10 Best Home Remedies For Common Cold

Cold and cough don’t spare anybody these days. It is a very irritating condition and strains the body. Along with cold, comes a cough, body pains, fever, blocked and stuffy nose. The cold remedies with natural ingredients will help in cleaning the mucous and boosting the body’s immune system.

Medications will be helpful in reducing the symptoms of cold, however; a cold is a viral infection. It is very important to keep in mind that viral infections take their own time to heal. Viral cold and cough will decrease in about 7 days on its own without medication. Rather than loading the body with chemicals, you can try the home cold remedies to reduce the discomfort.

What Causes Common Cold?

Have you ever wondered what causes a cold? The common cold is caused by many different viruses. Viral infections are very contagious and take their own time to heal.

• The most common upper respiratory tract infection is termed as cold.
• Common cold spreads when you inhale the virus particles from an infected person.
• There can be many routes on the virus entrance such as sneezes, cough, speech, lose particles from the wiped part of the nose, close contact with infected people, etc.
• Touching contaminated surfaces like the door knobs, mobile phone, towels, napkins, toys, menu card, etc.

Common Cold Complications

Now that you have understood what causes the common cold, it is important to understand the complications it can end up. If the infection spreads to the chest, ears and sinuses, it can lead to many complications.

Ear Infection:

The main symptoms associated with an ear infection are earaches, yellow discharge from the nose, etc. Ear infections are very common in children.

Sinusitis:

Inflamed and infected sinuses lead to a condition termed as Sinusitis. When a cold doesn’t go away for a very long time, it leads to mucous deposition inside the sinuses. It causes a headache, frequent cold, recurrent cough infections, etc.

Asthma:

A simple cold for prolonged time durations can eventually end up in Asthma. It is associated with breathing difficult, wheezing, excessive cough, etc.

Chest Infection:

Coughing sputum, shortness of breath, constant cough, etc. are all symptoms of a chest infection. Severe chest infection if left untreated can lead to complications such as Bronchitis and Pneumonia.

Strep throat:

A sever sore throat associated with a cough is Strep throat. Strep is the infection of the throat. The complications can lead to Tonsilitis, Pharyngitis, etc.

Home Remedies For Common Cold

Common cold and cough will reduce considerably in almost 7days on its own without using any medication. It is best to rely on the home remedies to treat the symptoms associated with cold and cough.

Ginger Tea:

Ginger is an effective ingredient  of the kitchen for drying up a running nose. The regular use of ginger will accelerate the recovery process.

Tip 1:

An earache is the initial sign of an underlying throat infection or infection of the Eustachian tube. An earache often leads to cold and cough; and hence can be identified as a cold symptoms.

• The best remedy for an earache is to take 2pods of ginger and wrap in a clean and soft cloth. Carefully place the wrapped ginger pod in the ear, making sure it isn’t pushed deep inside.

Tip 2:

For cold and cough, you can take about 5 crushed cloves of garlic and lightly mix them in ghee. Alternatively, you can also extract the juice of 2-3 ginger cloves, tomatoes, and lemon.

• Prepare a ginger soup with the ingredients. Both the remedies are very efficient in treating cold and a cough.

Milk and Turmeric:

Turmeric has natural antibacterial and antiviral properties. Warm milk with a pinch of turmeric added to it and taken at bedtime is a very effective remedy for a cough.

Tip 1:

The first cold symptoms include an irritated and sore throat. Turmeric needs to be used immediately the moment you feel the scratchy and tingly sensation in the throat. Once you are already suffering from a throat infection, you can prevent the condition from getting worse by drinking turmeric milk.

• Add a pinch of turmeric to a glass of boiling milk and have it immediately while it is hot.

Tip 2:

Turmeric tea is very efficient in treating common cold symptoms and cough.

• Boil about four cups of water and add a pinch of turmeric powder to it. Boil for 10minutes and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Strain the mixture and mix a spoon of lemon juice and honey. The turmeric tea is ready to treat your throat irritation and cough.

Protective Herbal Tea:

Natural ingredients such as pepper, ginger, garlic, tulsi, cinnamon, cardamom, etc. are effective in treating the common cold symptoms.

Tip 1:

Herbal tea can be made at home using natural ingredients that are easily available in the kitchen.

• Mix 5pods of cardamom, 5 black peppercorns, 5 cloves, 1 piece of cinnamon and some ginger in boiling water. Cover the vessel after 5minutes and allow it to settle. Strain the tea and drink while it is warm with a spoonful of honey or milk as you feel the early symptoms of a cold.

Tip 2:

Simple herbal tea with tulsi leaves is a very efficient cure for cold, cough and throat irritation.

• Boil a cup of water with about 15 washed tulsi leaves. Strain the tea and add a spoonful of lemon juice. Tulsi has natural antibacterial and antiviral properties. Making a tea will help in improving the body’s immunity .

Tip 3:

A gargling solution with neem leaves and honey helps in improving the symptoms of cold and cough.

• Mix 3 washed neem leaves in a glass of water and bring it to a boil. Once the mixture is cooled to room temperature, a spoon of honey can be added to it. Gargle with the solution to get instant relief from throat irritation.

Medicinal Lozenge-Homemade:

Homemade lozenge helps in easing the irritation of the throat and reducing cough. Most people prefer to keep the lozenges in the mouth at bedtime to get some relief from an excessive cough caused mostly during the night.

• Chop some ginger and extract the juice. Roast and grind some peppercorns. Mix both the ingredients with a pinch of turmeric powder and honey to form a paste. Sucking the thick paste or small lozenge formed from the mixture will give instant relief from a sore throat.

What Is Productive Cough?

Cough which causes phlegm is a productive cough. Though it might seem to be painful, it is good if the phlegm can be removed from the body. The congested chest can lead to infections and make the cold, cough and throat symptoms worsen into Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, etc. It is very crucial to identify the initial symptoms and figure out the best cure for common cold at the beginning itself.

Tip 1:

Boil water and add some peppercorns, cumin, and some jaggery to obtain a concentrated decoction. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and drink it to clear the sputum and phlegm.

Tip 2:

Crush few betel leaves and extract the juice. To the mixture add a teaspoon of honey. The mixture will prove to be very efficient in removing the phlegm and decrease the intensity of a productive cough.

Tip 3:

If a cough persists after trying the various cough remedies, more than a week, then it is about time you need to visit a Physician. The market is overflowing with different cough syrups for both a dry cough as well as a wet cough. If you don’t seem to get relief even after taking the prescribed medication and trying the cold remedies, you must check with the doctor to rule out any underlying reason for the cough.

Natural Ingredients-Soothe Your Throat:

Lemon, Cinnamon and Honey:

You can prepare a cough syrup with lemon, honey, and cinnamon to prevent cold and cough.

Gargle Your Cough:

Salt water gargle is one of the best cold remedies from the time of our grandmother. Adding a pinch of turmeric to the gargle will help in eliminating the cold. As the initial symptoms of common cold arise, gargling with warm water and salt will provide relief to a sore throat.

Honey and Brandy Mixture:

Honey is an age-old remedy for common cold and cough. Brandy is known to keep the chest warm and increase the heat in the body. Honey and brandy mixture  is thus found to be the best cold remedy.

Drinking Warm Water and Other Fluids:

Drinking warm water reduces the inflammation of the throat. Water is essential to keep the body hydrated and aids in flushing out the infection. In addition to warm water, hot vegetable soups and chicken broth give a soothing relief to a sore throat.

Use Amla:

Amla is popular to develop the body’s immunity and thus guard against many infectious diseases. Amla is very effective in improving the blood circulation in the body and stimulating the proper functioning of the liver. Many people prefer to eat dried amla as one of the best remedies for cold.

Warm Water and Honey:

Lime juice is one of the most effective ways to improve the digestion . Cold and cough can be controlled to a considerable extent by drinking lime water and honey on a regular basis.

Flax seeds:

You can boil flax seeds until it thickens and strain the liquid once it cools to room temperature. Add a few drops of lime juice and honey to the mixture before drinking it. It is one of the best remedies for common cold and cough.

Jaggery Solution:

You can get relief from chest congestion by drinking jaggery solution. Boil water with black pepper, cumin and jaggery. Drink the mixture for relief to a sore throat.

Carrot Juice:

One of the most common cold remedies is to drink carrot juice. Carrot is loaded with vitamins and hence effective in giving relief from a cough and a sore throat.

Guidelines For Easing Irritation Associated With Common Cold:

• Taking pain relievers such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin help in reducing fever and decreasing body pains .
• Cough syrups soothe the throat and provide some relief from a cough.
• Decongestant nasal sprays such as Budrecort, Foracort, Nasivion, etc. give relief from blocked nose.
• Having foods rich in Vitamin C such as citrus fruits will give the body strength to fight against the virus.
• Having a clean and tidy surrounding will protect you from secondary infections by bacteria.
• Sucking cold and cough lozenges will soothe the throat irritation.
• Steam inhalation is very effective in clearing a blocked nose which will help in getting a good sleep at night.
• Keeping the head elevated with a pillow while sleeping will make it easy to breathe and reduce cough.
• You can soothe a blocked nose through Eucalyptus oil, Zindatilismat oil, Vicks, etc. at bedtime.