Tips for easing the misery of coughs,colds and flu
Tips for easing the misery of coughs,colds and flu
Stay hydrated
Through all of this,the best advice is to keep hydrated if you have a cold or flu – it will help with catarrh and mucus
Keep your throat lubricated and drink plenty of fluid. Honey is a natural antiseptic try some warm water with honey and lemon,which can be very soothing
Don’t just pick up what you always use
It a best to check with a health care assistant or pharmacist on hand to answer questions and suggest treatment you may not have thought of as well as give advice
One common way we might go wrong with self treating is using an all in one cold and flu treatment. The different preparations available on the shelf and over the counter might include three or four different medications,some of which might be inappropriate for your symptoms
If you have a headache you can use paracetamol,if you have a chesty cough you can have a cough mixture. In the cough and cold preparation there could be a medicine that might looses the phlegm. If you have dry cough you want to stop the irritating tickly cough. If you have sore throat you can use anaesthetic pastilles and sprays to assist with the pain
Always carry tissues
Germs circulate easily via sneezed and cough-out droplets. Always carry tissues and ue them to catch coughs or sneezes to stop germs spreading’
Practice good hygiene
Viruses can also transfer to your hands from surfaces such as and door handles then can enter the body through the nose.
Wash your hands often and as soon as you can after sneezing or coughing
And use antibacterial gels to stop germs spreading to family,friends and colleagues
Know the symptoms of colds and flu
- A cold is milder respiratory illness than flu,with symptoms that can make you feel ill for a few days rather than flu which can last weeks
- Flu can result is more serious health problems such as pneumonia
- Cold symptoms include congestion and a cough. Fever us unusual in adults,more usual in children. Mucus is watery for the first few days,thicker,and darker as times wears on
- Flu symptoms include sore throat,fever,headache,muscle aches and cough. More severe can fat longer,lasting than cold symptoms
