ZoomDoc’s Health and Wellbeing Top Tips: How to Get Rid of a Cold
Caught that awful office cold that’s been going around? Having a cold can leave you feeling miserable for up to two weeks. Below are six tips from ZoomDoc on how to recover faster!
1. Rest, rest and more rest
Your body can’t heal when you are running at 100% – so make sure you schedule in some ‘me time’, giving your body plenty of time to rest and recuperate to fight that virus! If you are really feeling unwell, don’t be afraid to time some time off work – taking a day off means that you will recover faster, and you won’t be infecting your work colleagues at the same time!
2. Stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of water, squash or fruit juice helps to loosen congestion and prevent dehydration. Avoid alcohol, coffee and other caffeinated drinks which can make dehydration worse.
3. Whip up some home remedies
Scratchy throat? Dissolving half a tea-spoon of salt in a cup of water and gargling can help loosen mucus and sooth a sore throat. We also recommend drinking hot water, honey and lemon – warm drinks can help to soothe and lubricate your throat and can be just as effective be as some over-the-counter medicines.
4. Make it steamy!
If you are feeling very congested, inhaling steam can help. To do this at home, run a hot shower and stand nearby with the door closed. Alternatively, holding your head over a basin of hot water (carefully!) and breathing deeply also works. This is not recommended for small children due to the risk of scalding. You could also use an air humidifier to increase the moisture in the air at home.
5. Keep hygiene a priority
Frequent hand-washing and disinfecting of surfaces at home and at work keeps cold viruses under control and helps to prevent the spread of germs to family and work colleagues.
6. Over-the-counter medicines
Unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold, but over-the-counter medicines can help to ease symptoms. Blocked noses can be relieved with decongestants and temperatures and aches can be eased with painkillers.
Cough and cold remedies often contain paracetamol and ibuprofen, so if you are already taking paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets, avoid cough and cold medicines, as it is easy to take more than the recommended dose. Some cough and cold remedies are not suitable for babies, children and in pregnancy, so always speak to your pharmacist for advice before buying anything over-the-counter.
If your symptoms don’t improve after three weeks, suddenly worsen or if you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, you should contact a GP for advice.
ZoomDoc GPs can be contacted 24/7, for home visits or providing telemedicine advice. Download the app today and speak to a GP within 60 seconds – available on iOS and android.