How to Treat a Cold

Find out how to treat the common winter cold and what others are doing to get back to their healthy selves.

Male Speaker 1: The average adult will get 2-4 colds a year and almost everyone has a favorite strategy to deal with them. Male Speaker 2: I usually call I am sick to work and I go to bed. Female Speaker 1: I usually go through my medicine cabinet and I search for whatever products I have. Female Speaker 2: I take a lot fluids, I take vitamin C and I get a lot of rest. Male Speaker 3: I usually just rest and sleep a lot, laze around at home a lot. I don't do anything, I drink a lot of hot stuff like tea and warm milk, maybe a soup. Male Speaker 1: There are about 300,000 non-prescription cold remedies available around the world and about 200 known cold viruses. Family physician Dr. Shafiq Qaadri isn't surprised, people are unsure about what to take, when they get a cold. Dr Shafiq Qaadri: Well, there are so many conflicting claims and theories and messages out there. But what people need to understand, is that colds are caused by viruses and ultimately, it's the immune system that's going to fight them off. There a lot of time honored remedies out there, for example, things like vitamin C, some people will believe will improve the immune system and of course, things like tea and honey can warm and sooth a sore throat and of course, getting rest helps, getting chicken soup served to you by your loved one, that, of course, is always helpful and that reminds you that you are still cared for. Male Speaker 1: But what about over-the-counter medications? Do they have any effect against the common cold? Dr Shafiq Qaadri: Absolutely, so for example, things like a pain reliever or an analgesic, that of course can help with the aches and pains that come along with the cold and antihistamine, of course can help to dry up some of the flam or the fluid congestion and things like cold effects, which is a purified extract of North American ginseng. It's actually been proven to boost the immune system. So, it can help with the frequency and the severity or the duration of cold. Male Speaker 1: Of course, we would all like to avoid getting a cold in the first place. Dr Shafiq Qaadri: You can stop a common cold right in it's tracks by having a balanced diet and getting regular exercise, as well, if you wash your hands several times during the day and avoid touching the nose and eyes, you can stop the spread, the viral transmission of these particles, these droplets. You should also avoid prolonged exposure with people who actually have colds, especially if they are coughing or sneezing away in your direction. Speaker: For more on coping with colds, check out cold-fx.ca. Martin Vanderwoude reporting.