How to Treat the Common Cold: Can Natural Remedies Help?

Herbal Remedies

Add honey to your daily routine. Honey is a proven way to suppress coughs and soothe your throat. Try adding some to your tea until you’re feeling better. You could also take 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of honey at bedtime to suppress a nighttime cough. You can also mix honey with water and lemon if you prefer the taste. Don’t give honey to children under 1 to prevent infant botulism.

Shorten your cold with zinc supplements. While research is mixed, there is strong evidence that zinc supplements could help your body fight off a cold faster. Try taking a daily supplement to see if this helps you fight off colds. The upper limit for daily zinc is 25 mg, so don't go over that unless your doctor tells you to. Zinc lozenges could also help if you start using them within 24-48 of the cold starting. Getting too much zinc could cause side effects like an upset stomach or diarrhea, so ask your doctor before you start taking it. Never use zinc in a nasal spray. This could cause serious side effects like permanent loss of smell.

Try vitamin C to shorten your symptoms. You may have heard that vitamin C helps prevent colds. While isn't totally correct, it could reduce a cold’s length. Large doses of 200 mg per day while the cold lasts could help your body fight the virus, so see if this works for you. Don’t take vitamin C supplements if you’re pregnant or have kidney disease.

Take garlic supplements to fight the cold. Evidence isn’t great, but garlic could help your body fight off the cold. Try taking a daily supplement of 180 mg to see if that helps. You could also try eating garlic, but this probably isn’t enough to make a huge difference.

Relieving a Cough and Congestion

Turn on a humidifier to moisturize the air. Dry air could irritate your throat and nose, making you feel worse. Running a humidifier could relieve congestion and coughing, so try using one of these if your home is dry. Check the humidifier filter for dirt or mold before running it. Clean it if you have to. If you live in a dry area, you might be at a higher risk for colds because dry nasal passages are more vulnerable to the virus. Try running a humidifier all the time to see if this helps prevent you from getting sick.

Rinse your sinuses with saline nose drops. Rinsing out your sinuses could help clear congestion and make you feel better. Get some saline nose drops from the pharmacy and use them according to the instructions. You could also use a neti pot to rinse your nose even more. Fill the pot with saline solution and tilt your head to one side over a sink. Pour the saline into your top nostril and let it flow out through your bottom one.

Gargle with saltwater to soothe your throat. This might help relieve a sore or scratchy throat. Stir 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, then gargle with that water and spit it out. Make sure you spit out all the water and never swallow it.

Inhale steam in the shower or bath to open your airway. Try running a hot bath or shower, then spend a few minutes inhaling the steam. This could draw out some mucus and clear your airway. Keep some tissues handy, because mucus might start flowing once you start inhaling steam!

Recovering at Home

Get enough rest to stay strong. If you have a cold, there’s no substitute for getting plenty of rest. This keeps your body and immune system strong enough to fight off the virus. If you can, stay home from work or school for a few days and keep your strength up. Don't be scared to take a few naps throughout the day if you have to! Staying home for a couple of days also prevents the cold from spreading to others. Your friends and coworkers will probably appreciate this.

Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Water is best when you have a cold, but juice is a good choice too. You can also add some lemon to your water. This prevents dehydration while you recover.

Sip warm liquids to soothe yourself. Turns out your grandma was right when she brought you chicken soup! Warm liquids can make your throat feel better and relieve congestion as well. Tea, soup, and broth are all good choices.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine until you recover. Both of these can dry you out, which could make your cough and discomfort worse. Wait until your cold gets better before having coffee or alcoholic drinks.

Rub petroleum jelly around your lips and nose. The skin around your nose and mouth might get chapped when you have a cold. Try rubbing some petroleum jelly onto chapped spots to help with the pain and dryness.