Advice

Cough & Cold

Introduction

Winter brings a barrage of coughs, colds and flu, but there are plenty of things we can do to fight back at every stage, from helping to prevent them in the first place, to relieving unpleasant symptoms and fighting the infection.

Cold & Flu

What is a cold?
A cold is caused by a tiny virus. There are more than 200 types of cold virus, which is why you can catch one cold straight after another. The good news is that as you get older, the number of colds caught generally decreases due to increased immunity to the different cold viruses. A cold can be caught by inhaling a cold virus in airborne droplets when someone with a cold sneezes or coughs. However, colds are more commonly passed from one person to another by touch. About two days after infection you may start feeling the symptoms of a cold; this is when you are at your most infectious. A cold normally lasts about 5-10 days, with the worst symptoms subsiding after 5 days.

What are the symptoms? The symptoms of a cold can vary from person to person. You may have a blocked nose, headache, thick nasal mucus, feel tired or achy.

How do I treat a cold?
Although there is no known cure for the common cold there are plenty of remedies available to help ease the symptoms.

The common cold is very infectious, is more widespread in the winter months and has no known cure.

So have I got a cold, or is it flu?

Flu is the common name for influenza and is a more serious type of infection than a cold; it affects the lungs as well. The flu virus is passed on in air droplets that are breathed, coughed or sneezed by people with the flu virus and often occurs in epidemics, affecting lots of people at once. Many flu symptoms are similar to that of a cold but the symptoms usually appear suddenly, are more severe and last for longer.
The first signs of flu are a high temperature with aches and pains. It can take, on average, two to three days for the symptoms of flu, which include feeling tired and sneezing, to reach their peak. Flu normally lasts between 7-10 days. Ease your symptoms by making sure you take care of yourself by resting, drinking lots of water and treating your symptoms with over-the-counter medicines.

Cold and flu symptoms are our body’s way of telling us that we are fighting off an infection and need to save our energy.

Common Cold
• Symptoms come on gradually
• No temperature
(except in children)
• Sore throat and runny nose
• Able to get out of bed
• Should last about a week.

Flu
• Quick onset of symptoms
• High temperature
• Sweating, aching limbs and
weak muscles
• Not well enough to get out
and about
• Lasts between 7-10 days
(first 3-4 days are worst).

IMPORTANT Tell your pharmacist if you have any medical conditions or are taking other medicines. They may ask about your symptoms to ensure they offer the right advice to suit your needs.

If your cold or flu isn’t clearing up and your symptoms are getting worse, for instance if you have acute sinus pain, ask your pharmacist for advice.

Finding it hard to sleep?
It can be hard to get a decent night’s sleep when you’ve got a cold, a nasty cough and are all bunged up but there are some things you can do to help yourself drift off. Try sprinkling menthol or eucalyptus drops onto a tissue and placing it near your pillow to help clear a blocked nose. There are products designed to aid restful sleep. Ask your pharmacist for more information on the right product for you.

Sore Throat
What causes a sore throat?
Sore throats are normally caused by bacterial or viral infections. Sore throats are a common condition, with most people having at least two or three every year. They tend to be more common among children and teenagers. This is because young people have not built up immunity against many of the viruses and bacteria that can cause sore throats. Most sore throats are not serious and pass within 3-7 days without the need for medical treatment. Over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol, can usually be used to relieve the symptoms of a sore throat.

What are the symptoms?
Signs of a sore throat include:
• Swollen tonsils
• Enlarged and tender glands
in your neck.
Symptoms of a sore throat include:
• A painful, tender feeling at the back
of your throat
• Discomfort upon swallowing.
If you have a sore throat, you may
also experience a number of other
symptoms, such as:
• A high temperature
• Aching
• Headache
• Tiredness

How do I treat a sore throat?
• Keep swallowing, even if it is painful. Saliva produced when swallowing, is our
natural inbuilt lubricant and is an antiseptic
• Sucking throat lozenges encourages swallowing
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen are
usually recommended to treat a sore throat.
If you have a sore throat, you should make an appointment to see your GP if:
• Your symptoms do not improve after two weeks
• You have frequent sore throats that do not respond to painkillers, such as
paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin.

Congestion
What is congestion?
A runny or blocked nose is one of the most annoying symptoms of a cold. Nasal congestion is caused by swelling of the large veins in the lining of the nose.

How do I unblock a blocked nose?
• A non-drowsy decongestant can help relieve nasal and sinus congestion
• Nasal sprays can also provide rapid relief
• Steam inhalation warms and moisturises the nasal airways, reducing
inflammation and allowing softened mucus to be released
• Vapours from natural aromatic oils, such as cinnamon, pine and menthol,
can help relieve blocked noses.

Coughs
What causes a cough?
Coughing is a reflex action. It is your body’s way of clearing the airways of mucus or irritants, such as dust or smoke. Coughs are a symptom of a range of different conditions, including asthma and bronchitis, as well as colds. The viral infection that causes a cold can also spread to your lower respiratory tract, irritating it and making you cough.

Chesty Coughs
If you have a chesty cough, you will be producing phlegm. Chesty coughs are the body’s way of expelling unwanted material from the lungs, so any treatment should aim to assist this process by loosening the phlegm and encourage ‘expectoration’ rather than suppressing the cough.

Dry and Tickly Coughs
Dry, tickly coughs are usually light and repetitive, don’t produce any phlegm and can be exacerbated by being in a dry or centrally heated environment. The good news is that there are plenty of products on the market to help alleviate the symptoms.

Childrens Colds & Flu
There are plenty of medicines designed for children over the age of two that can help alleviate the symptoms of winter colds. For children under two give paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower their temperature and administer a simple cough mixture such as one containing glycerol or honey and lemon if they have a troublesome cough. Always ask your pharmacist if you are concerned about which medicine is best.
Prevention
We can’t stop you catching a cold, but we can help you support a healthy immune system so you can fight against germs and infection.
Top 5 essential vitamins & minerals for the winter months
1. Vitamin C – found in a variety of
fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin during winter as it is required for the growth and repair of tissues as well as being a well known antioxidant.
2. Zinc – a vital mineral for maintaining the body’s defences. It helps support a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system helps us fight off colds. Make sure you get yours by eating lots of beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
3. Selenium – an important mineral in cold weather. It is an antioxidant and is found in brazil nuts, wheatgerm and sunflower seeds. 4. Vitamin D – helps us maintain healthy bones and production is stimulated in your body by sunlight. In winter eat plenty of oily fish, margarine and meat.
5. Calcium – helps maintain healthy bones and teeth. Get yours from dairy products, canned fish and leafy, green vegetables.

Avoid spreading germs by:
• Washing your hands regularly
• Sneeze into tissues and throw them
away immediately
• Rest and stay at home when you are sick
• Avoid close contact with those who have a cold
or flu
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as these
are the places germs can get into your system
• Get some fresh air, such as light exercise, which
will increase your body’s immune system.

For further advice why not visit one of the Alchem Pharmacies