Cold Better to combat each symptom individually

Cold, cough, sore throat: better treat cold symptoms individually

Hardly anyone gets away without a cold in the cold season. The associated symptoms such as sore throat or cough can usually be alleviated with simple home remedies. But some people also resort to medication. Anyone who does this should, according to experts, do without combined preparations and prefer to tackle the common cold symptoms individually.

In the cold season, colds accumulate

In autumn and winter it is not uncommon to catch an infection in wet and cold weather. Because the symptoms are similar, some people are not quite sure if they have a "simple" cold (flu infection) or even a flu. Which disease is present, among other things, to recognize how quickly the symptoms, because a real flu occurs suddenly. Patients who are suspected of having influenza should consult a doctor. Cold complaints can usually be alleviated with home remedies. Important for both infections is to always cure them properly.

Who wants to treat his cold not with home remedies, but with over-the-counter medicines should, according to experts dispensing with combined preparations. The complaints should be better addressed individually. (Image: Elnur / fotolia.com)

Complaints can be treated well with home remedies

A cold usually starts with a sore throat. This is followed by colds, coughing and sometimes also fever, headache and body aches.

Most of the complaints can be treated well with home remedies. However, there are also various over-the-counter drugs from pharmacies and drugstores available.

Those who resort to such funds should, according to drug experts of Stiftung Warentest better not resort to combined preparations.

Instead, they recommend treating cold symptoms individually.

For cold remedies, a price comparison is worthwhile

Stiftung Warentest has compiled 50 useful resources in the magazine "test". These can be viewed on their website for a fee.

According to the experts, a price comparison is worthwhile for many cold remedies. For example, cough medicine with the same active ingredients costs the expensive product up to three euros more. Even with cold sprays or painkillers, there is potential for savings.

As a general rule, anyone who combats cold viruses with sprays, tablets and juices should not be under any illusion:.

The preparations do not heal or shorten the suffering. In the best case, but they relieve the symptoms.

However, the Stiftung Warentest considers combi preparations that combat various symptoms simultaneously to be of little use.

"The remedies are not meaningful and can lead to side effects," explains Dr. Gerd Glaeske, drug expert of Stiftung Warentest.

Better combat each symptom individually

The many-selling and intensively advertised combination preparations such as Grippostad C, Aspirin complex or Wick MediNait promise to relieve various symptoms at the same time, and therefore contain several active ingredients.

However, since symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose and coughing often occur in succession and in varying degrees of intensity, the drug experts of the Stiftung Warentest evaluate combi-remedies for cold but as little suitable.

To treat everything on suspicion by watering-can principle together, is not necessary. In addition, there is the problem that the combination of different drugs in the same drug is associated with an increased risk of side effects.

Plant-based remedies

Some consumers rely on herbal cold remedies such as cough remedy with extracts of ivy or thyme, herbal teas, essential oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint and camphor.

Echinacea purpurea herb remedies have a reputation for strengthening the immune system and protecting it from infections.

Also popular is Umckaloabo. The root extract from a South African geranium species is said to protect mucous membranes and kill bacteria.

Umckaloabo is approved for acute bronchitis.

Basically, it should be remembered that even the best remedies can only relieve cold symptoms. An infection is almost always caused by viruses. And against the approximately 200 known pathogens no herb has grown.

No drug eliminates the symptoms abruptly. The body has to do that with its own defenses.

Adults usually need seven to ten days to get fit again. Children whose immune system is still developing are usually longer and more frequently ill: Up to ten infections per year are normal.

Prevent colds

A lot can be done to avoid infections as much as possible. The Stiftung Warentest has collected some tips for this and also explains - if you catch a cold - how the suffering can be relieved.

Above all, thorough hand washing is important: you should wash your hands several times a day for 20 to 30 seconds. Shake hands should be better avoided in the cold period.

By changing showers, sauna and Kneipp measures you can harden the body and thus less susceptible to infections. However, these measures are only recommended for healthy people.

Wet cloths on the heating and plants in the room as well as regular airing moisturize the room air. Heating air dries up the mucous membranes and makes them more susceptible to viruses.

In the case of illness one should treat oneself if possible peace. Lying on the sofa or in bed helps the immune system to ward off the infection.

It is also very important to drink a lot. Preferably water, unsweetened herbal teas or juice spritzers. This prevents fluid loss in fever and also helps to solve mucus.

Even warm vapors humidify the respiratory tract and loosen stuck mucus. Classically it goes with kitchen pot and towel. The water can be added to herbs or some essential oil.

By sucking cough and other sugars that are as sugar-free as possible, salivation is stimulated - and saliva in turn contains various antibodies against common colds.

Fever can be lowered with calf rolls. As a rule, this is necessary in adults and children only from a body temperature of 39 degrees.

Soak cotton towels in lukewarm water, wring out and wrap loosely around the lower legs. If the towels are warm, they can be removed. This can be repeated up to three times. (Ad)