You wake up in the morning to find that your head feels like there are tiny men punching your brain from the inside out
. Your nose and chest are creating some sort of strange out of tune musical piece whistling and wheezing away. Your eyes are struggling to open and your throat feels as though it may have been subject to an attack with sandpaper. Yes, thats right; you have caught the common cold.
You rack your brain, going through a list of possible suspects trying to figure out who is responsible for passing this dreaded illness onto you, could it have been the mother in law? She was sniffling the other day at dinner, or maybe it was the woman sat next to you on the bus, she looked peaky.
Whoever it was it doesnt even matter, you have a presentation at work in less than two hours and you can barely lift your right arm to stop your alarm.
The common cold strikes when we least expect it to, usually at the most inopportune moments. There is no cure as such; however there are many remedies and medicines that can leave you feeling a whole lot better in no time.
There are syrups and lozenges for tickly coughs or tablets and nasal sprays to relieve decongestion. There are many types of painkiller to help to relieve headache and sore throat symptoms. A vast range of medicines are available to ensure that we can continue with our day to day lives without being struck down for days.
We can take simple steps on top of these medicines to help a cold shift as fast as possible. Drinking plenty of fluids is an important factor. When we have a cold our bodies are usually quite dehydrated and drinking liquids such as water and honey and lemon juice can help to flush out whatever bug we may be carrying.
Gargling salt water can help to relieve sore throat symptoms. Half a teaspoon of salt dissolved into a glass of warm water is a good measure to try.
Chicken soup is the oldest trick in the book but it can really help. It can act as both an anti-inflammatory substance and a decongestant.
Dry air makes the symptoms of a cold worse which is why we get colds a lot in the winter months. Sitting in a steamy bathroom or filling a bowl with warm water and essential oils and breathing in the steam can really help with symptoms.