresh, cool and humid.
- You need to drink as much fluid as possible to compensate for its pathological losses during fever.
- For the first 3–4 days, it is advisable to remain in bed. This is necessary in order to reduce the load on the heart and lungs.
- Gargle frequently with a warm sea salt solution. This will help reduce pain and inflammation.
These simple recommendations will help you cope with the disease without complications. In addition, the doctor will prescribe various medications to relieve cold symptoms. They will help the body quickly and effectively cope with the disease, and will also bring visible improvement.
Medication (what antiviral tablets and other medications to take)
Most medications used to treat colds are aimed at reducing or eliminating symptoms. The only exception in this case is antiviral drugs, which are used extremely rarely for colds.
Despite the fact that colds are most often treated on their own, you should take any medications only after consulting a doctor.
All drugs most often used to treat colds can be divided into the following main groups:
- Antipyretics. Help fight high fever, relieve pain and inflammation. It is worth remembering that children under 16 years of age can only be given 2 safe drugs without a doctor’s prescription: Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for the flu.
- Nasal sprays based on purified sea water. These can be Aquamaris, Physiomer, Salin and others. It is worth remembering that children under 3 years old should not use adult sprays and “nasal douches”. For them, there are special children's forms of these drugs in the form of drops.
- Vasoconstrictor drops. They help get rid of nasal congestion, as they effectively relieve swelling of the mucous membrane. The safest of them are drugs such as Nazivin or Sanorin.
- Expectorants . Helps make cough productive by facilitating phlegm expulsion. This could be the well-known marshmallow syrup or Alteyka, Gedelix, Prospan or Gerbion.
Your doctor may also prescribe vitamin C to help keep your body strong. For colds without complications, antiviral drugs or antibiotics are not used.
Traditional medicine against colds: what to take for fever and cough
At the first symptoms of the disease, such as runny nose, weakness and cough, you can immediately use simple and safe home remedies. They will help the body quickly cope with illness and then recover as soon as possible. Unlike medications, they are aimed not only at eliminating symptoms, but also at overall improvement of well-being.
Any home treatment methods and so-called “distraction procedures” for children under 2 years of age - only after consultation with the treating pediatrician!
Inhalations with essential oils or mineral water are excellent for moisturizing the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Healing teas, for example with raspberries, lemon and linden flowers, are excellent at helping to restore fluid loss and restore strength. Delicious ginger tea with honey and orange juice, which has a pronounced antipyretic effect, helps perfectly. It is very good to drink warm milk with honey. You can find out more about what to do if you have a cold in this material.
You should not use aggressive methods to treat colds: mustard baths, rubbing with turpentine, vinegar compresses and others. Instead of the desired benefit, this can cause real harm to health.
To reduce inflammation in the throat, you can use herbal decoctions. This could be chamomile, lemon balm, plantain leaves, coltsfoot, sage, thyme. A tablespoon of dry herb is brewed with 1 cup of boiling water, left for 15 minutes and filtered. The resulting decoction can be drunk as herbal tea, or used as a rinse.
Another vitamin-based way to treat colds is rosehip infusion. To do this, dry rose hips are poured with boiling water and left in a thermos for 2 - 3 hours. This infusion contains a lot of vitamin C and is very tasty to drink with honey.
Flu vaccination - pros and cons
The causes of ear congestion in people who have had a cold are described in this article.
Anti-inflammatory drugs for colds: //drlor.online/zabolevaniya/orvi/prostuda/protivovospalitelnye-sredstva.html
What cold medicines should I take?
A cold is a rather insidious phenomenon that, as a rule, occurs periodically in every person, and certainly does not depend on the weather, time of year or state of health. In order for a cold to bypass you, you need to know how to bypass it and treat it if necessary. Read recommendations from doctors below.
What medicines should I take to treat a cold?
It's no secret that usually the main cause of any cold is severe hypothermia of the human body, despite the fact that it can occur in the hot summer, even from a slight draft. And yet, in any case, in order to avoid getting sick from viral diseases and take as few medications as possible for colds, the very first thing you need to do is strengthen the immune system.
What antiviral drugs can children take?
If a child exhibits symptoms of ARVI and if for some reason a doctor is unavailable, measures should be taken to combat the disease in order to prevent complications. If, after all the simple remedies have been tried, the disease does not recede, you will have to resort to antiviral drugs, but only those that are specifically intended for children. Tamiflu, Remantadine, Relenza, Amantadine are considered acceptable.
If bronchitis occurs in infants, then Ribavirin will help, and if the child’s body is weakened or has heart problems, Synagis will be the best choice. Tamiflu is acceptable for use by children over the age of one year, and Arbidol flu tablets can be given from three years of age. “Interferon” for solution is used at any age, as well as homeopathic drugs such as “Aflubin”, “Anaferon”, “Oscillococcinum”. To lower body temperature, Paracetamol or Nurofen and Ibuprofen syrups are suitable.
- What to take at the first signs of a cold - medications and folk remedies. Cold medicines
- How to cure a cold at home
- How to quickly cure a cold
What pills to take for flu and colds
Medicines that help cope with colds, acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, and influenza are divided into two groups. The first of them is intended for symptomatic treatment. Cold tablets of this group have antipyretic (aspirin), antihistamine (dibazol), analgesic, vasoconstrictor, phlegm thinning (acc) effects, and fight the following manifestations of the disease:
- nasal congestion;
- elevated temperature;
- lacrimation;
- itching;
- muscle pain;
- swelling of the mucous membranes.
The second group of drugs affects the immune system and the causative agent of the disease. They are prescribed only if the viral nature of the cold is detected. Tools in this category include:
- interferon inducers;
- viral protein blockers;
- neuraminidase inhibitors.
Antiviral agents
Antiviral cold medicines are not antibiotics. Their task is not to destroy the pathogen, but to destroy its protein shell, which blocks the development of the virus in the body. Antibiotics for colds are prescribed only when bacterial complications occur. Popular effective antiviral drugs:
- Tamiflu is a drug based on oseltamivir (azintomivir, aziltomirin). Suitable for adults and children.
- "Grippferon" is a complex drug based on interferon alpha-2b.
- "Relenza." The main active ingredient of the drug is zanamivir. Prescribed for the treatment of influenza A, B.
- "Ingavirin" is an effective medicine for swine flu, ARVI.
- "Amiksin". An analogue of the drug is “Tiloron”, “Lavomax”.
- "Arbidol" is a drug for the treatment of influenza A, B, subtypes H1N1, H2N2, H3N2 and H5N1.
- Acyclovir is an antiviral drug based on the thymidine nucleoside.
- "Cycloferon" is a medicine containing methylglucamine acridone acetate.
Immunomodulators
This type of medicine includes homeopathic and synthetic medicines. For colds, thymus preparations, interferons, and cytokines are prescribed:
It should be remembered that you cannot take synthetic immune modulators on your own. When prescribing them, the doctor must take into account the patient’s age, the degree of weakening of the body’s defenses, and the type of disease. In some cases, stimulation of the immune system is limited to taking vitamins or medications of natural origin (tincture of echinacea, eleutherococcus, ginger, lungwort, chicory, etc.).
If you have a cold with fever, what to drink?
An increase in temperature is a normal reaction to the virus entering the body. At this moment, immune cells begin to actively work and destroy the pathogen. Therefore, doctors do not recommend taking any medications at a temperature not exceeding 38.5 °C.
You can help your body by drinking plenty of fluids. Drinks should be consumed warm. Fruit drinks made from lingonberries and raspberries, tea with ginger, honey and lemon, and chamomile infusion help well. Boiled or mineral water will do. You need to drink 50-100 ml every 30-60 minutes.
If the temperature rises above 38.5 °C, you can take antipyretic drugs:
- Ibuprofen.
- Analgin.
- Paracetamol.
- Ibuklin.
Coldrex, Fervex, AntiGrippin are good for cold symptoms. Their composition is enhanced with ascorbic acid. They have pronounced anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive effects.
For treatment to be effective, the patient must follow several recommendations:
- If your body temperature rises, you need to go to bed. At the same time, the room should be fresh and humid. Then it will be easier for the body to tolerate the disease.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking will quickly remove all toxins and viruses, and also restore water balance.
- It is not recommended to eat a lot. Food should be light, but at the same time complete. The menu must include vegetables, fruits and natural juices.
At high temperatures, you can wipe yourself with water and vinegar. But the solution should not be applied to those areas of the body where there are scratches and wounds.
What can pregnant and nursing mothers drink?
Antivirals for acute respiratory viral infections are mostly contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so the main task of women becomes the prevention of colds. If you fail to protect yourself from the disease, then you have to choose safe medications that help reduce high fever, cope with cough, and have an anti-inflammatory effect. For fever, it is best to take paracetamol. This medicine has both antipyretic and analgesic effects. Analogues of Paracetamol - Panadol, Efferalgan.
Tablets based on lysozyme (a natural enzyme) - “Laripront”, “Lizobact” - will be safe (according to the instructions!) for pregnant and lactating mothers for sore throat medications. Tablets for colds accompanied by a severe cough will be “Lazolvan”, “ACC” (powder), “Coldrex broncho” (syrup). Homeopathic Oscillococcinum, Anaferon, Aflubin are also allowed. In any case, taking medications must be coordinated with a doctor, who will make a final verdict in favor or prohibition of any medication.
ARVI without fever
A constant runny nose and sneezing are symptoms of colds, but allergies can also cause them.
In acute respiratory infections, sneezing and runny nose without fever are considered a sign of good immunity.
But they still need to be treated, even though the person may remain active and feel relatively well.
What are the reasons for this phenomenon in an adult, why does this happen, how to treat it at home, what remedy should be taken to eliminate sneezing, runny nose, snot and severe cough - below.
Those who have encountered such unpleasant symptoms as a constant runny nose, sneezing, snot and a strong cough without an increase in body temperature, of course, cannot help but wonder what the reasons for this phenomenon are.
Why does a cold occur this way and what treatment is required?
The most common reasons that can cause a runny nose, sneezing, snot and cough at normal body temperature are:
- Infectious diseases of the nose or throat;
- Allergy;
- Viruses;
- Flu;
- Rhinitis.
In order to eliminate a runny nose and sneezing, you must first find out why a person suffers from such symptoms and what causes them. If the reasons are allergies and dust entering the respiratory tract, then the reason may be dry indoor air, poor cleaning, seasonal release of pollen by plants, gas exhaust in a metropolis or hazardous production.
In this case, to stop frequent sneezing and runny nose, you need to take care of humidifying the air in the room and cleaning it regularly. Snot and cough are a natural protective reaction of the body.
When irritating particles of dust or gases enter the nose, a person begins to sneeze and cough to get rid of them.
In this case, as a rule, there is increased tearing or an allergic rash on the skin. How to eliminate sneezing, sniffles and coughs if their causes are allergies? There is only one way out - to protect all contacts with the irritant. You can also take an antihistamine to relieve swelling and nasal congestion.
If the causes of a runny nose and sneezing are a cold or flu, then the symptoms will be slightly different. Why is this happening?
A person suffers from general weakness, chills, excessive sweating, headache, the nose may be very stuffy, snot, cough, pain and sore throat may be bothersome. When you have a cold, snot, sneezing and runny nose usually appear first, followed by a cough. Treatment requires complex, often sneezing and runny nose will seriously annoy the patient, and it is necessary to know exactly how to stop sneezing.
Sometimes the disease develops in the opposite way, first the body temperature rises, and then a severe cough and snot appear. Treatment cannot be delayed for such a cold, otherwise it may develop into chronic bronchitis.
Sneezing and runny nose may appear in the morning, after a night's sleep. The reasons for this phenomenon may be the growth of polyps in the nose, adenoids, drying out of the mucous membrane due to the fact that the nose is stuffy and the person is forced to breathe through the mouth. Dry mucous membranes can be caused by overuse of vasoconstrictor drops or a problem with the capillaries.
Treatment on your own, if sneezing and runny nose are caused by these very reasons, can lead to complications, which is why it is better to consult a doctor as soon as possible. He will tell you how to treat such a disease and how to stop sneezing, and will prescribe the necessary remedy for a runny nose.
Nasal polyps are a fairly common reason why a person may suffer from snot, cough and runny nose without fever. Often patients prescribe treatment for themselves. The symptoms are eliminated for a short time, but in the end the disease is only healed, not cured, and becomes chronic.
If your nose is stuffy, and this happens all the time, it is not recommended to treat this pathology yourself. A doctor must determine the reasons and prescribe adequate treatment after a full examination, otherwise snot, stuffy nose and allergies will bother you for a very long time. It is impossible to get rid of polyps using folk remedies.
What should you do if your severe sneezing, runny nose or cough is caused by a rhinovirus infection? People become infected with it through airborne droplets. In this case, the following symptoms immediately appear very clearly:
- Swelling of the nose;
- Redness of the mucous membranes of the eyes;
- lacrimation;
- Sometimes the temperature rises if a person has a weak immune system.
Viral infections should be treated with medications, but it should be understood that you cannot get rid of such an infection with antibiotics. Viruses are not sensitive to antibacterial drugs. For colds of this origin, it is very useful to drink decoctions of medicinal herbs.
They will help if your nose is stuffy, also if you have a runny nose, sneezing, it is useful to do inhalation and warming.
How to stop sneezing without medication? If your nose is stuffy, you can treat it at home by rinsing with sea water. Drops based on sea water are sold in pharmacies without a prescription; we have material on our website that covers how to use a nasal rinse spray with sea water.
If a pharmacy is not available, the solution for washing is prepared independently. For this, boiled water and sea or table salt are used.
Of course, only a doctor can determine why the nose swells and does not breathe, whether it is an allergy or a virus. Ideally, he should choose the treatment. A good effect is achieved if you correctly combine medications and folk remedies.
Treatment with folk remedies can relieve symptoms and improve well-being. If you are concerned about allergies, it is recommended that all foods that cause or may cause them be doused with hot water. And you should definitely take care of your immunity.
To increase the body's defenses, you should not only take vitamins and special medications. It also includes good nutrition and rest, exercise and walks in the fresh air.
In damp weather or cold seasons, you should dress warmly, avoid freezing, and avoid getting your feet wet - this is a very common reason why your nose becomes inflamed and swollen and snot and sneezing begin.
As a result, a runny nose and cough always need to be treated, and a specialist will talk about this in detail and professionally in the video in this article.
Symptoms of a cold without fever are often disguised as ordinary fatigue, so it is extremely difficult to take the right medications at the first signs of a cold without knowing the subtleties of the clinical picture.
The process of infection development has several periods:
- Incubation period – no external symptoms appear. It happens the same at any age, and differs only in how many days it lasts. In a child and an elderly person, this period can pass in a few hours; to infect the body of an able-bodied healthy person, the virus will need 2-3 days.
- Development of the affected area - at this stage discomfort appears in the ears, nasopharynx or throat. During this period, the colony of the pathogen grows and consolidates its “position” in the body.
- Cold - at this stage the disease has all the symptoms of a common acute respiratory infection: cough, sore throat, nasal discharge, fever.
- Chronicity of the disease occurs depending on the presence of complications and is characterized by a long continuation of symptoms, without an increase in temperature, or with a slight increase in temperature. The most common complications of a cold are: bronchitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis.
Acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) are a set of acute human infectious diseases that are transmitted primarily by airborne droplets and mainly affect the respiratory system. ARVI includes influenza, parainfluenza, adenoviral infections, respiratory syncytial, rhinovirus and coronavirus infections, and Coxsackievirus disease.
High fever as one of the first symptoms of the disease is most characteristic of influenza. Other acute respiratory viral infections can occur without a significant increase in body temperature. There are 3 main causes of ARVI without fever:
- some viral diseases (for example, rhinovirus infection);
- mild course of the disease;
- decreased immunity in weakened patients.
This ARVI is characterized by predominant damage to the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. It often develops in spring and autumn, mainly in the form of outbreaks in groups. The incubation period lasts from 1 to 6 days, during which time there are no manifestations of the disease. Then there is a runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
Upon examination, it is clear that the nasal mucosa is swollen and red. Redness of the sclera and conjunctiva of the eye may be detected. If there is excessive nasal discharge, the skin near the nasal openings may become red and flaky. The disease usually lasts up to 7 days.
Mild course of ARVI
Mild and erased forms of ARVI most often develop in previously vaccinated patients. This applies to the greatest extent, of course, to the flu. After getting a flu shot, immunity to the seasonal type of virus develops. If a vaccinated person does get sick, the infection occurs in a mild or erased form.
Decreased immunity
Contrary to popular belief, decreased immunity as a reason for the absence of a temperature reaction during ARVI is a rare case. Such a significant weakening of immune reactions can occur in elderly, weakened patients with severe concomitant diseases. ARVI in such patients can manifest itself mainly as severe weakness, lack of appetite, and inactivity.
Catarrhal phenomena in the nasopharynx (runny nose, cough, redness) are not so pronounced. With this course of the disease, there is a high risk of complications, such as the addition of a bacterial infection (for example, pneumonia), worsening of the course of concomitant diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus). Therefore, ARVI in this category of patients requires special attention and timely treatment.
Weakness
What medicines are inexpensive but effective for preventing colds?
Pharmaceutical companies offer a huge range of cold tablets, for which it is easy to find cheap analogues. For example, most combination drugs for symptomatic treatment include paracetamol, which tops the rating of cold tablets. You can take it at the beginning of the disease. Fast-acting effervescent aspirin can be successfully replaced by inexpensive acetylsalicylic acid, and interferon, which is included in antiviral drugs, can easily be found in pharmacies as an independent medicine for the prevention of influenza.
For this purpose, it is worth using oxolinic ointment, an inexpensive tincture of Eleutherococcus or Rhodiola rosea, and ascorbic acid. The expensive "Immunal" will be replaced by echinacea tincture, "Nurofen" - "Ibuprofen", "Lazolvan" and "Ambrobene" - "Ambroxol", "Mukaltin", cough tablets. Gargling with furatsilin tablets will help, like Strepsils or Grammidin.
Find out what cold medicines there are for adults and children.
Lack of fever in pregnant women
Since the patient does not have a fever, it is quite possible to take hot water. It will help relieve nasal congestion, ease breathing and reduce wheezing in the sternum.
A bath for ARVI is very useful if you add components to the water that strengthen the immune system and mobilize the body's defenses. This includes the following broadcasts:
- tea tree;
- eucalyptus;
- bergamot;
- sage;
- lemon;
- lavender.
A cold without fever is a very common occurrence during pregnancy: the immune system is reduced in order to avoid fetal rejection. This is a normal phenomenon when a woman is carrying a fetus, but if there is no protection, it is much easier for malignant microorganisms to infect a person.
A lingering cold is very typical for this period in a woman’s life, and it is also much more difficult to cure, because most effective medications are prohibited from taking.
Only a doctor can choose how to treat a cold without fever during this special period for a woman. He faces a difficult choice: after all, every medication will leave a mark on the baby, as will every missed moment without medication.
Also, do not forget about methods aimed at normalizing work, nutrition and sleep; this can solve the problem with acute respiratory infections even without medications. There is no right choice between the options “to take pills or not,” all that remains is to weigh the potential benefit for the patient and the possible harm to her unborn child.
Feedback on results after use
Marina, 30 years old: I simply don’t know a better medicine for acute respiratory infections than the powerful Cycloferon. Works great against viral infections in five to six days! I bought the notorious “Coldrex”, “Teraflu” and other newfangled drugs, but paracetamol is much more effective and cheaper! I recommend everyone to take our domestic analogues of expensive imported tablets and not overpay money in vain.
Irina, 36 years old: I caught a cold once at a conference where I had to give a report. Runny nose, fever - just a nightmare. I asked the pharmacy to choose something effective, they advised me “Rinicold”. I took a pill at night and then in the morning. All the symptoms disappeared! It was easy to perform, the nose was not red in the photo. So the tablets are excellent, but you need to take them according to the schedule, every 4 hours.
Dmitry, 56 years old: Do not buy expensive imported tablets for colds. Instead, take a package of paracetamol, echinacea and ascorbic acid from the pharmacy. They are precisely the ones that are part of all collaterals. To avoid getting sick, use oxolinic ointment and interferon, and take aspirin for fever. Don’t be tempted by trendy names; at the first sign of inflammation, drink Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.
Can the disease occur without fever?
An increase in temperature in many different diseases is a completely natural and correct reaction of the body aimed at suppressing a viral infection. Its mechanism is as follows.
Body temperature is determined by the thermoregulation center located in the hypothalamus. Special pyrogenic substances act on it. The latter are divided into 2 types: primary – bacterial exotoxins, for example, and secondary – interleukins. Secondary ones are precisely responsible for the increase in temperature: they provoke the production of prostaglandins that affect the hypothalamus.
Under their influence, the hypothalamus evaluates normal body temperature as low and triggers mechanisms to increase temperature. In this case, the viral infection most often dies because it cannot withstand even slight heating.
However, a cold can occur without fever. There are several reasons for this.
- Increased immunity - or the presence of immunity against this pathogen. In this case, there is no need to activate the protective cells by increasing the temperature, this happens automatically. Symptoms of a cold are usually mild, and the general condition is quite satisfactory.
- Weakened immunity – against the background of a severe current illness. In this case, there are too few protective cells to activate the temperature increase mechanism. In this case, the cold is very severe, the symptoms are pronounced, and complications are common.
- Lack of reaction - immune cells do not perceive the pathogen as a pathogen and do not react to its appearance. The disease progresses rapidly and leads to complications because it does not meet resistance.
If in the first case the disease does not cause any particular concern, then in the second and third cases no less effective treatment is required than for fever.
It is impossible to say for sure that the absence of fever during ARVI is good or bad. Each situation should be considered separately, and only after that the doctor will be able to draw a definite conclusion. Here he takes into account the cause of the development of the pathological process and the patient’s age. A cold can occur without a visible increase in body temperature in the following cases:
- weakening of the immune system;
- chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis;
- intestinal dysbiosis.
Massage is one of the effective methods of eliminating cold symptoms. As a result of the special effect of massage on the entire body, it promotes rapid recovery.
For colds, massage has the following effects:
- Removal of toxins. Blood flow is stimulated, which helps eliminate toxins. During acute respiratory viral infections, this is very important, since all dead viral agents and spent leukocytes are evacuated along with them.
- Activation of the body. Since blood flow increases during a massage, it affects the entire body. The blood vessels begin to dilate, muscle tone rises, and even the smallest capillaries are activated.
- Normalization of heart rhythm. Due to active blood flow, the heart rate returns to normal. The heart no longer needs to work hard during a cold.
- Respiratory system support. Massage has a positive effect on pleural tissue, improving its elasticity. This reduces spasms in the bronchi.
- sinusitis - inflammation of the maxillary sinuses;
- bronchitis – inflammation of the bronchi;
- pneumonia - inflammation of the lungs;
- myocarditis – inflammation of the myocardium;
- acute otitis – inflammation of the mucous membranes of the middle ear cavities;
- pyelonephritis is an inflammatory process that affects the kidneys.
ARVI without fever is a common occurrence that requires urgent treatment. To do this, you need to consult a doctor immediately after the first symptoms appear. Then he will be able to accurately determine the culprit of the inflammation, and the prescribed treatment will prevent the development of complications.
Cold tablets
Changes in weather are often accompanied by an outbreak of acute colds and flu.
Feeling unwell, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, fever, they bring you to the pharmacy and put you in front of a choice of all kinds of cold pills.
What cold pills should you choose to treat acute respiratory infections and flu in order to quickly cope with the infection?
All cold medicines are conventionally divided into two groups:
- means that eliminate cold symptoms - symptomatic drugs;
- drugs that act on the virus and strengthen the immune system - antiviral, immunomodulatory agents.
Should expensive things be replaced with cheap ones: reviews
Is it really possible to find a good cheap cold remedy? Or is it better not to take risks and take expensive drugs that have already become familiar to everyone? What do doctors think about this?
Doctors report that some cheap drugs are sometimes better than expensive ones. Unfortunately, recently you can increasingly hear about counterfeit medicines. At the same time, the choice of ill-wishers falls on expensive drugs. After all, it is more profitable to counterfeit a medicine for 1000 rubles than one that costs 20 rubles. In this regard, doctors have recently been trying to prescribe inexpensive generics. But doctors still collaborate with pharmaceutical companies, promoting their drugs. Therefore, this issue remains controversial to this day.
Judging by consumer reviews, we can say that cheap cold medicines are no worse than expensive drugs. The stereotype that expensive means good is gradually crumbling. Perhaps, soon all consumers will take long-proven and inexpensive drugs, abandoning new drugs at exorbitant prices.
Symptomatic treatments for colds
The most common signs of a cold are headache, runny nose, fever, cough, and sore throat. The choice of which tablets to take for a cold depends on the main symptom of acute respiratory disease (ARI).
If the most pronounced symptom of acute respiratory infections is high fever, antipyretic tablets are needed.
For severe muscle pain or headaches, painkillers help, and vasoconstrictors and antihistamines help with a runny nose.
List of the best new generation flu and cold medicines
Today, several classes of drugs are recommended:
- “Theraflu”, “Coldrex”, “Fervex”, “Antigrippin”, “Grippferon”, “Anvimax”, “Influnet” (antipyretics and sore throat relievers, against influenza and ARVI)
- "Acetylcysteine", "Ambroxol", "Bromhexine", "Carbocysteine" (expectorants)
- “Butamirate”, “Glaucin”, “Prenoxdiazine”, “Levodropropizine” (drugs for dry cough).
- Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin (antipyretics).
- Drops based on xylometazoline, naphazoline (vasoconstrictor for a runny nose).
Antiviral agents
Viral infections cause diseases when one's own defenses are weakened. To strengthen the immune system, hardening, playing sports, and eating a balanced diet are useful.
There are effective medications that have a positive effect on the body's condition.
To correctly choose which tablets to treat a cold with, you need to visit a doctor or at least read the instructions very carefully.
The drug Immunal is also used for the prevention of acute respiratory infections and influenza. Immunal tablets are taken to strengthen the immune system and to treat colds caused by a virus. Immunal is allowed for children after 4 years of age.
Interferon
The product is used for preventive purposes, to treat influenza and colds.
Several pharmaceutical drugs are produced based on interferon: Arbidol, Cycloferon, Amiksin, Groprinosin .
The products stimulate a person’s own immunity.
Remantadine
The tablets are used as an antiviral remedy for colds, flu, and as a preventive measure for influenza in adults.
Strong tablets that help against colds include the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
The drug is approved for children over 12 months of age and adults; it can be prescribed by a doctor with caution during pregnancy.
The use of Tamiflu shortens the duration of the disease, reduces the likelihood and severity of complications after influenza and acute respiratory infections.
The antiviral drug Arbidol is low-toxic; tablets of the drug can be used for prophylaxis in case of contact with a patient with the flu or a cold.
Arbidol tablets will help prevent the relapse of herpes with a general decrease in immunity; the drug is effectively used in complex therapy against influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis.
Amiksin tablets have an immunomodulatory effect and are effective against influenza and viruses that cause acute respiratory diseases. The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy, as well as for children under 7 years of age.
The drug is taken according to the schedule, in dosage, according to age. Children over 7 years old are prescribed 3 tablets of Amiksin for colds and flu: one on the 1st, 2nd, 4th day from the start of treatment.
For severe colds, 4 tablets per course of treatment are sufficient; take one on days 1, 2, 4, 6 after the start of treatment.
It is recommended to strictly follow the treatment regimen, perhaps it is precisely because of non-compliance with the regimen of taking three tablets of Amixin for colds that the drug has such conflicting reviews on the forums.
Oxolinic ointment
An excellent prophylactic remedy is oxolinic ointment.
This inexpensive cold remedy works no worse than expensive tablets in bright packaging.
Oxolinic ointment treats runny nose of viral origin and helps with herpes.
Find out about other ointments against a runny nose in our article Ointment for a runny nose.
For colds on the lips, tablets and ointment of the antiviral drug Acyclovir help.
Read more about colds on the lips and treatment methods in our article Colds on the lips.
Review of fast-acting remedies for colds on the lips
Colds that occur on the lips are often herpes - the Herpes Simplex virus, which affects 95 percent of the world's population. Once in the body, it exists unnoticed and “turns on” when the human body is weakened by hypothermia, lack of vitamins, nutrients or other diseases. There are many effective ointments to combat herpes. These products should be applied to areas of the lips affected by colds several times a day, the course should not exceed 5 days.
- New medications for flu and colds
- Flu tablets: antiviral agents
- The first signs of a cold in adults and children
You should not use your fingers when applying the product due to the risk of transferring the virus to another place. Among the common names of ointments for colds, the best ones in the ranking include “Gerpferon”, “Zovirax”, “Gerpevir”. The main active substance in them is acyclovir, which prevents the multiplication of the virus. Tromantadine-based ointments are available, such as Viru-Merz.
Cold tablets during pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is not recommended to take drugs that stimulate the immune system.
This rule must be followed especially strictly in the first trimester of pregnancy.
All antiviral tablets for colds during pregnancy should be prescribed by a doctor, based on feasibility, expected effect and possible risk to the fetus.
Paracetamol is taken as a pain reliever; these tablets are not dangerous for pregnant women, they help against colds and reduce fever.
you should not take tablets containing aspirin, ibuprofen, or codeine. You should not take antiviral drugs without medical supervision.
Instead of vasoconstrictor nasal drops, they limit themselves to rinsing the nose with sea salt, Aquamaris, Pinosol.
For information about what cold medications you can take during pregnancy, read in detail in the article Treatment of colds with medications during pregnancy.
You may also be interested in an article about herpes during pregnancy and methods of its treatment, detailed in the article Colds and herpes during pregnancy.
How to quickly treat a cold without fever in an adult
If signs of a cold have just begun to appear, and the temperature has not yet risen, it is necessary to begin treatment as soon as possible.
Traditional methods will help with this:
- Drinking onion infusion. You will need 1 medium sized onion. It is cleaned and grated. Use gauze to squeeze out the juice. Add 100 ml of boiled water and leave for 5-7 minutes. Take orally three times a day. The therapeutic effect is observed due to the presence of phytoncides in the composition.
- Using a bath with essential oils and sea salt. This method of treatment is suitable only for those patients who do not have any increase in temperature. The water temperature should not exceed 38 C. Add 200 g of sea salt and 5-10 drops of eucalyptus, mint or sage oil to the bath. The procedure lasts no more than 15 minutes. After the bath, you need to lie down in bed and drink a drink of honey, ginger and lemon.
- Gargling and nasal rinsing. Such activities will cleanse the mucous membranes of viruses, mucus and dirt. The best assistant will be a saline solution. To prepare it, take 200 ml of warm water and 1 tsp. salt. You can add 2-3 drops of iodide solution.
If hypothermia occurs in the body, then mustard powder will come to the rescue. It is poured into cotton socks. The patient puts on woolen socks and covers himself with a blanket.
Cold tablets for children
The following are considered effective cold tablets for children:
- children's Anaferon;
- antiviral drug Arbidol.
Arbidol strengthens the immune system and is used to treat and prevent viral infections. The drug is approved for children from two years of age.
Anaferon is approved for newborns from one month. Lozenges help cope with viral respiratory tract infections and prevent flu and colds.
For runny noses and colds, children are prescribed syrups and tablets, their names are algirem, arbidol, remantadine. For allergic rhinitis, Claritin, Erius, and Diazolin are prescribed.
What could be the reasons
The process that many people call “catching a cold” is actually quite complex from a biological point of view. A cold is an acute respiratory infection (ARVI) that occurs against the background of hypothermia.
Acute respiratory infections can be caused by a large number of different microorganisms. Any pathogen of this group is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it is very easy to become infected.
Absence of fever during a cold is a serious deviation. The temperature rises because fever is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against pathogens. This process is considered an indicator of good immunity.
Reflections on the topic “is it good or bad that there is a cold without fever” are unnecessary: it is bad. After all, if the temperature does not rise in the presence of other signs of illness, it means that the immune system has not turned on and the body is weakened.
Cheap cold pills
The difference in prices for expensive drugs and their analogues is significant. Thus, in Ukraine, treatment for colds with expensive tablets and substitutes differs several times.
It is not necessary to treat a cold with expensive, new drugs. The side effects of many drugs are revealed only after time has passed since their use began.
The most famous cheap tablets for colds are acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, analgin, echinacea tincture, ibuprofen, galazolin, ambroxol.
Septefril is a drug that has antiseptic properties, suppresses staphylococci, enterobacteria, viruses, yeast-like fungi, and acts on bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics.
The drug is produced in the form of lozenges; up to 6 tablets can be taken per day; children under 15 years old can take up to 4 tablets. The course of treatment is 3-4 days.
For a runny nose
Expensive vasoconstrictor drops Nazivin and Otrivin can replace cheaper ones: Rinazolin and Farmazolin, and instead of Aquamaris spray they use Marimer, Humer.
Lazolvan can be replaced by its cheap analogues Abrol and Ambroxal.
An analogue of the drug ACC, which dilutes sputum, Acetal is no less effective in breaking up and promoting the removal of sputum, and softens cough.
The antibacterial drug Summed has a cheap analogue, Azithromycin.
Everyone knows the cheap and effective cough tablets Mucaltin. You can read more in our article Mucaltin - a universal remedy for coughs.
Find out more about cough tablets on our website - articles about dry cough in adults, dry cough without fever will be useful.
For sore throat
The drug Strepsils can be replaced by Neo-angin, Angi sept, Rinza lorcept.
Septifril dissolving tablets have a similar effect, and the price of this effective cold remedy is much lower.
Instead of Givalex spray, you can use Ingalipt, Orasept.
Antiviral agents
Arbivir and Immusstat are used instead of Arbidol. Viferon is replaced with Laferobion, and Echinacea-ratiopharm is replaced with Echinacea-lubnypharm.
The price of expensive cold tablets can be many times higher than the cost of an inexpensive analogue. Thus, the cost of Arbidol tablets is much higher than the price of a drug with a similar effect of Remantadine.
Amiksin can be replaced with Lavomax, and instead of Fervex, use paracetamol tablets.
How to treat a cold folk remedies
The main sign of a viral infection is a runny nose. It is accompanied by the separation of clear mucus from the nasal passages.
You can get rid of it using:
- rinsing. The procedure is carried out using saline solution or infusions of medicinal herbs. The water temperature should not exceed 37 °C. Manipulations are carried out up to 6 times a day;
- nasal drops. Several times a day, it is recommended to drip Kalanchoe or aloe juice diluted in water. A product made from onion juice and vegetable oil has a good effect;
inhalations. They have a gentle effect on the mucous membranes. The effect of use lasts for several hours. You can use a special device - a nebulizer or use the traditional method of inhaling water vapor. For inhalation, decoctions of medicinal herbs, mineral water, essential oils, and saline are suitable. The procedure must be repeated 3 times a day;
- dry heating. Heated salt or peas are poured into a fabric bag or handkerchief and then applied to the sinuses. The procedure lasts until the contents of the bag cool down.
If an adult has a sore throat, rinsing will help. At the first signs of a cold, the procedure should be carried out every 1-2 hours. You can gargle with garlic water. To prepare the medicinal solution you will need 2 cloves of garlic. They are crushed to a mushy state, and then poured with a glass of boiled water. Let it brew for about an hour.
Also, for a sore throat, it is recommended to lubricate the tonsils with sea buckthorn oil. The manipulations should be repeated three times a day. Adults can apply a compress of onion juice to the neck area.
A cold in its early stages is often accompanied by a severe headache. The following methods will help get rid of the unpleasant symptom:
- Using the “Star” balm. The ointment contains essential oils. It is used to lubricate the forehead, temples and ears.
- Application of lemon. Lemon juice is rubbed over the temporal and frontal areas.
- If a cough occurs, then you need to rub your chest with goat, bear or badger fat. Before applying it, the mass is melted in a steam bath. When wheezing occurs, add a pinch of mustard powder to the fat.
Warm milk with honey and butter will help with coughing attacks. It is better to drink the drink before bed. It coats the airways well, thins mucus and removes it.
When you have a cold, it is recommended to follow a drinking regime. The patient needs to drink up to 2-3 liters of liquid - water, herbal infusions, tea with honey and ginger. Drinks are consumed warm.
Antibiotics
Antibacterial agents are widely used in the treatment of adults.
The best drugs in this group help against colds complicated by a bacterial infection and complications after the flu. Azithromycin tablets:
- the main active ingredient of the drug is a semi-synthetic representative of the azalide subclass;
- the drug should be used in the treatment of processes associated with the organs of the ear, nose and throat, as well as the respiratory system;
- The long-acting drug should be taken once a day, 1 hour before meals. The duration of therapy for uncomplicated infections is 3 days, for pathologies of moderate severity - 7 days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cosamomglavnom
Aziklar 500:
- tablets consist of an antibacterial agent macrolide, a derivative of erythromycin;
- the drug should be used for infectious lesions of the respiratory system;
- The medicine should be drunk, not chewed. Taking the drug does not depend on food. It is necessary to take one tablet 2 times a day. Duration of treatment: 1 - 2 weeks.
Vilprafen Solutab 1000:
- the drug consists of an antibacterial agent macrolide;
- the drug must be used for pathologies of the respiratory system;
- The daily dosage of the pharmacological drug is 2000 mg. For severe pathologies – 3000 mg. Medicines should be taken 2-3 times. The product can be swallowed with water or dissolved in a small amount of water. Duration of therapy: at least 7 days.
Causes of colds
The main causes of colds are:
- Hypothermia. If the human body is not prepared for sudden temperature changes, then irritation of receptors with cold reflexively causes dysfunction of internal organs and favors the development of the disease. Hypothermia is often accompanied by activation of pathogenic bacteria in the nasal cavity. This leads to the development of rhinitis (runny nose).
- Weak immunity. Factors that reduce the body's protective function are exacerbation of chronic diseases, poor environmental conditions, unhealthy diet, unhealthy lifestyle, the presence of helminths, and stress.
Heartburn medications for pregnant women
An increase in the size of the fetus invariably leads to increased compression on the hollow organs of the pelvis and abdominal cavity. In the second and especially in the third trimester, additional pressure occurs on the bladder, intestines and stomach, which affects their functioning.
Frequent urination and defecation are the norm for pregnant women. Heartburn during pregnancy causes significant discomfort and requires immediate measures to eliminate it. You can get rid of heartburn during pregnancy at home using the following remedies:
- Baking soda solution (1/2 spoon per 200 ml glass).
- Maalox.
- Rennie.
- Gastal.
- Phosphalugel.
- Gaviscon.
- Almagel.
It should be remembered that some of the antacid medications contain aluminum compounds. This component is safe for pregnant women, but may cause constipation. Difficulty in defecation is extremely undesirable, as it increases the risk of hemorrhoids.
Gargling
For pain and sore throat, which are always present with a cold, good results can be obtained from gargling. This procedure allows you to cleanse the mucous membrane of viruses, bacteria, and relieve inflammation. As a gargle, you can take herbal decoctions (chamomile, calendula), as well as a solution of soda, salt, iodine, furatsilin. The rinsing procedure is recommended to be carried out up to 5 times a day. Rinse duration is from 5 to 7 minutes.
Treatment of colds and runny nose
Of course, many people know how to treat a cold and, perhaps, each person has their own “unique and effective” method, but not everyone thinks about what not to do during the treatment process. By making mistakes in this seemingly simple matter, people often get many serious complications that require long-term and complex treatment in the future.
Common mistakes in treatment
The most common mistakes in the treatment of common colds and runny nose in patients of any age include:
- Buying “some” drops for a runny nose. Many people with a runny nose immediately run to the pharmacy and ask to give them “some” drops for this scourge, but this cannot be done. In order to choose the right drops for a runny nose, you need to consult a doctor who will determine the reasons for its occurrence, but they can be different, as well as the stage of the existing disease. The wrong drops in this case can not only worsen the condition, but also lead to serious consequences, because in addition to a cold, it can also be allergic, as well as a symptom of inflammation occurring in the paranasal sinuses.
- In most cases, people do not consider a common runny nose to be a serious illness and endure it on their feet without changing their usual rhythm of life, but this should not be done. The secret to quickly treating this disease is heat. Having a cold with a runny nose on your feet, especially in the cold, can result in serious illnesses, not only sinusitis, but also sinusitis, sinusitis, and even the appearance of polyps.
- It is not necessary, on the advice of a neighbor (relatives, friends), to disinfect the nasal sinuses using peeled onions, garlic or a piece of strong laundry soap by sticking them in your nose. They, of course, can have the necessary effect, but at the same time, the mucous membranes of the sinuses and tonsils, the purpose of which is to protect the body from infections, will not only be overdried, but can also receive a serious burn.
- When buying medications in pharmacies, you should not neglect the instructions for them, since most serious complications during treatment often arise precisely because of non-compliance with the dosage and general rules for using medications.
- You cannot self-prescribe antibiotics. As a rule, they are powerless against a cold, and their use usually leads to the degeneration of viruses and the emergence of new strains of pathogens in the body that will be resistant to antibiotics. As a result, when the use of this category of funds is actually required, they will not have the necessary effect.
- One of the popular home remedies for both children and adults in the fight against colds is warm socks with warming substances, for example, dry mustard. The method is quite effective, but not everyone knows that it is strictly forbidden to use it when the patient’s temperature is high.
- You should not overuse drops for a runny nose or exceed the permissible dosage, as this causes disruption of the microcirculation of the capillaries that feed the human brain and eyes, which can lead to serious consequences. The drops are intended to provide a temporary effect, ease breathing, relieve nasal congestion, but they do not cure anything, however, they can cause addiction due to disruption of the basic function of the mucous membranes.
- Nasal rinsing is another popular method of treating a runny nose, seemingly harmless, but this is not entirely true. Improper implementation of the procedure, as well as preparation of the solution, can lead to serious consequences. For example, the solution can enter the middle ear through the auditory tube and cause otitis media. Do not rinse a stuffy nose. The procedure is completely contraindicated in case of perforation of the eardrum.
Medicines
Pharmacy medicines for the treatment of colds and runny nose in people of any age are also very popular, and the shelves of modern pharmacies are full of a variety of miracle drugs that promise quick and easy relief from ailments. But is it? And what is the essence of the action of expensive drugs?
Perhaps the most popular is Aspirin from various manufacturers and at a fairly high cost, which quickly alleviates the patient’s condition, but the drug is based on the most common Acetylsalicylic acid, costing about 10 rubles.
In second place you can put drops - Otrivin, DlyaNos, Xymelin - which are a vasoconstrictor based on a 0.1% solution of xylometazoline. Regular and inconspicuous drops in the pharmacy, Galazolin, have the same composition, but cost almost 4 times less.
Immunal is very popular, supporting the immune system, strengthening the body and helping it resist cold viruses, which is based on echinacea extract. A regular echinacea tincture, which has the same properties, costs almost 5 times less than the advertised drug.
Ambrobene and Lazolvan are very popular cough remedies for colds, which have a high cost, but they are based on the usual Ambroxol, the price of which, on average, is 50 rubles.
Nurofen, the main component of which is Ibuprofen (costs up to 40 rubles), is often used as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Popular antipyretics - Panadol, Efferalgan and children's Calpol, which greatly alleviate the patient's condition, are based on regular Paracetamol with the addition of various flavoring additives, the cost of which in tablets does not exceed 15 rubles.
Many people, when they have a cold or runny nose, take Coldrex, a drug that alleviates the symptoms of the disease and the human condition, and has a high cost. But few people think that the main active ingredient in this drug is still the same, Paracetamol.
Folk remedies for colds
- Aloe (juice) with honey and wine . Aloe juice mixed with honey and dry wine protects against colds and increases the body's resistance to infectious diseases. The mixture is infused for 5–6 days. Take 1 teaspoon before meals. The juice is made from the lower leaves of the plant. They are washed with cold water, cut into pieces and squeezed through cheesecloth.
- Cherry . A decoction of dried cherries is recommended for children as an antipyretic. To prepare a decoction, 100 g of berries are poured into 0.5 liters of water and a third of the liquid volume is evaporated over low heat under a lid.
- Mustard powder . Pour dry mustard powder into socks and leave them on for 2-3 days. In the first hours of illness, a cold can be stopped with 10-minute foot baths with mustard powder.
- Strawberries or raspberries . It is very useful to drink a decoction of fresh or dried strawberries or raspberries when going to bed, and at the same time breathe a decoction made from the leaves of sage, lady's tree (medicinal wormwood) and wormwood.
- Ginger . Tea with ginger and honey will help against colds. Grate 1/4 cup of ginger, add a glass of honey and cook. Add 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture to tea.
- Lemon . Squeeze the juice from one lemon. Dissolve it together with 100 g of linden honey in 800 ml of boiled water. This drink should be drunk throughout the day. To prevent colds, it is useful to take honey orally: children 5–7 years old – 1 teaspoon, and adults – 1 tablespoon at night. Dissolve honey in 1/2 cup of rosehip decoction. Carry out the procedures for a month.
- Linden (color) . Brew a tablespoon of small-leaved linden flowers in 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain and add 1 tablespoon of honey. Drink 1/4–1/2 cup. The use of honey enhances the diaphoretic effect, so it is advisable to take the infusion at night.
- Burdock (juice) . The flu will go away without complications if you take 1 tablespoon of burdock leaf juice 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. During the harvest season, that is, from June to September, it is recommended to take pure juice, and the rest of the time - tincture: 50 g of vodka per 250 ml of juice, leave for 5-7 days.
- Onions with milk . Boil a glass of milk. Grate a medium-sized onion on a fine grater, pour boiling milk over it and stir well. Let steep for 10 minutes, then drink warm within half an hour.
- Onion garlic . At the first sign of flu, you should cut a large fresh onion and then inhale the onion vapor, repeating this process 3-4 times a day. In between procedures, soak a cotton swab in crushed garlic and put it deep into the nose or prepare garlic drops: crush two small heads of garlic (100 g), pour in a glass of vodka and shake thoroughly; Place 1 drop on your tongue, spreading it all over your mouth, and then swallow. This treatment will be effective if carried out over 3-4 days.
- Onion . During a flu epidemic, it is useful to perform the following procedure for preventive purposes. Grate the onion and inhale the smell of freshly prepared gruel for 10–15 minutes.
- Raspberry, alcohol . Dilute a glass of hot tea with 1 tablespoon of raspberry berries or jam and 1 tablespoon of 70-degree alcohol or wine balsam. Drink in small sips. For a diaphoretic effect, cover your head with a scarf or towel.
- Raspberries . Brew 4 teaspoons of raspberry leaves or fruits with 2 cups of boiling water and leave in a thermos for several hours. Drink 1/2 cup warm 4 times a day. You can also gargle with an infusion of the leaves. Or: brew a tablespoon of dried raspberries with 1 cup of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Drink 1 glass of hot infusion 2 times a day. Use as a diaphoretic.
- Honey and cognac . Dissolve 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of cognac in 1 glass of hot tea. Drink in small sips.
- Milk with honey . Mix 2 tablespoons of honey in a glass of hot milk and drink 2-3 times throughout the day.
- Milk, egg, honey, butter . 0.5 l. Mix slightly warmed raw milk with a fresh chicken egg, add 1 teaspoon of bee honey and the same amount of butter, mix everything thoroughly and drink at night. There is a very good effect of curing colds.
- Rubdown . For a child's cold, thoroughly lubricate the chest, back, neck, arms and legs of the sick child with a mixture prepared from vodka, honey with the addition of one tablet of quinine and aspirin. Let the child sweat, change into dry clothes and put him to bed.
- Oats (juice) . Give your child juice from fresh and green oats, a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
- Perlovka . A decoction of pearl barley is recommended as an antipyretic for children and adults with colds. Pour 100 g of cereal into 1 liter of water and boil over low heat for 10–15 minutes, cool and strain. Take the entire dose in one dose at night. To improve the taste, you can add a tablespoon of natural honey, preferably linden honey. For children, the dose is reduced depending on age.
- Wormwood . In Siberian villages, the following remedy was used for “severe colds” and severe coughs. 20 g of wormwood were infused in 0.5 liters of vodka - the longer the better, but not less than a day. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day and before bedtime. This medicine is not recommended for children.
- Motherwort, chicory . Brew motherwort and chicory root in equal proportions with boiling water like tea, let it brew and take 1/2 cup for colds 3 times a day.
- Collection No. 1 . Mix the fruits of common anise and wormwood herb in 2 parts, white willow bark, cordate linden flowers, and three-leaf leaves - 3 parts each. Prepare a decoction of 1 tablespoon of the collection in 1 glass of water. Take 1-3 glasses a day for colds.
- Collection No. 2 . Collect raspberry fruits (2 parts), coltsfoot leaves (2 parts), oregano herb (1 part). Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain. Drink this diaphoretic infusion warm at night.
- Collection No. 3 . Mix the grass and roots of spring primrose, roots of elecampane, leaves of medicinal sage, buds of Scots pine, peppermint herb, calendula flowers, leaves of great plantain, licorice root, St. John's wort herb, common thyme herb equally. Prepare an infusion from the crushed mixture, strain and take 70 ml 3-5 times a day after meals for acute respiratory diseases.
- Collection No. 4 . Mix chamomile flowers, black elderberry flowers, heart-shaped linden flowers and peppermint leaves equally. Prepare an infusion of a tablespoon of the collection per glass of water. Take 2-3 glasses of hot infusion per day for colds.
- Mixture . Stir 30 g of cognac or vodka, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of raspberries (mashed with sugar or fresh) in a glass of hot milk, add 0.5 teaspoon of soda and drink at night. Prepare a change of clothes, as you will be sweating profusely. For children, this cocktail is prepared without alcohol, with half the dose of ingredients.
- Red currants . For colds with fever and illnesses with a febrile state, it is advised to eat red currant berries or drink their juice.
- Black currant (tincture) . Pour a glass of black currant berries with a glass of vodka, add a glass of sugar syrup and leave for 30 days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. Take 1 glass per day or pour 1 tablespoon of tincture into a glass of hot tea.
- Black currant . An effective folk remedy for the flu is black currant. Make a drink out of it with hot water and sugar. You should drink no more than 4 glasses a day. In winter, it is easy to prepare a decoction from pre-prepared currant branches. Brew a full handful of finely broken branches with 4 cups of water. Boil for 5 minutes and then simmer over low heat for 4 hours. Drink 2 glasses of warm broth at night, slightly sweetened. This treatment must be carried out twice during illness.
- Pine (needles) . Wash and chop fresh pine needles (100 g), then pour in 1 liter of boiling water, bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Leave for 1-2 hours, strain and drink 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day, dissolving 1 tablespoon of honey in the drink. The infusion is rich in vitamin C, as well as other vitamins and microelements. It has a bactericidal effect, speeds up recovery from flu and colds.
- Tea or milk with honey . For colds, take honey with hot tea or milk at night (1 tablespoon of honey per 1 glass of tea or milk) with lemon juice (100 g of honey and the juice of 1/2 lemon per day), raspberries and other medicinal plants that have diaphoretic or expectorant properties action. At the same time, the healing effect of honey and medicinal plants is enhanced.
- Garlic with honey . Grate the garlic on a fine grater and mix with honey in a 1:1 ratio. Take 1 tablespoon 1-2 times a day with water.
- Garlic . Finely crush a few cloves of peeled garlic and stir in a glass of milk. Next, boil this mixture and let it cool. Take a teaspoon several times a day - this will significantly soften the clinical course of the disease.
- Eucalyptus . For the flu, it is useful to take an alcoholic tincture of eucalyptus leaves. Pour 20 g of dry crushed eucalyptus leaves with alcohol, seal tightly and leave for 7-8 days. Strain and squeeze the remainder into the tincture. Take 20–25 drops diluted in 1/4 cup of boiled water.
Folk remedies for runny nose
- Aloe . For a runny nose, instill 3-5 drops of aloe into each nostril 4-5 times a day, tilting your head back and massaging the wings of the nose after instillation.
- Ledum . For a runny nose, it is recommended to instill a mixture of wild rosemary extract and vegetable oil 2 times a day. Mix 1 g of wild rosemary extract with 9 g of vegetable oil, boil and steam this mixture in the oven for several minutes. Ledum extract: brew 2 teaspoons of wild rosemary with 1 cup of boiling water, put on low heat, keep until half of the water has boiled away.
- Bathhouse . To cure a runny nose, it is very useful to sweat in a steamy Russian bath. In this case, it is recommended to grate the rump with grated radish (preferably half and half with grated horseradish), mixed with a small amount of honey and salt, and after leaving the bathhouse, drink 2-4 cups of a decoction of linden, elderberry or chamomile flowers mixed with the juice of sour berries.
- Mustard with salt (baths) . For runny nose, cough, and respiratory diseases, mustard-salt foot baths are recommended. Add 200 g of table salt and 150 g of mustard to a bucket of warm water. Place both legs up to the shins in the bucket, covering them with a warm blanket on top. Keep your feet in the solution until they turn red, then rinse them with warm, clean water and, putting on woolen socks, go to bed. For varicose veins, foot baths are contraindicated.
- Iodine . At the very beginning of a runny nose, if it does not accompany an illness such as the flu, it is recommended to drink 1/2 glass of water with five drops of iodine.
- Iodine . Iodine will also help against chronic runny nose. Dissolve 6-7 drops with 2 teaspoons of boiled water and instill the mixture 2 times a day, morning and evening. In addition, during the day you need to inhale iodine vapor directly from the bottle more often, first with one, then with the other nostril. Sea salt is also rich in iodine and has a strong antiseptic effect. It is diluted in the following proportion: 1 teaspoon per 250 ml of warm water for adults and 500 ml for children. Rinse your nose with this solution, pouring the liquid into one nostril in a thin stream so that it flows out of the other.
- Menthol oil . When you have a runny nose, place 3-5 drops of menthol oil into your nose, while lubricating your forehead, temples, and nose with it. You can mix menthol oil with camphor oil and do the same procedure.
- Nasal rinsing . Rinse your nose with warm, slightly salted water with the addition of calendula or eucalyptus tincture (1 teaspoon per 0.5 liters of water). To do this, you need to bend over the vessel, suck in the solution with your nose and release it from your mouth. Thus, rinse your nose with the entire solution without raising your head. Blow your nose. Do this procedure twice a day, morning and evening, for chronic runny nose.
- Millet porridge (for warming up ) . If a child has a prolonged runny nose, sew a narrow bag of linen fabric, fill it with warm, hard-cooked millet porridge and place the bag on the nose area so that it covers the maxillary sinuses. Keep it as long as it stays warm.
- Red beets (juice) . For children, especially small ones, when they have a runny nose, drop freshly prepared red beet juice into their nose.
- Mixture . Mix 30 g of sea buckthorn oil, 20 g of fresh calendula juice, 15 g of melted cocoa butter, 10 g of honey, 5 g of propolis. If you have a runny nose, soak a cotton swab in this mixture and insert it into your nose for 20 minutes.
- Soda, iodine . When you have a runny nose, sniff your nose often and rinse your mouth with the following mixture: 4 teaspoons of baking soda and 5 drops of iodine per glass of water.
- Capsicum (tincture) . If you have a runny nose, it is recommended to wrap your feet in gauze soaked in an alcoholic infusion of capsicum, put on wool socks on top and go to bed.
- Eucalyptus and marshmallow . For a runny nose, decoctions of eucalyptus and marshmallow leaves are very helpful. Eucalyptus has effective disinfectant and astringent properties, and marshmallow has anti-inflammatory and enveloping properties. You need to prepare decoctions separately: take 10 g of crushed eucalyptus leaves and 20 g of marshmallow leaves per glass of boiling water. Boil them for 5-10 minutes and strain. Mix the decoctions in equal proportions, pour into a teapot and rinse your nose 5-6 times a day, 2-3 times each time.
How to treat flu without fever
Is fever a mandatory symptom of influenza? This is a question that interests many patients. You can often hear from colleagues, acquaintances or relatives: “I always get sick without a fever.”
This does not mean chronic diseases, but seasonal colds. Is this possible and why does the disease sometimes occur without an increase in temperature?
The flu is a rather insidious disease, fraught with numerous complications, so at the first symptoms you need to start treating it. If treatment is delayed, you will have to spend much more time and money to get rid of the disease.
The fact that the temperature has not increased does not mean that the disease is not developing and its other manifestations can be ignored.
Flu has become a very common disease lately, so almost everyone can immediately recognize its symptoms. If weakness, cough, runny nose occurs, but the temperature does not rise, the patient, as a rule, diagnoses himself with a cold.
However, the upper respiratory tract can also be affected by a virus - it is not so easy to treat.
The causative agent of influenza is always a virus. Rhinoviruses are considered the most active. A virus of this type penetrates into the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and begins to multiply there intensively. After just a short period of time, a person feels the characteristic symptoms of a cold - weakness, headache, lack of appetite, dry cough and sore throat.
For what reason does a cold without fever occur most often in the cold season? The answer is simple. Some people believe that the flu virus is seasonal. This is not entirely true. At low temperatures, blood vessels narrow and metabolic processes slow down slightly.
Mucus, which is the natural protection of the nasopharynx from contact with microorganisms, is produced in smaller quantities. The nasopharynx becomes vulnerable, and therefore the person begins to get sick.
Another reason is decreased immunity during the cold season. A favorable environment is created for bacteria and viruses in such climatic conditions. If a cold develops without fever, this indicates that the body’s immune system is able to neutralize the virus without the participation of the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus is responsible for producing antibodies if a virus enters the body. At the same time, the body temperature always rises.
If this does not happen, it means that the hypothalamus was not involved and the body copes with the disease on its own. Of course he needs help.
But in this case it is not necessary to use potent medications - folk remedies that strengthen the immune system are sufficient.
A cold without fever manifests itself somewhat differently than the common flu. Symptoms are often mistaken for normal fatigue, and treatment begins with a significant delay. This leads to the development of a lingering cold, which often causes unpleasant complications.
The incubation period lasts no more than three days. Then the person begins to feel discomfort in the nasopharynx. Coughing, sneezing, and runny nose occur. The temperature does not always rise. Typical flu symptoms:
- Watery nasal discharge, which after a few days becomes thicker and takes on a greenish tint4
- Sore throat;
- The cough is dry at first, turning into a wet cough after two or three days.
If there are no complications and the adult does not have a fever, the problem goes away on its own within a week. Symptoms such as cough or runny nose without fever may persist for several weeks. Often such a virus transforms into chronic pharyngitis, bronchitis or tracheitis.
Colds without fever can also occur during pregnancy. Colds without fever are much less common in young children. The child’s body is not yet fully formed, his immune system is not as strong as that of adults, so the virus usually manifests itself acutely, with all the accompanying symptoms.
If a child does not have a fever, but has a cough or runny nose, be sure to consult a doctor and begin treatment to prevent a common cold from developing into bronchitis, laryngitis or sinusitis.
In most cases, the cause of illness is the influenza virus; it is not difficult to diagnose it, even if there is no fever.
How to treat a virus
The description of influenza and methods of its treatment were set out in medical reference books of the Middle Ages. But, nevertheless, a truly effective cure for the virus has not been found to this day. Treatment consists of eliminating symptoms and alleviating the general condition of the patient.
If you have a cold without fever, there is no point in taking antibiotics - viruses are resistant to medications in this group. It is better to drink tea with lemon, honey, ginger or raspberries. Treatment is carried out mainly with folk remedies, rather than with medications.
For the flu, it is good to take a hot foot bath with mustard powder, after which you need to rub your feet with vodka or turpentine-based ointment, put on woolen socks and lie down under a blanket. But this treatment is not suitable for women carrying a child. It is better for them to drink a warm rosehip decoction and wrap a scarf around their neck if their throat hurts.
In general, when you have the flu you should always drink a lot:
- Ideally, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs.
- Sage, chamomile, and lemon balm are good for eliminating cough, weakness, and sore throat.
- Do not rush to take pharmaceutical medications.
- A sore throat, pain, swelling and redness is best eliminated by inhalation.
Inhalations are done with an infusion of pine buds, eucalyptus, or a solution of soda and iodine. The procedure must be carried out twice a day: morning and evening.
But you should not inhale immediately before going outside - such treatment will not be effective.
A well-known home remedy for a very severe cough helps - warm milk with soda or alkaline mineral water (for example, Borjomi).
So, when you have a cold, it is best to drink warmed milk with butter and honey before going to bed. The drink should be taken in small sips so that the discharge of mucus in the larynx is not inhibited.
If a patient with a cold without fever feels unwell, weakness occurs, and discomfort in the nasopharynx bothers him, it is not necessary to take powders and tablets. Rinsing will improve your well-being.
The most effective solutions are salt, soda and iodine or furatsilin. Chamomile also relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane and helps reduce pain. You need to gargle at least five times a day.
You can also take this home remedy internally:
- You need to squeeze the juice of one lemon and combine it with 100 grams. natural honey. You need to take the mixture twice a day, two teaspoons.
- You can cure a runny nose with drops from the juice of root vegetables. Freshly squeezed beet and carrot juice are taken in equal proportions, and a little honey is added. Five drops of this mixture should be instilled into each nostril two to three times a day.
All these remedies will be very useful during pregnancy, when it is undesirable to take medications so as not to harm the baby. If you are going to take pharmaceuticals, then preference is given to plant-based cough syrups and mixtures. You can also take tablets with an expectorant effect - mucaltin or tusuprex.
Severe nasal congestion is relieved with the help of vasoconstrictor drops - Nazivin, Naphthyzin, Sanorin. But such drugs cannot be used more than 2-3 times a day, especially when treating children.
And finally, in the video in this article, a specialist will tell you what to do when you have a cold and how to treat it correctly.
Is there flu without fever? This is a question asked by many patients. The flu is considered a very insidious disease, and as soon as you have it, you must immediately begin treatment: if this is not done, then in the future it will result in large financial costs for you.
Nowadays, every person experiences the flu so often that almost from the first days of the disease he can determine the state of his body. Most often, people diagnose themselves with a cold. But even such a simple disease at first glance can relate to viral infections that affect the upper respiratory tract and nasopharynx. If you don’t delve too deeply into medical terminology, rhinoviruses are considered the most active. When they enter the human body, they multiply in the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, which subsequently leads to the development of an inflammatory process in the upper respiratory tract, resulting in the formation of colds and flu. Usually this condition occurs during the cold season, and many people are tormented by the same question: why during this period? And the answer is simple: since some viruses are considered seasonal, they lie in wait for us in the cold.
Medical experts confidently identify 2 more reasons. First of all, this is the likelihood of a purely physiological occurrence of influenza without fever. That is, during the cooling period, under the influence of cold air, the blood supply to the mucous membrane changes so much that this results in a reduction in mucus production. At such a moment, viruses begin to enter the respiratory tract and begin to multiply intensively.
Another reason is that cold weather reduces the body's defenses. Immunity is so reduced that a favorable environment is created for viruses and infections. And if a person has the flu, which develops without fever, then we can safely say about the strength of the patient’s immunity, which actively copes with pests without the participation of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the function of producing protective antibodies in the body.
But many medical experts argue that the body's increased protective function against infections during hypothermia is nothing more than a myth. Influenza is caused by a virus that spreads through the air or through direct contact when a person is near a source of infection.
What are the signs of such a disease? The incubation period for influenza without fever is 2 to 3 days on average. A person begins to experience unpleasant sensations in the nose and throat, sneezing and rhinitis occur. If you trust medical statistics, they state that 60% of people begin to complain of a cough, and 40% of pain in the throat. All patients develop rhinitis, but not everyone experiences an increase in body temperature.
Why is there no temperature?
Colds mainly affect the human body in the cold season, in the off-season, when there is a sharp change in weather conditions. Against the background of hypothermia, malaise, weakness and fever occur.
There are the following reasons for the development of a cold without a rise in body temperature:
- Rhinovirus infection. This cold is characterized by inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. The duration of the incubation period is 1-6 days, and after this a runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion occur.
- Mild course of ARVI. This happens mainly in patients who have previously received a vaccine. The following symptoms are observed: runny nose, cough, redness of the throat, headache.
- Reduced defenses. Weakening of immune reactions occurs mainly in elderly patients, as well as in patients with concomitant pathologies. ARVI is accompanied by weakness, poor appetite, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Medications
The best medicine is prevention. Naturally, it is impossible to completely insure against a possible cold, so at the first symptoms it is necessary to take action. How to treat a cold depends on the characteristics of the symptoms.
Some doctors recommend starting to take antiviral drugs and immunomodulators in the first days of illness. Their action is based on the introduction of artificial or stimulation of the production of their own interferon.
They are especially often prescribed when treating children. The World Health Organization believes that taking such medications is inappropriate. There is no reliable clinical trial data confirming their effectiveness.
Symptomatic therapy
Symptomatic therapy includes:
- antipyretics;
- expectorants;
- throat sprays;
- nasal drops.
Medicines by point of action
The last category includes several types of drugs, the most effective of which are vasoconstrictors and sea water.
The former are used to relieve swelling of the mucous membrane and facilitate breathing. They help prevent possible complications, including otitis media and sinusitis. Typically these are drops based on xylometazoline and oxymetazoline.
Sea water is necessary to moisturize the mucous membrane and remove pathogenic microorganisms from the nasopharynx. Instead, you can use a cheaper analogue - saline solution.
Throat sprays may contain antiseptics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and pain relievers. It is important to pay attention to the indications and composition of the drug so that the active ingredients do not cause an allergic reaction.
Complex action agents that eliminate symptoms include drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, phenylephrine and other substances. Depending on the composition, they relieve an allergic reaction, facilitate breathing through the nose, and eliminate fever.
The temperature during a cold does not drop to 38.5 degrees; if it rises above, you can use drugs with paracetamol or phenylpropionic acid derivatives.
You should not self-prescribe antibiotics and take them if you are not sure of the bacterial origin of the disease. Before deciding what to take, you should consult a physician.
Antiviral drugs for influenza
First generation antiviral drugs (adamantine series) were synthesized in 1961. Their prominent representative is Rimantadine, which is used for the prevention and treatment of influenza A virus. The effectiveness of the drug reaches 70 - 90%. The drug blocks ion channels through which hydrogen ions penetrate into the virus, triggering the mechanism for proper unpacking of the genome and the production of RNA copies. That is, Rimantadine blocks viral replication.
For prophylactic purposes, the drug is used for two weeks. For therapeutic purposes - from the moment the first symptoms of influenza appear. Resistance to the drug develops in every third patient.
Second generation antiviral drugs have been developed relatively recently. They inhibit the viral enzyme neuramidase, which promotes the separation of newly formed viral particles from the host cell for subsequent penetration into new cells.
Drugs in this group are active against the influenza A virus and influenza B virus. They prevent the development of the inflammatory reaction, relieve fever, muscle and joint pain, and restore appetite.
The drugs are effective when taken within the first 48 hours of the onset of the disease. If you have the flu, use it for 5 days. To prevent the disease - 4 - 6 weeks.
Drugs in this group include:
- Zamavir (Relenza) is administered intranasally. The drug has a rapid antiviral effect due to the inhalation route of administration, which provides a high concentration of the drug in the affected area in the shortest possible time.
- Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) blocks the surface protein of the virus A and B neuraminidase, which promotes the separation of newly formed viral particles from the cell for subsequent penetration into new host cells. Taking Tamiflu shortens the healing time and reduces the incidence of complications.
Other antiviral drugs
- Ingavirin is a complex drug with antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Active against influenza A and B, including swine flu. Ingavirin suppresses the reproduction of viruses, promotes an increase in interferons in the blood and NK-T cells that destroy viruses, and has an anti-inflammatory effect, as it suppresses the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
- Arbidol today is the most studied drug developed by domestic scientists. It has an inhibitory effect not only on influenza A and B viruses, but also on other viruses that cause respiratory diseases, and stimulates the work of phagocytes. Resistance to Arbidol is practically not developed. It is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. When taking Arbidol, the treatment period for influenza is reduced and the number of post-influenza complications is significantly reduced.
Rice. 3. Capsules and powder for the preparation of Tamiflu suspensions for the treatment and prevention of influenza in children from the 1st year of life and adults. Has antiviral activity.
Rice. 4. Antiviral agent - Ingavirin in capsules.
Rice. 1. Antiviral drugs Arbidol (tablets) and Arbidol maximum (capsules) are used for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children from 3 years of age and in adults.
Antiviral drugs are used only during influenza epidemics. In all other cases they are ineffective. In the structure of acute respiratory diseases, influenza makes up about 10%.
Interferon inducers - immune stimulants
Interferons have an antiviral effect because they regulate the synthesis of cytokines - regulators of intercellular and intersystem interactions. Interferon inducer drugs cause the synthesis of their own α- and β-interferons in leukocytes, macrophages, epithelial cells, tissues of the spleen, liver, lungs and brain, thereby correcting the immune status of the body. Interferon inducers are represented by natural and synthetic compounds:
- Amiksin is a synthetic drug that promotes the production of endogenous interferon by intestinal epithelial cells, liver, T-lymphocytes and granulocytes. Taken from the first hours of illness.
- Cycloferon is a synthetic drug that promotes the production of endogenous interferon-α. Quickly penetrates into various organs, tissues and biological fluids, including the brain. Patients tolerate this drug well. In addition, Cycloferon prevents the destruction of respiratory tract epithelium by viruses and increases the production of lysozyme in saliva.
- Kagocel - induces the production of late interferon in almost all cell populations that are responsible for the immune response. The drug circulates in the bloodstream for up to 5 days.
- Ridostin is a natural drug obtained from the lysate (products of cell breakdown into fragments) of the killer yeast Saccharamyces cervisiae. Ridostin, on the one hand, stimulates the production of bone marrow stem cells, on the other hand, it activates the work of the cellular immune system - macrophages and neutrophils, and affects the level of corticosteroid hormones, which are so necessary to fight inflammation.
- Dibazol is a synthetic drug that promotes the production of endogenous interferon. Used to prevent influenza.
- Vireferon is a synthetic drug that promotes the production of endogenous interferon α -2b. Tocopherol acetate and ascorbic acid, which are part of the drug, stabilize the cell membrane, which is susceptible to destruction by influenza viruses.
Rice. 5. Interferon stimulators Kagocel and Amiksin for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children and adults.
Interferon preparations
Interferons in the human body are secreted by a number of cells in response to invading viruses. They are produced by blood cells and are able to suppress the proliferation of viruses in infected cells. Interferon preparations are obtained from donor blood and are created using genetic engineering. This group includes Reaferon, Realdiron, Betaferon, Roferon A, Intron A, Wellferon, human leukocyte interferron.
Grippferon is a genetically engineered recombinant drug interferon α-2b. It is active against a number of viruses that cause acute respiratory diseases - influenza virus, corona viruses, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, influenza viruses and parainfluenza. Grippferon has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. When taking Grippferon, the treatment period for influenza is reduced and the number of post-influenza complications is significantly reduced.
What is a runny nose and why does it still need to be treated?
Rhinitis (runny nose) is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. In the nasal cavity, the infection “lingers,” so a runny nose is a kind of protection of the body from the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the lower respiratory tract and the development of serious complications of a cold, such as bronchitis or pneumonia (pneumonia). A runny nose, as a symptom, can occur in such serious diseases as sinusitis, sinusitis, pansinusitis, which, if not diagnosed and treated in time, can even lead to inflammation of the meninges, which is generally unsafe for life. A runny nose can mask the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from ethmoid bone fractures. If you start a runny nose, the inflammatory process can become chronic. For example, a rather severe and difficult to treat disease such as atrophic rhinitis may develop, in which the epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa completely lose their functions.
A runny nose is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms: nasal congestion, impaired nasal breathing, loss of smell. What can I say? A runny nose still needs to be treated. Just what?
Treatment of colds in children
If a child has a cold, the parent needs to know how to quickly cure it. When treating children, certain precautions must be taken.
For children, the limiting temperature to which antipyretics should not be given is not 38.5, but 38. In children, hyperthermia can cause dangerous febrile convulsions. They should not be given berry decoctions, which can cause allergies; honey should be used with caution.
The basic rule is to do no harm. You should not get carried away with pharmaceuticals; you need to call a doctor. Many treatment methods that are used for adults are unacceptable in this case. It is not recommended to hover your child's feet to avoid burns.
The use of iodine and products based on it is contraindicated for children under 5 years of age; they can cause burns. If the child is very small and lies most of the time (under the age of one year), he needs to remove mucus from the nose with a special nasal aspirator.
It is not recommended to do inhalations, especially steam inhalations, at temperatures above 37.5 degrees. Under no circumstances should analgin and aspirin be used as antipyretics for children; the latter has a high hepatotoxic effect. You should not wrap up a small child if he has a fever, as this can seriously worsen his condition.
It is necessary that the air in the room is cool and humid, then it will be easier for him to breathe. If there is no temperature, it is recommended to go outside, do inhalations with a nebulizer, and humidify the air in the room. Doctors remind that it is necessary to treat colds in children using vasoconstrictor drops for the common cold to prevent the development of otitis media.
Cough with a cold
A cold is often accompanied by a cough, which can be dry or wet. The choice of remedy for its treatment depends on the type of cough.
When you have a sore throat due to a cold, you need to take local anti-inflammatory drugs (Hexoral, Faringosept) or use sprays (Cameton, Hexoral, Bioparox). For a dry cough, combination drugs such as Stoptussin or Gedelix are needed. They reduce the frequency and intensity of cough, reduce the inflammatory process.
When coughing up mucus begins, it should be expelled. In this case, it is necessary to use drugs that dilute and remove mucus. These are ACC, Bromhexine, Lazolvan. To help remove mucus better, it is recommended to use inhalations with decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, sage, eucalyptus, mint).
Often the cough is very painful and paroxysmal. In this case, you need drugs that suppress the cough reflex, these include Sinekod, Codelac. However, they can only be used as prescribed by a doctor. The fact is that cough suppressants prevent the removal of sputum, that is, the infection continues to remain in the bronchi. Gradually it will penetrate into the lungs and pneumonia may develop.
In folk medicine, milk and honey occupy leading positions in the fight against cough. These 2 products are most often used together, but other ingredients can be added to this delicious drink - onion juice, eggs, butter, sage, cognac. It is important to remember that at a temperature of 100 ºС honey completely loses its beneficial properties. Therefore, you cannot add it to hot milk; the optimal temperature for dissolving honey and preserving all its beneficial properties is 50 ºС. We must not forget that many people are allergic to bee products, so natural honey (and it is useless to use any other honey to treat a cough) should be given to children with great caution.
Ways to prevent colds at home
According to experts, prevention is an excellent way to combat runny nose and colds. To ensure that it does not take you by surprise, it is advisable to adhere to the following preventive measures:
- Lead a healthy lifestyle that helps strengthen the immune system and your own defenses, and also prevents the development of colds.
- Do not drink alcohol as soon as the first signs of illness are felt. This significantly worsens the patient's condition.
- Harden yourself regularly: hardening procedures help improve immunity and help prevent illness.
- Drafts must be avoided at all costs.
- Take multivitamins and immunostimulants.
- During an epidemic, it is necessary to get vaccinated and take antiviral drugs.
Following these recommendations will help you avoid colds. Treatment of runny nose and colds is carried out in various ways. Drug therapy, as well as traditional methods, are carried out only after consultation with a qualified doctor.
Non-drug therapy
Organizational and security measures. During the height of the disease and during fever, physical activity should be limited and bed rest should be maintained. Such measures are needed to alleviate the condition and prevent the development of complications. During the period of convalescence, semi-bed rest is indicated. Three days after the temperature normalizes, the regimen is expanded.
Nutrition for the flu. The daily diet should be balanced in the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with sufficient nutritional value. When preparing dishes, it is better to use gentle heat treatment methods. For an acute period of influenza, dairy and fermented milk products, vegetable salads, various cereals, broths and liquid soups are well suited. The diet is gradually supplemented with other products.
Drinking regime. The daily volume of fluid should be 1.5-2 liters. You should drink frequently in small portions. Warm tea (raspberries, viburnum, mint), juices from fruits rich in vitamin C (orange, grapefruit, pomegranate, etc.), cranberry juice, infusion and decoction of rose hips will help cope with intoxication.
Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed after normalization of body temperature to improve new breathing, facilitate mucus discharge and improve general condition. Alkaline inhalations, postural massage, electrophoresis, UHF therapy, UV irradiation and others are widely used.
Anti-inflammatory drugs for colds in adults
There is a huge variety of dosage forms for acute respiratory infections for adults. Brands such as Teraflu, Kagocel, Arbidol and others have proven themselves to be excellent, but their prices are always a little overpriced, while there are many other similar cheap and effective products.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are inexpensive but effective for colds:
- Cold. Contains paracetamol and vitamin C. Take 1 sachet every 4 hours. The maximum daily dose is 4 sachets.
- Bronchorus. Mucolytic agent. Available in tablets and syrup form. A strong medicine for prolonged and severe cough.
- Rimantadine (antiviral). It has a positive effect in the form of prevention and at the initial stage of illness.
- Bronchoactive (sage). Lozenges, 2 tablets up to 4 times a day. The maximum course is 3 weeks.
- Cashnol. Available in the form of syrup. Has a bronchodilator effect. Use 2 tsp. 3 times a day. The break between doses is at least 6 hours.
The list contains medications in the price category up to 200 rubles. Attention! Prices may vary between pharmacies. The main effect of all medications is to kill viruses and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
For prevention in the fall, it is recommended to take a monthly course of vitamins: Supradin, Alphabet, Actimmune, Vitrum, Complivit and others.
Other methods
The following measures can help quickly cure colds and runny nose:
- Take sick leave and stay at home, wrap yourself up well, put on warm socks and put mustard powder in them. During rest, the body recovers better and produces the energy necessary to fight the disease.
- At a temperature of 36.6-37.2 degrees, you can do light exercises and take a contrast shower - this will stimulate sweating.
- If the temperature does not rise above 37.5, you can go outside.
- It is necessary to ventilate the room 2 times a day. It is not recommended to be in a draft so as not to cause complications.
- Sometimes ventilation is supplemented with quartz treatment. Ultraviolet irradiation reduces the number of viruses in a room. After disinfection, the windows are opened, the room is filled with oxygen, and the ozone disappears.
Patients with cold symptoms are advised to take hot baths and wash their faces more often to cleanse the skin of bacteria. You need to change your bed as often as possible and ventilate it on the balcony.
Sweating profusely helps cleanse the body of viral waste products. It also lowers the temperature. Herbs are used to stimulate the sweating process. They recommend a decoction of birch, burdock, sage, dill, chamomile flowers, and marshmallow root. The decoction is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials pour 1 tbsp. cold water, the broth is heated in a water bath and infused. Cranberry juices, lingonberry infusion, viburnum and raspberry tea also help reduce heat.
Bed rest helps treat colds.
Headache medications for pregnant women
Almost any disease is accompanied by pain. They signal to us that not everything is in order in the body and urgent help is required. Toothache and headache are the most common reasons for using painkillers or analgesics.
In addition, a pregnant woman becomes more sensitive to irritating factors. Therefore, headaches during pregnancy are not at all uncommon, and it can be treated with the following means:
- Paracetamol. The safety of the drug is beyond doubt. It is recommended to start taking the drug with a pediatric dosage (250 mg) and, if there is no effect, gradually increase the dose.
- No-shpa tablets and Papaverine suppositories are used to eliminate cerebral vasospasm. Such spasms can cause severe headaches and migraines.
- Ibuprofen, Nurofen. However, these drugs are not used in the 3rd trimester and are used with caution in the 1st and 2nd trimesters.
This list of safe painkillers can be supplemented with auxiliary measures to eliminate pain:
- Rest more in a calm environment; if necessary, you can take 1 tablet of Valerian.
- Use aromatic oils (lavender, mint, tea tree) or Golden Star balm. This will take your mind off the pain.
- Place a cloth moistened with cool water on your head.
- Ventilate the room more often and avoid air stagnation.
- Traditional methods of treating headaches. You can apply a cabbage leaf or lemon zest to your head.
How long does ARVI last in adults without fever?
The duration of the incubation period in adults is 3-5 days. It is impossible to understand exactly how long it will take from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms of a cold. The number of days depends on the type of virus that has entered the body. Also, a special role is assigned to human immunity.
Attention! If the immune defense is strong, the pathogen may die even before the first symptoms of a cold appear. This form of ARVI is called latent.
How many days is a patient contagious?
The patient ceases to be a virus carrier only 7 days after the first symptoms of ARVI appear.
Types of anti-inflammatory drugs
Inflammation is a complex physicochemical process in the body aimed at protecting or adapting to disease. This is a natural protective reaction that cannot be stopped in the early stages, but if the process becomes acute or chronic, the body needs help, as healthy cells begin to suffer.
This is why it is so important to take anti-inflammatory medications when you have a cold. Most often they are produced in the form of tablets or topical agents - sprays, drops.
Pills
The most popular and effective form of anti-inflammatory drugs. They act on the process from the inside, suppressing pathological inflammation at the cellular level. Thanks to this, the condition improves, immunity and metabolic processes are normalized. Most often prescribed for colds caused by a virus or bacteria.
Read more about viral rhinitis here.
Antiviral
They are used when the cause of inflammation during a cold is a viral infection. Antiviral drugs are aimed at increasing the production of white blood cells and destroying the pathogen. In addition, they strengthen the immune system, preventing the disease from becoming chronic. Effective means of this group:
- Remantadine . The drug is used for colds caused by strains of the influenza A virus. Penetrates the cells of the pathogen, destroys it from the inside and promotes the removal of viral particles from the body. Used for the treatment of early infection and prevention for children over 7 years of age and adults. Reduces the effect of antiepileptic drugs; in the presence of epilepsy, consultation with a doctor is required;
- Arbidol . A complex product with antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. Enhances the production of interferon, increases local immunity. Suitable for the treatment of influenza types A and B;
The drug is used for prevention and increases the body's resistance to infection.
- Anaferon . Weak antiviral and immunomodulatory agent. Suitable for the prevention and treatment of most viral diseases, widely used as maintenance therapy for herpes and HIV. Increases the speed of the immune response, as a result the body copes with inflammation and colds faster;
- Isoprinosine . An Israeli remedy that has a powerful immunostimulating and nonspecific antiviral effect. Reduces the clinical manifestations of the disease, accelerates recovery, and also increases protective forces. The advantage of the drug is that it is completely eliminated from the body after 48 hours.
Antiviral medications for colds should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. They directly affect the immune system; if the dosage and dosage regimen are not followed, they can lead to a weakening of one’s own defenses.
Instructions for Grippferon are presented in this material.
The viruses that cause ARVI are extremely diverse; there are more than 200 species, which do not include related strains. When choosing a drug without preliminary diagnosis, you should understand that it may not only be useless against colds, but also dangerous to health.
Homeopathic
Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that involves the use of highly diluted drugs; the active substance in full concentration causes the main symptoms of the disease.
These are pseudoscientific remedies, the use of which causes a lot of disagreement among doctors. However, homeopathic medicines are still widely used to treat inflammation associated with colds. The most famous of them:
- Sinupret . A German drug, available in the form of lozenges. Has an anti-inflammatory effect, promotes dilution and outflow of fluid from the respiratory tract. The composition is completely natural; before use, it is important to check the body’s reaction to allergies. The course of treatment ranges from 7 to 14 days;
- Coryzalia . Produced in France. Tablets are used for the symptomatic treatment of colds. They reduce inflammation and also help relieve nasal congestion. The active ingredients are allium sepa and belladonna. The course of treatment should not exceed 5 days;
- Cinnabsin . A German remedy, available in the form of lozenges. It is an anti-inflammatory and decongestant, reduces the production of nasal mucus. Strengthens the body's immunity. Used in a course of up to 7 days, not recommended for children.
Homeopathic medicines are taken only as part of complex drug therapy. For a cold caused by a virus or bacteria, it is necessary to take antibiotics and traditional antiviral medications.
For chronic colds or persistent runny nose, homeopathic tablets are also used as a placebo. In small quantities they do not have any effect on the body and are suitable for treatment during the period of refusal of classical medications.
Cheap drugs
Anti-inflammatory drugs include inexpensive but effective drugs. They are always available in the home medicine cabinet; they are often used for acute colds, when there are no better medicines at hand. Known products of this group:
- Analgin . It has an analgesic, antipyretic and mild anti-inflammatory effect. Suitable for treating colds with severe fever and severe pain. Reception should be strictly limited, 1-2 tablets are taken for a course of up to 5 days. Causes a whole range of side effects and is prohibited in most countries of the world;
- Aspirin . The active substance is acetylsalicylic acid. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has a powerful antipyretic and analgesic effect. Considered obsolete for the treatment of colds, it is now more often used as a prophylaxis for thrombosis and stroke. Aspirin is strictly contraindicated for children, during pregnancy and for bronchial asthma.
Today, Paracetamol is considered the most effective anti-inflammatory drug in the budget price segment. Recognized by the international medical community, it is suitable for the treatment of colds during pregnancy, and is prescribed even to children from 3 months of age.
You can learn about the use of Allergodil by following the link.
Sprays
For the treatment of colds accompanied by a severe runny nose and nasal congestion, topical remedies are most effective. They have an almost immediate effect and, due to the low concentration of the active substance, rarely cause complications. Popular anti-inflammatory sprays:
- Polydexa . A complex drug containing a vasoconstrictor, an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory component. Recommended for the treatment of acute acute respiratory infections, used for a course of up to 7 days. Contains phenylephrine, therefore it is considered a doping for athletes;
- Collargol . A medicinal product based on colloidal silver. It has a powerful antiseptic and weak anti-inflammatory effect. After use, it enhances the defenses due to the formation of a film on the surface of the nasal mucosa. Not recommended during pregnancy. Prescribed in a course of 5-7 days;
- Protargol (Protalor) . A modern hygiene product based on colloidal silver. Used for the prevention and treatment of mild colds. It has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, reduces the wateriness of nasal discharge. Used in a course of up to 5 days;
- Pinosol . Nasal spray based on herbal ingredients. Has anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects. Reduces the activity of some bacteria; it affects not a number of strains of pathogenic fungi. Suitable for the treatment of colds and acute respiratory infections for children over 2 years old, during pregnancy;
- Sanorin . A Czech drug in the form of a spray has a vasoconstrictor effect. The active substance is naphazoline. It begins to act almost instantly, the effect lasts up to 8 hours. It is used only in complex therapy, it reduces swelling and congestion, but does not help with inflammation.
To achieve a lasting and pronounced treatment result, you should not only use the drug correctly, but also follow the dosage. As a rule, nasal sprays are used 2-3 times a day with an interval of 6 hours.
You will find instructions for using Nasonex spray here.
Almost all manufacturers produce the traditional form of the product, as well as an analogue for the treatment of colds in children. This drug has a low concentration, therefore it is safe for the child’s body.
Natural remedies for runny nose
A drug that can be used to effectively rinse the nasal cavity is an infusion of chamomile flowers (pour 2 tablespoons of 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, then strain, use warm for rinsing). It has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial effect. Rinsing with chamomile infusion, due to its pleasant smell, has a calming effect. To cleanse the nasal cavity from copious thick discharge, Kalanchoe juice is used.
A relatively inexpensive, but natural, safe and effective drug is Pinosol nasal drops. The composition of this drug includes: eucalyptus, pine, mint oil, vitamin E and guaiazulene. It has an antimicrobial effect, improves the processes of restoration of damaged epithelial cells of the mucous membrane.
Walking through a coniferous forest has a positive effect on the condition of patients with colds and runny nose. Pine needles contain phytoncides and many other substances beneficial to the human body. It has a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, detoxification effect.
Cold prevention
One of the effective methods is hardening. Hardening consists of preparing the body for changes in external conditions.
This will help you avoid illness. If your immune system is weak, there are additional methods of protection:
- Avoid crowded places.
- Dress for the weather.
- To wash hands. A good remedy for preventing infections that cause colds.
- Take vitamins. Vitamin deficiency leads to deterioration of immunity.
- Follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle.
During the period of greatest prevalence of the disease, you can wear a mask. The effectiveness of protection increases if such a mask is worn by a patient.
With proper treatment of a cold, you can achieve improvement in a short time. It is important not to forget about bed rest and avoid stress.
Colds and their causes
To avoid complications and quickly take action, you need to understand what a cold is.
The cold is a common disease; children most often suffer from it due to immature immunity. The cause of the development of the disease is the entry of viruses and microbes into the body from contaminated surfaces, decreased immunity and activation of opportunistic microflora or contact with sick people.
Colds are manifested by coughing, sneezing, and runny nose. The outbreak of the disease occurs mainly in the off-season due to favorable weather conditions for the proliferation of microbes and viruses.
They can enter the body through secretions: sputum, saliva, nasal mucus. If a person touches his eyes or mouth with dirty hands, they enter through the mucous membrane of these organs. The body copes with most infections. But if there are enough pathogens, this leads to the development of the disease. How many days a cold lasts will depend on the functioning of the immune system.
Causes and risk factors for developing colds:
- constant stress;
- violation of hygiene rules;
- deficiency of vitamins and microelements;
- alcohol, smoking, chronic pathologies;
- weakened immune system;
- frequent visits to crowded places;
- hypothermia and overheating
The use of essential oils for rhinitis
Essential oils for colds and runny nose help quickly get rid of the symptoms of colds and flu, and also significantly improve your well-being. They have no side effects and are rarely contraindicated - only in case of allergic reactions.
Natural oils have many advantages over other drugs. First of all, this is their safety. They do not cause side effects. Oils have a versatile effect on the human body, so they can be used to treat several diseases at once.
Tea tree oil is an effective and natural antibiotic that cures rhinitis and cough. The oil relieves swelling, tension, anxiety and fatigue, which is very important for the treatment of colds.
This oil should be used to lubricate the wings of the nose. You can apply it to the area under your nose to inhale the vapors of the medicine. Inhalations are used to treat cough. The simplest inhalation is carried out using an aroma lamp. Just one drop of valuable essential oil is enough for a session.
Eucalyptus oil is widely used to treat various colds. It is a natural and highly effective antibiotic. It has a pronounced analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antipyretic, and tonic effect. Sometimes tea tree oil is an excellent substitute. It can be combined with tea tree oil, thyme, anise and even bergamot.
You can add eucalyptus oil for inhalation using an aroma lamp or steam breathing. A combination of eucalyptus oil and Chlorophyllipt gives a good effect.
Few people know that camphor oil is the most effective in the treatment and prevention of rhinitis. It helps get rid of cough and high fever, and quickly cures a runny nose during a cold. Camphor oil is used in treatment with aroma lamps and as part of inhalations.
To prepare the drops, mix tsp. camphor oil with olive oil and propolis tincture (the components are taken in equal proportions). This composition should be dripped into the nose regularly, 3 drops into each nostril and continue to do so until complete recovery.
When treating a cold with camphor oil, you must remember that it is toxic and should not be used externally. In addition, it is prohibited for epilepsy and cardiovascular pathologies (because it has stimulating properties).
Fir oil is a real panacea and a storehouse of health for colds accompanied by rhinitis, cough and headaches, an excellent natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antimicrobial. Thus, doctors recommend using the oil of this plant for colds.
This oil has a very pungent smell, not everyone can stand it. However, patience is worth it, since in most patients the unpleasant symptoms of a runny nose and cold go away almost immediately. However, if a headache occurs with this treatment, then its use should be stopped. This medicine can also be used as part of aromatic baths. This procedure has a beneficial effect on the immune system, helping to prevent this disease.
In what cases are tablets used?
There are dozens of medications to treat colds and runny nose. They are available in topical form (drops, ointment, gel or spray), but tablets are also widely used. Most often they are needed in the following situations:
- prevention and treatment of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections in the early stages;
- inability to use or body resistance to local drugs;
- the need for a quick recovery, reducing the risk of complications;
- regular seasonal manifestations of colds;
- general weakness of the body, drowsiness and significant deterioration in well-being;
- treatment of colds without severe runny nose.
Tablets are most often prescribed to adults; for children, it is advisable to select specialized drugs in the form of a syrup with a pleasant taste. This simplifies the treatment process, since the child does not have a protest the next time he takes the medicine.
Tablets contain a higher concentration of the active substance than similar products for topical use. That is why the risk of side effects is significantly higher.
Cold symptoms
The main symptoms of a cold in adults include:
- swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, difficulty breathing;
- temperature more than 37-38 degrees;
- runny nose, sneezing;
- body aches;
- redness of the throat, itching, pain, irritation, soreness;
- chills;
- severe nasal discharge;
- increased tear production;
- cough;
- headache.
If colds develop against a background of severe weakening of the body, a significant deterioration of the condition may occur. If they are not treated on time and bed rest is not observed, this can lead to complications.
Therefore, it is necessary to take action as soon as the first signs of a cold appear.