Common colds, or simply ‘colds’, are usually quite harmless and go away on their own. The symptoms of a cold such as, cough, sore throat and runny nose can be really annoying. A severe cold can make you feel weak and ill. Colds usually last for around a week, but some symptoms may last longer. Although a sore throat or a stuffy nose can go after just a few days, it sometimes takes up to 3 weeks for a cough to disappear completely.

Zandu’s remedies, made with ayurvedic ingredients, help in providing symptomatic relief to congested nasal issues.

Causes

• Infections – Besides rhinoviruses, there are over 200 infections that can cause the common cold.
• Seasonal factors – For many, a change in weather leads to a cold. It also reappears with almost every seasonal variation.
• Immune system – A weak immune system is like an open door for infections. It’s easy for the cold to enter your body and settle, because the immune system isn’t putting up a fight.
• Contact with contaminated surfaces – You can pick up viruses by touching contaminated surfaces, or being in contact with infected individuals who can transfer the cold virus to you.

Symptoms

Common cold comes with many symptoms which begin 2-3 days after you have been infected and can last for 2-10 days. Typically, a sore throat is the initial symptom, followed by a runny nose. If you are experiencing the following symptoms then you may have a cold:

• Sore throat – Coughing and a scratchy sensation in the throat that can also be accompanied by throat pain.
• Body ache or mild headache – Colds can lead to some amount of weakness that causes body ache or a mild headache.
• Nasal congestion – A severe cold can congest your nose. The nasal passages and sinuses swell up and produce excess mucus.
• Post-nasal drip – You can feel the mucus dripping down your throat making you want to clear your throat more often.
• Runny nose – Nasal discharge is a common symptom of cold among adults and children.
• Sneezing – Irritation in the nasal passages sometimes causes people to sneeze when they have a cold.

PREVENTION

Because there are so many different cold viruses, having recovered from a cold doesn’t stop you from catching another one. Your immune system has to learn how to fight each new virus. This also means that it’s not possible to vaccinate against colds. But there are some simple things you can do to avoid catching a cold or spreading it:

• Keep a safe distance from those who are infected with a cold.
• Cold viruses spread through air-borne droplets that settle on objects such as door handles and computer keyboards. Touching objects used by infected people enables the transfer of viruses on to your hands, which can then spread to your nose or mouth.
• Wash your hands often with soap or sanitise them.
• If you are infected and sneeze or cough a lot, it’s best to keep your distance from other people. Avoid going to work or meeting people to stop your cold from spreading.
• Cold viruses spread through objects that have touched the nose or mouth of infected people. This includes cups or glasses and, of course, used tissues. So it’s important to throw tissues away immediately after use and avoid leaving them lying around.