Home Remedies and Herbs for Cold (Common Cold)

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection that’s most often caused by a virus.¹ It is usually accompanied by a sore throat, coughing, and sneezing, but the difference between the common cold vs influenza is that a cold isn’t associated with a high fever.¹ Most people recover from a cold in 7-10 days, and adults average around three colds per year, with more colds occurring during the winter.²

What Causes Common Cold?

There are over 200 known agents that cause the common cold, including:

• Parainfluenza
• Influenza
• Respiratory syncytial viruses
• Reoviruses
• Rhinoviruses³

Rhinoviruses are the most common culprit. This common cold virus has around 100 different strains associated with cold symptoms.³ While there are many common cold causes, colds are fairly easy to prevent. Common cold prevention can be as simple as washing your hands frequently, not touching your face with unwashed hands, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.⁴

Common Cold Symptoms

The most common symptoms of a cold include:

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Cough
• Headache
• Body aches
• Sneezing
• Low-grade fever⁵

Most of these symptoms pass within a few days, but others like a cough can take up to three weeks or more to completely go away.⁶ See your doctor if you are not better within 7-10 days, if you develop a fever over 102 degrees, or if you have thick, green nasal discharge.¹

Common Cold Natural Treatment and Alternative Options

There is no cure for the common cold, and many medications that fight the symptoms of the common cold don’t actually work in this situation. For example, antibacterials don’t work because the cold is caused by a virus, not by bacteria. Cough medications also don’t help with windpipe irritation, which is why you cough when you have a cold.⁷ However, there are many common cold home remedies that can help you manage your symptoms on your way to recovery. Start with these common cold remedies.

• Garlic - Garlic helps support the immune system and is antiviral, which can help you fight off a cold faster.8 You can eat it as whole cloves or in pill form.
• Vitamin C - Vitamin C is said to be one of the best common cold treatment options because it helps boost the immune system to combat the cold virus faster.9 You can get Vitamin C through fruits and vegetables like peppers, berries, citrus fruits, and tomatoes, or you can take Vitamin C supplements.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is an anti-inflammatory, so it can help reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Mix two tablespoons into a glass of water to enjoy its effects.
• Honey, Cayenne, Garlic, and Lemon Mixture - Mix together 1 teaspoon of honey, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 crushed clove of garlic, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into a glass of hot water. Drink this tea mixture a couple of times per day for an immunity boost that will soothe your cold symptoms.

References

1. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/common-cold
2. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/commoncold/Pages/default.aspx
3. http://global.britannica.com/science/common-cold
4. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rhinoviruses/index.html
5. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/dxc-20199808
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024671/
7. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/colds
8. http://farmersalmanac.com/health/2012/02/20/herbal-remedies-for-the-common-cold/
9. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002145.htm