what's the best way to get rid of a cold?

If anyone had the solution to this question, they probably would be rich by now. What I hear most often is: How do you get rid of a cold? Give it to someone else! Naturally that is meant as a joke.

Most doctors agree that there is currently no cure for the common cold. All we can do is eliminate or reduce the symptoms, and try not to make others sick.

If you want to avoid getting a cold, here are a few tips:

1) Wash hands often, especially in public areas or when a family member has a cold. The cold virus can survive up to 20 minutes on a surface (door knobs) in certain conditions, and your goal is not to allow it to transfer to you.

2) During cold season, avoid entering crowded areas where airborne viruses may linger. Take the stairs instead of a crowded elevator.

3) Try to sleep with the window open a crack, even in winter weather (or air out the house once or twice a week). The fresh air coming into the house will help get rid of stagnant germ-filled air that has collected while it has been bottled up.

4) Keep your vitamin C levels up.

If you catch a cold and have the virus in its runny nose and sneezing stage:

1) Try to work from home if allowed to avoid spreading germs at the office.

2) Wash hands and face often.

3) Use facial tissues to sneeze into, and to wipe the runny nose. Get rid of them ASAP.

4) There is an old saying my grandmother used to tell me: "Starve a fever, feed a cold". Normally, if you have a cold, you don't get a fever. So with a cold you should eat and keep up your strength. But if you have a fever, then you probably don't have a cold, but instead have the flu (influenza virus). For that it is better to have lots of bedrest and just hot liquids (tea, broth soups, etc).

The best thing for cold sores right now is a product called abreva. However, if you can find it, some hometown pharmacist carry a product called "Cure a Sore", it has ether in it and works very well. Stinks like crazy and taste very bad if you get it in your mouth, but works better than anything else that I have tried. If you keep abreva with you, then you can put it on as soon as you feel one coming and usually it won't come up. If it does come up it doesn't last long. I keep it for that reason. Although I haven't noticed much difference if I wait too long to use it. I also keep Lysin it helps with the puffieness and discomfort. Hope this helps.

A cold is an infection of your body by the cold virus. As it is caused by a virus and not a bacteria antibiotics are ineffective against it which basically means there's nothing for it but to let your immune system fend the virus off itself. However you can support your body in this.

Taking vitamin C supplements can help support your immune system as it fights off the infection, as can supplements containing echinacea and garlic. It's also a good idea to dress warmly as one of your body's innate immune responses involves increasing your body temperature to fight the infection. Avoid strenuous exercise as increased breathing can irritate your infected sinuses and lungs and increased circulation can drive the virus around your body prolonging your sickness. You should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to give your body the nutrients it needs to get well again. Fresh chicken soup is a tried and true cold remedy, as is hot lemon & honey drink but essentially all you can do is take it easy, rest up and let your immune system do its thing. Most colds last between 3 to 5 days. If you're sick for longer than a week or you experience a high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or any other acute symptoms go and see your GP as it may be a bacterial infection which requires antibiotics.

Keep your body warm and make sure to rest a lot. Cold is caused by getting into a cold environment and because the blood vessels shrink the bacteria in your throat gets out of control because there are less white cells to keep oppressing them.

So just some pragmatic suggestions: get your hair dry after a shower immediately or almost immediately in the winter, keep your throat warm and try not to cover your mouth for too long and then uncovering it at once (that can literally kill you).

You can't do anything to speed up getting rid of a viral infection such as the cold. The best you can do is to boost your immune system (e.g. get some citrus fruit into you as it contains lots of vitamin C and get a decent amount of sleep), minimise your symptoms (take pain relief if you get a headache) and try to prevent spreading the virus (wash your hands after you sneeze and cover your mouth and nose with your hand whenever you cough or sneeze).

Unfortunately colds are basically self limiting, nothing either you or your doctor can do alters either their severity or duration. Drink plenty of fluids and take appropriate doses of paracetamol and let it run its course.

Rest and drink fluids.