Thursday, January 31, 2013

Treat Common Cold

Common colds are annoying, leaving us exhausted and irritated at work. To keep them from deteriorating into a more serious condition, there are a few steps you can take to keep yourself functioning at work and home--and get well quickly!








Instructions


1. Know that common cold is caused by a virus. Most of the viral illnesses including cold are self limiting. They usually take few days to go. Keep your self warm.


2. If you are otherwise healthy there is no need to take antibiotics. Antibiotics only kill bacteria not the virus.








3. Take Tylenol 325 mg or extra strength if you have bad running nose, headache or fever. You may take as frequently as every 6 hrs. Tylenol will reduce the secretions, control fever and headache. Again it does not kill the virus.


4. If you also have a component of allergies then Benadryl instead of Tylenol may help. Benadryl itself contains Tylenol but you can take Tylenol with it as well as long as you do not take too much of it.


5. A hot chicken soup may do the trick.


6. If your nose is draining yellow or greenish colored secretions may be it is time to take antibiotics. Sometimes viral infections do get secondarily infected with bacteria. Call your doctor.

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