Getting a cold or the flu can seriously affect your ability to do things as you normally would. Sometimes over the counter medicines do work, but more often than not, they actually just make the symptoms less obvious.
Here are a few ways that you can help to fight away the flu from now on.
Blow your nose often
It is better to blow your nose on a regular basis, rather than sniffing all the time. If you tend to blow hard, you will find that you often end up with earache. It is suggested that you compress your nostril with one hand and gently blow to get the other one clear. Repeat the process for the other nostril and always remember to wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial agent after blowing. Use an elixir for symptoms of catarrh – these blends of herbs help stop infections developing further. Be sure to use one as soon as you start getting a runny nose or signs of a cold.
Gargle Salt Water
Although it may taste unpleasant, gargle with warm salt water up to four times per day to help moisten a sore throat. An old but popular remedy is to gargle with honey or a mix cider vinegar and honey. All these natural remedies can help to lessen the symptoms that come with colds and flu. Remember that you should never give honey to a child who is younger than 12 months old.
Get Plenty of Rest
When you find yourself with the flu, you will notice that you feel weak and this happens because the immune system has to work harder to battle the flu. Getting enough rest while you have a cold is the best medicine! Get in bed, stay warm and rest as much as possible.
Drink as many hot liquids as possible
According to LiveStrong; drinking hot liquids can help to relieve nasal congestion. Drinking plenty of fluids also helps prevent you becoming dehydrated, and soothe the inflamed membranes in your throat and nose.
Use Ice Packs
Ice packs available from most supermarkets or chemists can help reduce your temperature. If you don’t want to venture outdoors, a bag of frozen peas or something similar will do the job – just don’t keep something frozen on you for more than about 2o minutes as it could begin to have a detrimental effect on your health.
Take a hot shower
Hot showers use the steam to moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. In some situations, you might feel dizzy from the flu, for which you can run a steaming hot shower and sit on a chair nearby and breathe in the steam or you can take a hot sponge bath. And should you find that your shower is having problems getting warm, or is unable to retain the heat for a long time, then turning to a nearby water heater repair service might prove fruitful.
Sleep with more pillows
Sleeping with one extra pillow will help to keep the nasal passages a little clearer. If doing this is very uncomfortable, then you might try putting the pillow under the mattress to make the slope a bit more gradual.
Don’t fly
This is probably beyond your control, but flying with symptoms of a cold or flu can end up hurting your eardrums due to the changes in pressure in the air during a flight. If flying is unavoidable; be sure to take a decongestant spray (in an approved clear bag so it isn’t taken off you by airport security). Chewing gum or sucking on boiled sweets can also help.
If you don’t begin to feel any better within 5-7 days, be sure to make an appointment with your GP to get checked out. You can also get an online diagnosis for symptoms such as persistent coughs.
