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Home Remedies Home Remedies for Cold

Common Cold Home Remedies – Effective Natural Cure Options for Cold.

Is there a permanent cure of common cold ? The answer is yes and no. Doctors around the world agree that most medicines for common colds either reduce the symptoms and/or reduce the suffering period but none cures it. Home remedies therefore are more suitable in most cases.

Common cold is normally caused by Virus. There are hundreds of different virus that can cause upper respiratory tract infections leading to the symptoms that are known as common cold. You may begin with stuffy nose, runny nose or sneezing. A bad infection may cause fever as well.

Whatever your symptoms are for common cold, the most important aspect to remember is to avoid the circumstances that can cause this infection. Common cold is infectious. You can get it from other people who are suffering from it.

Most medicine develop resistance over prolonged use, therefore can no more treat common cold unless potency is increased. This can cause other side effects. Therefore the best treatment for common cold is to prevent common cold. Natural treatments work better because most of them have no side effect. However if the condition worsens then visiting a doctor is your best option.

Home Remedies for Common Cold

1 - Inhale Steam

Take a pot of steaming hot water. Keep you face above it and inhale the steam through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Make sure that your face or nose doesn't get burns due to close proximity of the pot. Inhale slowly to suite your comfort levels. Steam eases congestion. Do this routine steam inhalation 3-5times a day. This is one home remedy that works well most of the time.

2- Use Salt Water Rinsing

Salt water rinsing is very helpful method of breaking congestion and fighting virus and bacteria in the nasal tracks. The process of making the salt water is easy. In 16 ounce of warm water stir  mix 1/2 teaspoon of common salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Use a funnel or Neti pot (available at most health stores) to irrigate your nasal tracks. While standing up right turn you face on one side and pour the salt water in one nasal and let it drip out of the other side. You can also hold one nostril closed by a finger to squeeze the water out of the other. Do it 2-3 times on the same side and then turn you face on the other side and repeat the irrigation from the other nostril.After completing the process on both side, you must remove the remaining water from the nostrils by exhaling 4-5 times with speed as if you are throwing out air from the nostrils(like sneezing).

3 - Gargle with Warm Salt Water

Gargling moistens the throat and provides temporary relief. Mix one teaspoon of salt in warm water and gargle 3-4 times a day. There are many other mixtures of fluids which can be used to gargle but warm salt water is the best and easiest method.

Natural Remedies for Common Cold

4- Take a steamy Shower

Steamy shower opens up the pours of skins of the entire body. It relaxes the nasal passage as well. This is a temporary relief but worth the time and effort when you are suffering.

1 - Blow Your Nose

Blow your nose frequently but in such a way that it doesn't pressurize the ear passage. it is always better to blow the nose than to sniff the mucus back. The best method to blow your nose is to close one nostril and slowly but firmly blow one nostril and then repeat the same with the other nostril. This way ears will be saved from congestion and ear pain.

2- Increase Your Fluid Intake

Dehydration increases congestion.Drinking a lot of water (10-12 glasses a day) helps loosen the congestion by reducing dehydration. Juices and other fluids do help. Avoid drinking caffeinated or aerated drinks like coffee, cola and sparkling water because they act as diuretic leading to dehydration.

3 - Take Rest

Resting increases immune system Staying warm and rested in the early stages of the common cold will help in solving the problem early.

There are many other common cold home remedies which are not covered here. If you have been benefited by any of such method then post a comment for others to benefit from it.

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