Human Beings are prone to many diseases throughout their lives. Human beings encounter thousands of pathogens throughout their lives. Cough and cold are common diseases that we experience in our daily life.
Diseases are characterised into two categories
- Communicable
- Non-Communicable
Communicable diseases can spread from one person to another through a common medium like droplets, aerosols, sneezing, using utensils, fomites, etc. Communicable diseases are cold, cough, HIV etc.
Non Communicable diseases cannot spread through direct contact between an infected person and a non-infected person. Some names of Non-Communicable Diseases are Cancer, Fever etc.
Cough and Cold
Common cough and cold are known to be caused by two bacterias, mainly Streptococcus and Haemophilus influenzae.
These two types of bacteria are mainly responsible for causing Colds and coughs.
There are two types of cough:
- Dry cough
- Wet cough
Dry cough is the most common type of cough that is often seen among adults and even toddlers. The symptoms of common cold and cough are :
- Pain in the throat
- Congested Nasal Chambers
- Difficulty in breathing
- Feverish feeling
- In case of severe cold and cough, blood traces might also be seen in the cough.
This could indicate inflammation in the lining of the respiratory tract.
Since dry cough is the primary type of cough, some home remedies could be followed to prevent the infection.
Offer fluids
Keeping hydrated and having an adequate intake of fluids is very much essential to keep the patient healthy. As the patient feels congestion in the chest, a warm fluid in the form of water or milk is essential to clear the patient’s throat and keep the gut healthy. A good intake of water during the cough and cold is essential as water keeps the body away from infection because it is loaded with lots of minerals and elements required for a healthy gut in a person. Water also promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut as it helps maintain the Stomach’s pH.
Honey
Honey is a natural humectant found in all households. Honey is loaded with antibacterial properties that help to keep the growth of harmful bacteria away. Honey is known to be one of the ancient natural remedies for cough and cold as it helps in providing relief to the nose and throat and helps remove the congestion from the throat.
Coughs and colds are prevalent and don’t require any medical supervision. Still, sometimes it becomes all the more difficult to get rid of it and medical intervention is required in severe cases. A famous remedy is by preparing a concoction of honey, ginger, and lime, as all three help fight the cough and cold. This remedy is one of the time-tested natural remedies that is found to be highly effective against cough, especially in young children and toddlers. Every household has been using this dry cough home remedy for ages and to date, it remains as the most favourite natural remedy among people. It is also known to provide instant relief to patients.
Essential oils
Essential oils have gained immense popularity in all these years, not only in the skincare and hair care regimen but to also deal with the common diseases and various infections that occur daily. Scientists have researched and come up with many studies regarding the informational and healing properties of the common essential oils. Eucalyptus oils, rosemary oils, neem oils etc., are some of the essential oils that have been used as home remedies for colds. Eucalyptus oil, along with camphor, is a widely known natural remedy for cough in kids as it helps in clearing the nasal passage in case of severe and persistent cold and cough.
Eat Green Vegetables
Eating green, leafy vegetables is required for keeping one healthy and fit.. Green vegetables are rich in minerals like iron, magnesium, cobalt, selenium, zinc, etc. These have been known to provide immense benefit to the gut. Being healthy is a sign of good health as the bacterias in the gut can help us stay away from colds and coughs and boost our immunity.
Get enough intake of Vitamin D
Sunlight is the best and ancient medicine for cold and cough as Vitamin D keeps our body away from all sorts of infections. We avoid walking in the sun to protect ourselves from burning and tanning, but we forget that our daily intake of Vitamin D is essential for our bones and body. Vitamin D plays a significant role in keeping one away from any sort of viral or bacterial infections.
Medicines for cold and cough
The common medicines for cold and cough are :
- Nasal decongestants,
- Antihistamines,
- Cough suppressants,
- Expectorants,
- Pain relievers etc.
Though no medicine is usually required, these types of medicines are prescribed in case of severe infections.
Conclusion
Cough and cold are widespread diseases that humans experience daily. As it is a communicable disease, it spreads quickly from one person to another. Cough and cold spread quickly through bacterial infections but don’t persist for a more extended period of time due to the body’s fighting capacity.