Home Remedies for the Common Cold

The common cold has been around likely as long as humanity. Over the generations, home remedies have been developed and handed down for generations. These were accepted 'cures' until easy access to medical care became the norm. As the cold virus is not affected by antibiotics, most doctors simply prescribe palliative care such as over-the-counter medications, some of which pre-date antibiotics.

Everyone has heard of taking Vitamin C for a cold. Research shows that heavy doses of Vitamin C (1000 mg up to 8000 mg) in the form of ascorbic acid at the beginning of a cold and recurring smaller maintenance doses for several days often shortens the life of a cold. Take care with the larger dosages as it may result on loose stools, adding to your misery.

Another Vitamin C remedy is to dissolve 2000 mg of ascorbic acid crystals in enough saline solution to dissolve completely and spray into each nostril several times daily. This remedy can also be used with an eye dropper, several drops in each nostril. If you suffer bowel tolerance problems with oral Vitamin C, this may be a better option.

Zinc lozenges are another well-know cold symptom reliever. Sold in nearly every drugstore, studies show that use of zinc lozenges over a period of two or three days at the beginning of a cold appear to shorten its duration. Researchers don't know exactly why zinc works but seem convinced that work it does! Scientists caution though that zinc can lead to the depletion of copper in the body it used long-term and suggest limiting use to a few days to avoid this.

Grandma didn't have zinc lozenges, but she had Vicks VapoRub! Vicks products have maintained a place of honor in home medicine cabinets for over 100 years and are still popular for temporary relief of congestion. Grandma usually smeared it liberally on the chest, covered the chest with a warmed flannel cloth and tucked the sufferer into bed, perhaps with a spoonful of whiskey and honey to soothe cough. Vicks VapoRub is also useful dissolved in hot water and the fumes inhaled to loosen congestion. Vicks can be used on the feet: if cough disturbs sleep, many people swear Vicks rubbed onto the soles of the feet and covered with socks before bed will calm the cough enough to sleep the night through. The Vicks family of products contains several newer offerings, including the standby answer to Grandma's whiskey and honey, Nyquil and other brands.

A remedy gaining popularity for cold relief is rinsing the ear canal with Hydrogen Peroxide. As Hydrogen peroxide acts against bacteria, it certainly cant hurt. Many people swear this works and the cold will disappear within a day or two. Perhaps the popping sound in the ear canal is so novel that people forget all about the cold?

Chamomile tea is a folk remedy that has recently been scientifically vindicated. Studies show that chamomile tea drinkers show elevated levels of glycine, an amino acid that acts as a mild sedative and a muscle relaxer. Also found in testing of volunteer' urine after chamomile tea diet were phenolics. Some phenolics have been associated with increased antibacterial activity. This could explain why the tea appears to boost the immune system.

Ginseng has been shown in some laboratory studies to give the immune system a boost. Capsules are sold in Canada and Europe and will soon be available in the United States to use as a cold and flu preventative. Most studies have been small and are not generally recognized by mainstream medicine as controls are not usually optimal. It is hoped larger studies will be performed with stronger parameters in the near future as human health would benefit greatly with better understanding of the nutritional requirements of the immune system.

Colloidal silver has been used for many years to both prevent and shorten the duration of colds. Sold in most health food stores, colloidal silver is generally considered safe in small dosages and was commonly used in the medical profession before the advent of antibiotics. Silver's anti-bacterial properties have been known for many years and are have recently seen increasing use in burn dressings and sensitive medical applications. Silver-impregnated bandages are now available commercially to fight bacterial infection in would dressings.

Echinacea treatments for common cold have recently become mainstream. Your druggist's shelves contain plenty of cold remedies containing Echinacea but you can easily find Echinacea tea for a comforting drink when the sniffles get you down. Other teas with anti-viral reputations include lemon and ginger teas. Since hot drinks help to loosen sinus congestion, any can be a good beverage for a budding cold.

These are some of the home remedies for colds that appear to work for many people. As a doctor's visit for the common cold usually can't result in anything except a doctor's bill, trying some of these may cut the duration of your cold. However, if you have prolonged high fever, headache and/or very sore throat, a doctor's visit is called for. Most colds run their course within a few days, however, with no other treatment than plenty of sleep and a couple of comforting home remedies like Grandma used to prescribe.