SUMMARY :
- What are the symptoms of the common cold?
- Cold or Covid-19?
- Cold or flu, how to tell them apart?
- Cold or sinusitis?
- Cold or allergy?
- Colds: how long are you contagious?
- What treatments to cure a cold?
- What natural remedies for the common cold?
- What are the complications of the common cold?
What are the symptoms of the common cold?
“The common cold is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of allergic (pollen) or viral (rhinovirus) origin”, informs Dr. Marc Perez, general practitioner, sports specialist and osteopath. The common cold is characterized by nasal symptoms (runny nose or rhinorrhea, itchy nose in case of allergy, nasal obstruction, or the famous stuffy nose with loss of taste, sneezing) and sometimes by symptoms in the pharynx, such as sore throat (tingling in the throat, itchy throat, difficulty swallowing) accompanied by general malaise and sometimes fever in the case of a viral cold. A runny nose in the throat is very often the cause of a cough.
Cold or Covid-19?
The covid symptoms may be those of a cold, especially if associated with fever and a loss of smell. “During a pandemic, you must do a nasal PCR test with a cotton swab in a pharmacy because any cold or cough is, until proven otherwise, a covid”informs the doctor.
Cold or flu, how to tell them apart?
Symptoms of a cold or of a flu look alike, but there are characteristics that make the difference. “In favor of the onset of flu, we note the seasonality (winter), the presence of high fever, body aches and the notion of an epidemic”informs the doctor.
Cold or sinusitis?
The sinusitis is a complication of the common cold. “If the treatment is not vigorous enough, there may be a bacterial superinfection. The discharge then becomes purulent”, says the doctor. Symptoms that should alert in addition to the change in appearance of the discharge? Persistence or intensification of fever, spontaneous throbbing pain in the sinuses which is increased when the head is tilted forward, headache.
Cold or allergy?
The common cold is sometimes confused with a allergic rhinitis. “This is accompanied by ocular symptoms (itchy and watery eyes) and sneezing in bursts, informs Dr. Marc Perez. Itching of the nose and throat is quite characteristic. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal (this is the case of rhinitis linked to pollens or grasses) or persistent when it is not caused by an allergen linked to a season (allergy to house dust mites or to cats for example).
Colds: how long are you contagious?
The common cold is highly contagious. “Wearing a mask is interesting to prevent transmission”, says Dr. Perez. The natural course of the common cold is generally less than 15 days. A cold lasts a week on average. Only worsening of symptoms after 5th day or their persistence beyond the 10th day makes it possible to evoke a bacterial complication of the common cold.
What treatments to cure a cold?
“The classic treatment is based on cortisone sprays (pivalone), nose washes with saline or sea water, vasoconstrictor spray in healthy people (athutgyl), paracetamol for fever and pain. In case of allergic rhinitis, antihistamines such as clarityne, zyrtec, aerius should be taken as they cause drowsiness”. informs Dr. Marc Perez.
If you have a dry, irritating cough that does not produce mucus, you can relieve yourself with a suitable cough suppressant. “The cough syrups are often herbal medicine and sugar”, says Dr. Marc Perez. If you have a wet, productive cough that produces phlegm, it is important not to suppress it with a cough syrup. This has the effect of preventing the expectoration of mucus and pathogenic germs. On the other hand, you can take an expectorant syrup which helps to clear deep mucus and facilitate expectoration (acetylcisteine).
What natural remedies for the common cold?
Stuffy nose, dry nose, irritated nose: what to do to relieve?
In natural medicine, Dr. Marc Perez advises you:
– the essential oil blends to drink (drops with essences, mixture ready to put in water)
-essential oils to breathe: HE niaouli, HE ravintsaraHE of thyme, HE of radiated eucalyptus, 3 drops to put on a cotton and to breathe, or to pass on the wrists mixed with a vegetable oil.
– to do inhalations of eucalyptol in hot water
– In homeopathy: aconite 9CH at the first signs, allium cepa 5CH and pyrogenium 5CH to avoid superinfection,
-In oligotherapy, trace elements: mixture of copper, gold, silver (oligosols) to stimulate immunity
-As for food supplements: vitamin C, echinacea, zinc, vitamin D, royal jelly against fatigue, propolis lozenges or propolis in small pieces in case of rhino pharyngitis, infusions with honey and lemon.
What are the complications of the common cold?
The cold complications are rare : less than 2% of colds. The main complication in adults is acute sinusitis. Only 0.5 to 2% of colds progress to sinusitis.
Sources:
- Interview Dr Marc Perez, general practitioner, sports specialist and osteopath.
- National Academy of Pharmacy report, Drug prescriptions for adult colds of viral originOctober 22, 2020.
Read also:
- Cold medicines: what precautions to take?
- Covid vaccine: which vaccine at what age?
