Down With the Sickness - Cure for the Common Cold?

Hey guys/gals,
Looking for any "cures" for the common cold.
I really have no idea how common this thing is... just want it gone!

Increase fluid intake with fluids that aren't diuretics, so no coffee, caffeine, alcohol, etc. I find that peppermint tea helps clear me up a little and helps with a sore throat also.

Stay hydrated, use Zicam. It really, really works. I keep a bottle at home and at the office at all times. Use it for 48 hours after you start feeling better.

Echinacea!

And if you can find echinacea in liquid form with hot pepper extract, AH! That stuff clears your head like nothing else.



(and yes, I am aware that most people thing it is a placebo/voodoo. I dont care, it works for me)

Nothing can cure the common cold. However, we all know there's only a few things out there that can allow you to survive a bit easier...

Dayquil when you're at work, sleep when you get home. And drink lots of water and orange juice.

Eat a clove of raw garlic. It clears out all of the stuffed up mucous really quickly. Just hock it up and spit it out.

+1 on Dayquil helping you get thru the day. I also drink a ton of Airborne and eat 1000 mg of Vitamin C per day.

Sorry, this is long, but I think it's informative about the common cold.

I too have a cold and am sick of viruses. I have no use for them... jerks. They just have a chip on their shoulder because they're not really "alive". Last night I had a fever and woke up with cold sweats twice. I'm on the downswing now, though, so at least I have that going for me.

Here's the deal with the common cold:

They are usually (almost always) caused by viruses. Antibiotics only treat against bacteria and are useless with viral colds. The few bacterial colds that people get are usually a secondary infection to a viral cold. The term "cold" is really a misnomer. It's really an upper respiratory infection and is transmitted person-to-person. The reason we get them more frequently in the winter is because we're mostly indoors and in closer contact with jerks who don't like to wash their hands and cough and sneeze all over everyone.

As for remedies and cures, since each type of cold virus (about 200) acts differently in our bodies based on startpoint of infection (nose, throat, etc.), the current state of our immune system, the virulance of the virus, etc., many people coincidentally take certain "remedies" and think they help when the have a less severe cold. Vitamin C is not of much use, as long as your general diet is good and you're getting enough. The body can only utilize about 250mg a day, so taking 500 or 1000mg tablets is a waste of money since it goes down the toilet with your yellow pee. Echinacea, I'm sorry, there is more scientific proof that it doesn't work (studies) and none that it works... another waste of money.

Zicam and Cold-Eeze both use the same active ingredient and actually have the potential to work. Their active ingredient is zinc gluconate, or ionic zinc. Regular zinc does not work, it has to be ionic. So, all these supposed cold remedies with regular zinc do nothing but overload your body with zinc.

Here's how Cold-Eeze and Zicam work: Viruses have attachment sites on their protein coat which are oppositely charged to receptor sites on the cell membrane of your body's cells. This is how they attach and infect your body's cells since opposite charges attract. Ionic zinc also has an opposite charge to the viruses' attachment sites. The ionic zinc actually attaches itself to the virus, blocking it from attaching to your body's cells, and you simply swallow the virus and get rid of it in your digestive system. So, it is really a "mechanical" removal of the cold virus.

There is a catch with ionic zinc, however. By the time you start getting symptoms of a cold, you're REALLY infected. Unbeknownst to you, your body has been trying to fight this virus for a few days and has been losing the battle. The virus has replicated so many times and is so abundant, that the only thing left for your body to do is take extreme measures. This is why Zicam and Cold-Eeze instructions state to take at the first signs of a cold... because you're catching the infection while it is still young, while there aren't as many viruses to "kill" off as there will be later. So, taking Zicam or Cold-Eeze halfway through a cold is also a waste of money. Additionally, if your cold starts in your throat, you're better off taking a losenge, whereas if it starts in the back of your nose, you should take a nasal spray or use the swabs. You're also supposed to keep taking it after the symptoms go away... this is because if the ionic zinc was successful, your body hasn't naturally fought off the virus. There are likely some viruses still left and they may start your symptoms back up unless you get rid of every last one.

So, bottom line is: colds suck. The best cure is prevention. Everyone should wash their hands frequently and quit coughing/sneezing without effectively covering your mouth (like do it into your shirt sleeve)... and don't go to work sick. More productivity will be lost for the company because of the cold that gets passed around, than if you would have just stayed home for a couple days and been the only one to get sick.

Nice post menschmaschine! Very informative.
I understand that I have a virus and that there is no real cure for it.
Wondering if there are any old home remedies (old wives tales) that folks have found helpful.
I was going to buy Zicam today... but it looks like it would be a waste of time and money. Peppermint Tea and garlic are sounding good... I've got the Dayquil thing going on right now.
Thanks!

Ah, old remedies!

My buddy is from Jamaica and this is what he says they do:

Pour a healthy dose of some strong Jamaican rum, ~2 oz. or so in a rocks glass. Spoon in 2 scoops of sugar, grab a lemon and squeeze all the juice out into your glass. Mix thoroughly, pick out any seeds, and bottoms up!

Works like a charm!

I've become a believer in Neti for nasal/sinus discomfort of any time. Essentially, it's flushing out your nasal passages with warm saltwater. It does a fantastic job of clearing out the sinuses, and feels really good if you have a cold/allergies.

Follow that up with a steaming hot bath, a glass of whiskey, and then sleep until you can't stand it anymore.

Danny013 said:

Ah, old remedies!

My buddy is from Jamaica and this is what he says they do:

Pour a healthy dose of some strong Jamaican rum, ~2 oz. or so in a rocks glass. Spoon in 2 scoops of sugar, grab a lemon and squeeze all the juice out into your glass. Mix thoroughly, pick out any seeds, and bottoms up!

Works like a charm!

Click to expand...

add some mint and we call that a Mojito!

Oh... one more thing. Stay away from alcohol. It doesn't act like a biocide in your blood stream. It actually decreases immune response. The little bit in Nyquil is no big deal, but in general, the more you drink the longer you'll be sick.

(I know, I know... I'm a killjoy!)

Oh, almost forgot one other thing...don't forget to go outside! Some fresh air, and even a short walk does wonders for the common cold.

menschmaschine said:

Oh... one more thing. Stay away from alcohol. It doesn't act like a biocide in your blood stream. It actually decreases immune response. The little bit in Nyquil is no big deal, but in general, the more you drink the longer you'll be sick.

(I know, I know... I'm a killjoy!)

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OKay, but aren't the symptoms of a cold (at least the sneezing and running nose) exactly that -- an immune response? What I've been told by my doctor is essentially that you can't do anything to fix a cold once you're symptomatic. All you can do is treat the symptoms, and try to feel better.

Alcohol relaxes blood vessels and will increase congestion.

Ironically, even though little progress has been made on a cold vaccine, cold viruses are the basis of both an experimental flu vaccine and one for malaria.

jds said:

OKay, but aren't the symptoms of a cold (at least the sneezing and running nose) exactly that -- an immune response?

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I see what you're saying and it's true in a way, but I guess the way I worded it could be taken two different ways. The point is, alcohol decreases your immune system's strength and effectiveness.

david_42 said:

Ironically, even though little progress has been made on a cold vaccine, cold viruses are the basis of both an experimental flu vaccine and one for malaria.

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A college professor of mine once told me a vaccine for malaria had been discovered/created, but to implement it world-wide would cause such a fast increase in the earth's human population that the world's energy and food supplies couldn't handle it. It was considered an ethical dilema. The amount of people that die every year from malaria keep the world's population in check, but to withold a vaccine that would prevent people from dying isn't right either. I was told this like 10 years ago, so I don't know what's happened since.

It's good to know that cold viruses are being worked with. I hope to see in my lifetime a vaccination for the common cold. I know many say it can't be done, but lots of things couldn't be done until they were done. I'm holding on to hope! In the meantime... I've got to go blow my nose.

Drink lots of water and take it easy. The body is great at killing stuff like virus. Give it the time to do so.