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Colds and the Flu |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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How should I treat my cold or flu? |
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Unfortunately, doctors really can’t do anything for most
cases of a cold or flu. However, you can usually take
care of a cold or the flu without a doctor’s assistance.
Often, simple home remedies can ease uncomfortable cold
or flu symptoms. If you feel you need some kind of
medicine, over-the-counter medications are usually
adequate. |
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Home remedies |
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Using a humidifier may help you breathe
more easily. If you do use a humidifier, remember to change the
water and clean the tank daily with a mild solution of bleach.
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Gargling with salt and warm water can
help relieve a sore throat. Instructions: Dissolve 1/4 tsp. of
salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Gargle every four hours.
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Using saline nose drops may help clear
your nasal passages and make you feel less “stuffed up.” Instructions:
Dissolve 1/4 tsp. of salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Place a few
drops of the solution in each nostril.
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Drinking hot beverages may help relieve a
sore throat and clear nasal passages. Stay away from alcoholic
beverages though; alcohol may actually lead to increased nasal
congestion.
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Drinking plenty of decaffeinated,
non-alcoholic fluids (10-12 glasses per day) can help soothe a dry
throat and relieve some coughs.
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Using a cool mist vaporizer.
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Getting enough sleep won’t cure a cold or
the flu, but if you’re tired, you should sleep. Getting 8-10 hours
of sleep when you’re sick is a good idea.
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Being around smoke may make your sore
throat and congestion even worse. Avoid smoking and being around
others who are smoking.
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Over-the-counter medications |
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Cold and flu medications relieve
symptoms but do not actually kill the viruses. The
only way to get rid of a cold or flu is to allow
your body to eliminate the virus in its own way —
this simply takes time. Although you can’t cure a
virus, you can take medications that will help you
feel better:
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Petroleum jelly or skin
lotion can help ease your chapped nose or lips.
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Hard candies, lozenges or
cough drops may soothe a sore or dry throat.
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Pain relievers, such as
acetaminophen (Tylenol®), aspirin, or ibuprofen
(Advil®), may relieve body aches, headaches, sore
throats and fever.
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Instructions: Take 1-2
regular-strength acetaminophen or aspirin every
4 hours, or take 1-2 tablets of ibuprofen every
4-6 hours. People under 21 should not use
aspirin to treat flu symptoms due to possible
complications of Reye’s Syndrome.
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Instructions: Take 2 tablets
of 30 mg pseudoephedrine (such as Sudafed) every
4-6 hours.
If you have high blood
pressure, diabetes, or thyroid disease, check
with your doctor before taking Sudafed.
If sinus pain and pressure
are severe, or don’t respond to Sudafed, try 3-5
days of nasal decongestant spray (e.g., Afrin®
or Neo-Synephrine®).
If used longer than 3-5 days,
these sprays may actually make you congested
when you stop using them.
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Coughing is useful because it
removes secretions from your throat. If your
cough is wet and productive (you are coughing up
secretions), you should not use a cough
suppressant unless the cough is preventing you
from sleeping. Instead, try sucking on hard
candies or drinking something hot.
If you have a dry,
non-productive cough (you are not coughing up
any secretions)you may want to try an
expectorant-suppressant cough syrup, such as
Robitussin® DM, to loosen up the mucus and ease
your discomfort.
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Antihistamines also cause
drowsiness. For colds and flu, it is best (and
cheapest) to stick with a simple decongestant
like Sudafed.
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Why won’t antibiotics help a cold or the flu? |
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Antibiotics kill or stop the growth of
bacteria, but they have no effect on viruses such as
colds or the flu. Antibiotics should only be used
against bacterially caused illnesses like strep
throat, bacterial pneumonia, and bacterial skin
infections. There are many other reasons to avoid
taking antibiotics unless it is necessary: |
Your body contains both harmful and helpful bacteria.
The helpful bacteria keep harmful organisms under control.
Unfortunately, antibiotics don’t know the difference between harmful and
helpful bacteria; they kill them all, permitting other illnesses or side
effects to occur. Yeast infections and diarrhea are two of the possible
side effects of taking antibiotics.
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Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics after they have
been exposed to them often enough. When you take an antibiotic, the
organisms it affects struggle to survive. After repeated courses of
antibiotic therapy, these organisms may successfully change their
structure so that the antibiotic may no longer be effective.
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Antibiotics sometimes cause allergic or toxic reactions
that may be uncomfortable or even dangerous. People with allergies to
antibiotics may develop rashes, hives, and, in rare instances, may even
die.
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Do you need to see a doctor?