Symptom relief | Common cold

Symptom relief

Colds are viral diseases, which means that nothing can be done against their cause, since there are no drugs against viruses. The body has to deal with and fight the invaders on its own. The symptoms of a cold, on the other hand, can very well be alleviated or completely suppressed.

Plenty of sleep and rest help the body to fight the virus. It is also important to take many vitamins to support the body’s self-healing process. Fresh fruit, such as apples, oranges or mandarins, are recommended.Tablets or food supplements containing vitamin C or similar should be avoided.

The body cannot process the artificially produced substances well and most of them are excreted again. A widely known symptom of colds is a blocked nose. Nasal sprays with a decongestant effect help to breathe freely again.

These sprays should not be used for longer than three days, otherwise there is a risk of dependence. Salt water, which is alternately drawn up through both nostrils, also helps to keep the nose free. This is simply done by mixing salt with warm water.

Hold one nostril closed, dip the other nostril deep into the glass and then pull up the nose. In contrast to bacterial infections where antibiotics are used, drug treatment of the virus is only useful in very severe cases. In most cases, only a symptomatic therapy should be considered (see Therapy for colds).

The fact that colds usually subside after a week is solely due to the body’s own immune system, which starts working after the virus has entered the human body. A prerequisite is, of course, that the patient has an intact, fully functioning and not weakened immune system. The weaker an immune system is, the more severe and longer the course of the disease.

After initial contact with the virus, the body begins to produce scavenger cells and dendritic cells. These cells can recognize and identify foreign substances, including viruses. After the viruses have been absorbed and broken down in the macrophages, fragments of the viruses are presented to the B and T lymphocytes on the surface of the macrophages.

This activates these cells, which belong to the specific immune system. Some cells can immediately kill the viruses, others start to form antibodies, which then bind to the viruses and are then eaten. After an infection, the antibodies and the so-called memory cells remain in the body to prevent a new infection.

However, since viruses can often change their outer shell, they outwit the immune system. Immunity therefore rarely occurs with viruses. If the immune system is weakened either by immunosuppressive drugs such as cortisone or, for example, by stress, it can no longer work as efficiently.

The cold then breaks out in most cases, the course of the disease is more severe and longer. Frequently, the diagnosis of a cold can be made by the doctor already through the patient survey (anamnesis). The patient complains of a cold, constant running nose, possibly coughing, headaches, aching limbs, exhaustion and fever.

The onset will be rather gradual and probably indicated by the patient three to four days before. The doctor will then listen to the patient’s lungs (auscultation), rule out an inflammation of the lungs or bronchial tubes, look into the ears with an otoscope to detect an inflammation of the middle ear, shine a flashlight into the throat to detect an inflammation of the tonsils, and tap the paranasal sinuses to rule out an inflammation or suppuration in this area. In many cases, the doctor will determine a positive result.

This then confirms the diagnosis of a cold. The doctor should also take into account the time of occurrence of a cold. If one patient among many comes to the practice and this in addition to a cool and humid season, the diagnosis of a cold can be made faster than if a patient comes to the practice in midsummer for the fourth time in a row with cold-like symptoms.

In this case, one must also always consider the suspicion of an immune defect or a restriction of the immune system due to a malignant disease (e.g. plasmocytoma). In case of uncomplicated course or clear diagnosis of a cold, no further diagnostic measures are necessary and merely suggest to the patient to come back after 1-2 weeks if the symptoms persist. In the vast majority of cases a cold heals by itself.

In most cases, the symptoms subside after a few days. However, a feeling of exhaustion and fatigue can last for several weeks. An antibiotic therapy almost never makes sense, since a cold is usually caused by viruses.

Antibiotics would bring here thus rather damage than use. The cold caused by viruses cannot be treated causally. It only remains to relieve the symptoms that cause the most discomfort.

Acute rhinitis, for example, can be treated with steam inhalation.The nasal secretion is thus released and the mucous membrane swells, making breathing much easier. Decongestant nasal drops or sprays (active ingredient: xylometazoline or oxymetazoline) can also be used. However, these preparations should be used a maximum of 2 times a day and not for longer than a week, as they can damage the nasal mucous membrane and have an habituation effect, i.e. they are “addictive”.

Special caution is required with children. More suitable are sea salt drops or sprays for the nose, which do not cause habituation or damage to the mucous membrane. Pastilles with lavender or Icelandic moss help against sore throats.

Alternatively, preparations containing lidocaine or benzocaine as local anaesthetic agents can be purchased in pharmacies. The only thing that helps against hoarseness is to take it easy on your voice for a few days and wear a scarf. The swollen vocal chords can only briefly subside again by sucking ice cubes.

For coughing, inhalation with essential oils such as eucalyptus or peppermint or with sage is possible. In small children or patients with sensitive airways (e.g. asthma sufferers), strong smelling substances are not recommended. For a persistent cough, expectorant herbal substances such as eucalyptus or ivy can be used, or synthetic substances such as N-acetylcysteine (ACC).

The drugs should not be taken immediately before going to bed, but during the day it is important to ensure that sufficient amounts are drunk. Most mucolytics, however, have an unpleasant side effect of irritating the stomach lining, which is why inhalation is initially more recommended due to its tolerability. Cough suppressants can help to sleep through the night, but on the other hand they prevent the mucus and the pathogen inside from being expelled.

They should therefore be used with caution and preferably only after consulting a doctor. A cold is harmless for a person with a healthy immune system and in most cases it is mild. Only the typical symptoms such as a cold, cough or sore throat can be very annoying.

In most cases, it is not necessary to see a doctor immediately in the case of a common cold, as the doctor can treat the virus infection symptomatically. A proven household remedy against colds and phlegmy bronchial tubes is for example steam inhalation. Suitable for inhalation are above all calming chamomile and lavender teas as well as mild essential oils.

Inhalation moistens the respiratory tract and thus restores its protective function or supports the cleansing function. The viscous secretion thus liquefies and can be coughed up or blown more easily. Inhalation can be used one to three times a day for approx.

5 to 20 minutes. A well suited cold ointment for inhalation is Vicks Vaporub® Cold Ointment, which can be purchased over the counter from pharmacies. Nasal rinsing with isotonic saline solution has a similar effect.

This can either be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared with normal table salt (approx. two level teaspoons per liter of water) and applied to the nose with a nasal shower (also available at pharmacies or drugstores). At least in the short term, the sucking of ice cubes is effective against hoarseness, which makes the irritated vocal cords swell.

Strongly boiled chamomile and lavender teas are also suitable for gargling (spitting the tea out afterwards) because of their anti-inflammatory effect and can thus relieve sore throats. Colds baths with added menthol, eucalyptus or spruce needles can help against muscle pain in more severe colds, as they promote blood circulation. The optimal bathing temperature is 38°C, and the bath should not be longer than approx.

15 minutes. Hot baths are not recommended for circulation problems. If you have a cold, you should always make sure that you drink enough.

Especially suitable for this are cold teas with elderflowers, sage, eucalyptus or peppermint. Also freshly cooked ginger tea is said to accelerate the healing process. Hot water with fresh lemon and honey provides vitamin C and thus strengthens the immune system.

A frequently used household remedy for coughs is onion syrup, which consists of the juice of chopped onions with sugar. Onions can also be used against earache, which often accompanies a cold. They are chopped and wrapped in a thin linen cloth.

The patient places this onion bag on the aching ear either warm or cold, depending on how he or she feels. Potatoes can also be found in every household and can be used to fight a persistent cold.Potato wraps help with sore throats due to their warming effect. For this purpose, some boiled potatoes are put into a cloth and crushed.

The patient puts the cloth tightly around the neck and leaves it there until the pleasant warming effect fades. The opposite cooling effect is achieved by curd compresses, which can have a soothing effect on tonsillitis, for example. Fever is a natural defence mechanism of the body and should not be suppressed at first.

However, if the fever rises to about 38.5°C, it can be pleasant for the person concerned to lower the body temperature a little. For this purpose, damp calf compresses are suitable, for example, whereby cool damp linen cloths are wrapped around the lower legs. With a towel wrapped around the legs, the legs can be raised in a relaxed position until the towel is warmed to body heat. The process can be repeated up to three times.