Cold Remedies: Facts vs. Myths

A number of cold remedies have been practiced by many people around the world to manage the symptoms of the common cold. Most of them are facts and have a scientific basis but the others are myths and can be an annoying waste of time, thought and worry. At least one member in every household should know the different home remedies for colds once another member catches it. But aside from that, he or she should also know what remedy is effective and what is just pure myth. Here are some of the myths about colds that should be clarified.

Myth:    Antibiotics are the effective medicines against cold.
Fact:    Colds are caused by virus.

Antibiotics are drugs that act against bacterial infections by killing the bacteria causing a disease. Viral infections such as simple colds are not affected by antibiotics. Many uninformed mothers and guardians still believe that antibiotics are effective for colds. However, if a colds sufferer develops a bacterial infection with the colds, antibiotics can be now effective in making the patient feel better.
Another thing that people should know is that most viral infections such as colds are self-limiting. That means they will eventually heal with time even without any medical intervention.

Symptomatic cold remedies are enough to manage colds.

Myth:    Vitamins and other dietary supplements can cure colds.
Fact:    Although vitamin supplements such as vitamin C can strengthen the immune system, taking them are not effective in curing colds.

Even though a person keeps on taking vitamin C everyday, when he catches a cold, vitamin C tablets won’t do anything to the virus. The virus will still cause symptoms and he can’t do anything about it but to manage his symptoms with the right diet, hygienic measures, proper hydration, and other cold remedies and then wait until his colds are healed. On the other hand, zinc supplements have been proven to be beneficial in colds treatment.

Myth:    When a person has a cold, he should not drink milk so there will be less mucus.
Fact:    Intake of milk doesn’t contribute to the large build-up of mucus.

There is no scientific basis regarding this myth and any person with colds can drink milk as much as he wants to. Mucus production may increase when one has colds but it is not, in any way, caused by milk.

Myth:    “Start a fever and feed a cold”
Fact:    The phrase “starve a fever” is completely a myth.

Food is needed by any human to provide energy for the body and if a person has a fever and colds, his body metabolizes lots of energy reserves in the body and therefore more food should be taken to prevent further body weakness.

There are still more myths that many people still believe to be effective in treating colds. Here are few of the scientifically proven effective cold remedies that patients can do to manage colds. First is proper hydration. A person with colds should drink plenty of fluids to prevent nasal congestion and keep the throat moist. Eight to ten glasses of water a day should be enough to keep the body hydrated. Second is nasal irrigation through saltwater rinse or nasal spray. This remedy can help relieve nasal congestion efficiently.

And the last is chicken soup. It is very effective since it has an anti-inflammatory effect and it lessens mucus production. Chicken soup has been one of the most helpful cold remedies that many mothers have been giving to their children to manage colds.

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