General Cold Symptoms: Guidelines for Self-Care

Table of Contents

• Fever
• Mucous-producing Cough
• Headache and Body Aches
• Frequent, Dry Hacking Cough
• Sore Throat, Hoarseness
• Stuffy Nose

For General Cold Symptoms

Home Treatment

• Drink 8-10 glasses of liquids: water and juices.
• Get plenty of rest. Abstain from vigorous exercise until you are feeling better.
• Do not smoke.
• Humidify your room; take warm steamy showers.
• Use disposable tissues. Wash hands frequently.
  
  

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Decongestants containing pseudoephedrine (Sudafed).
• Do not take someone else medication or pills you have saved from another infection. You may cause a more serious problem and interfere with lab tests and cultures.
• Avoid using antihistamines for your cold symptoms. They may cause excessive drying and make secretions too thick for the body to eliminate. Antihistamines are more helpful for hay fever-like symptoms.
  
  

Fever

Home Treatment

• Cool sponge baths.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Take Tylenol or ibuprofen. Avoid aspirin if you have the flu or chicken pox.

For General Cold Symptoms

Home Treatment

• Drink plenty of clear liquids (water is best).
• Humidify room.
• If you are a smoker - STOP

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Take a cough syrup with an expectorant of Glyceryl Guiacolate (Robitussin), or expectorant/cough suppressant such as Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM).

Headache and Body Aches

Home Treatment

• Drink plenty of clear liquids.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Take Tylenol or medications containing ibuprofen (such as Advil).

Frequent, Dry Hacking Cough

Home Treatment

• Humidify room.
• Drink plenty of fluids.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Use throat lozenges. Use a cough syrup with an expectorant/cough suppressant such as Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM).

Sore Throat, Hoarseness

Home Treatment

• Rest vocal chords (avoid talking), do not whisper (it strains the chords).
• Gargle with warm salt water (1/4 tsp. salt to 8 oz).
• Honey or lemon in tea.
• Humidify room or use vaporizer.
• Drink fluids.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Use throat lozenges, lifesavers, or cough drops. Any medicated or non medicated lozenge will work; throat spray such as Chloraseptic may be used.

Stuffy Nose

Home Treatment

• Humidify room and/or take steamy showers.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Avoid nasal sprays unless prescribed. Prolonged use (3-4 days) may cause rebound nasal membrane swelling, making your symptoms worse.