Cure for the Common Cold

baltmatrix

Seeing as I have caught a nasty cold I was wondering something. What methods do you use for getting rid of a cold.

Mine include:
Lots of sleep;
Tea;
Orange Juice (with Pulp);
Different forms of chicken soup.

Rym

I wait. There's no other known method ^_~

Apreche

There are many things you can do that will make you feel better. They will alleviate the symptoms of the common cold to make sleeping and other activities more pleasant. Chief among these is real Nyquil with psudophedrine, but you might not need such a heavy weapon. On the rare occasion I catch a cold I simply go about my normal life, and ignore the cold almost completely. It will go away in a few days.

trogdor9

Listerine FTW!

Andrew

Listerine FTW!

Listerine?! What how does that work?

trogdor9

Gargle it as far back in your throat as you can without swallowing it. It actually works surprisingly well.

MarcusNoble

All I really need is a bottle of Nyquil and my bed. It works very well for me.

Andrew

Gargle it as far back in your throat as you can without swallowing it. It actually works surprisingly well.

The more you know.

Apreche

How does listerine gargling supress cold symptoms?

baltmatrix

The alcohol vapor serializes things.

trogdor9

How does listerine gargling supress cold symptoms?

It helps the itchy throat and the coughing a bit.

navelfluff

I feel better when I stay warm and slightly sweaty. Remember to drink a lot, and get as much sleep as you can. That's also what the doctor says.

Make your sick period as pleasant as possible. Of all the medicine that doesn't work, I prefer dark chocolate and a glass of cognac. Hot lemon tea (with fresh lemon) and honey is also good, it feels as if it helps a sore throat (but probably doesn't).

I once had a flu so bad I couldn't bear it. I got stoned on pot just to get through it, and was surprised how well that worked. I do not advice anyone to follow my example if it's illegal in your country or state. I have also tried to get through a bad flu by getting drunk. That was a bad idea.

jacobFUTURE

I've had the most terrible cold this week. The really shitty part is that in Japan people generally don't take sick days unless they plan on going to the doctor (and then you're expected to bring a note.)

I work at a junior high school and EVERYBODY is coughing and sick and it's just terrible. Today I spent my lessons watching the bad kids stab the good kids in the face with mechanical pencils... in a strange feverish state I thought they were learning.

I find the best cure is a crap load of vitamin C type candies. The wikipedia article for colds is pretty interesting. It's pretty damn scary just how contagious they are...

Kilarney

The really shitty part is that in Japan people generally don't take sick days unless they plan on going to the doctor (and then you're expected to bring a note.)

That explains all of the people wearing face masks. Are the people wearing face masks sick, or are they afraid of getting sick?

Andrew

That explains all of the people wearing face masks. Are the people wearing face masks sick, or are they afraid of getting sick?

I am pretty sure they are afraid of getting sick.

jacobFUTURE

The mask is either for hay fever or when you have snot running out of your face and coughing, but you have to go to work. It's a way of keeping pollun out and prevention of spreading germs.

I'm not 100 percent sure about this, this is just from what I've experienced.

TheWhaleShark

I only go to the NyQuil when I have trouble sleeping, like when I have a fever. I've noticed that when I do take it, I sleep through the exact dosing schedule; that is, I'll wake up every 6 hours, which is in fact the dosing time of NyQuil.

Otherwise, I get tissues and wait it out.

Kate Monster

I have used the Listerine solution and it worked pretty well.
NyQuil and DayQuil are great, immunity defense Tropicana orange juice, a daily vitamin, lots of fluids (seriously, pee clear), cough drops, etc.. they are all great.

I also started buying these "Shower Soothers" the past few times I have had a cold and they work like gangbusters. They are blue tablets that you place on the floor of your tub in the stream of your shower water. The dissolve as the shower continues and release steam that smells of mentholyptus (sp?). It really breaks up the congestion, etc.

Also, try adding an extra pillow underneath what you normally sleep with. When you stay slightly more elevated, the mucus really does flow down, so you don't stay plugged up.

Oh, avoid dairy of any kind as it produces more mucus and get really soft tissues (I like the kind with lotion).

Kilarney

A study showed that over the counter cough medications do nothing (other than a placebo effect).

The dairy-mucous connection is also a myth.

I find that nothing beats Afrin for a stuffy nose. The downside is that you can actually become dependant on the stuff if it is used for too long.

trogdor9

I have used the Listerine solution and it worked pretty well.

See? And you guys doubted me.

/Glares at Scott

Apreche

Whatever you do, don't use those zinc nasal gels. There is no scientific evidence that they do anything other than destroy your sense of smell. I still can't believe these haven't been pwn3d by the FDA.

Andrew

What about zinc cough drops?

Apreche

What about zinc cough drops?

I'm sure they make your throat feel better, just like any cough drop. And if you haven't eaten enough zinc in your diet, they can probably help meet your daily requirement of zinc. But as for curing colds, it probably doesn't actually do anything.

Kilarney

The jury is still out on zinc.

tuttle88

Sleep and getting your mum to make you chicken soup.