So as we all no doubt know, disease can really suck. You pick up a cold from someone, then two days later your shivering and using up boxes of tissues like they're glasses of water. I'm currently nursing a nasty one myself, first one I've had in quite a while, and its got me thinking the best protocol for dealing with it. Not only ways of treating the symptoms, but also methods to stop it from spreading to others (especially pertinent if you live with other people).
Details I'm particularly looking for are
- medications to minimise symptoms
- tools like facemasks
- Procedures like having a bag filled with single use water bottles and easy to make meals.
that kind of thing. Although honestly I'm just curious to see what other people do. In my family, its always been that if you got sick you retreated to your room to sleep it off. No meds, no special treatment, just lots of water and maybe a few crackers. Then if all was well you would arise 3 days later, like Jesus coming out of his cave. That's whats normal to me. But I see all these adverts on TV about taking amphetimine based cold and flu tablets to allow you to push through it. Given that even minimum wage every day you lose to sickness is $200+ dollars down the drain, imo its something that warrants thinking about.
thoughts?
Results
Drinking water and consuming a source of electrolytes allows the body to keep up the offensive through mucus production. Especially important if your a big tissue user.
Aspirin helps with minor pains and inflammation
Small amounts of codeine (~6mg) removed fever. Instead of needing to be in a room heated to 24c to stop shivering, I could be at 18c and feel fine. See your doctor for advice/prescription
Pseudoephedrine (sold as the behind counter medication sudafed) stops running nose for a short time
Menthol containing items like Minties or Extra Mint chewing gum work great for suppressing coughs.
Lozenges, such as strepsils, or for a very sore throat, Difflam, which contains an anaethestic.
Throat gargles, with salt water or betadine
Then there's an assortment of herbal remedies, which may have varying effects.
Highanddry swears by large doses of Vitamin C
Clear suggests careful dose of Zinc may have positive effects
Cheapskatequeen recommends garlic and ginger, which do have some interesting properties
cosmogirlz shared some enlightening information on the pills high earning professionals take (Armaforce)
Ptenkae and morebunnings strongly support steam rooms, but according advice from a nurse the warm humid temperature makes public ones a germ breeder, so do a morebunnings and get your own.
And then there were also recommendations for Black seed oil, horseraddish, echanacea,
Generally though it seems the common sense approach is to avoid contact with other people, don't overstress yourself and get plenty of rest. For the stronger meds like codeine or pseudoephedrine, they are best taken in small doses infrequently, as they disrupt the bodies defense mechanisms and so will likely lengthen the duration of a cold. In my case I mainly took them when going to sleep or going outside.
Had the flu shot this year. Almost everyone in the office has been sick with the flu this year but I missed out.. it must be doing something.
Sauna 3 times a week in a infrared sauna at home (used to sauna in a proper sauna at the gym before I got this), with eucalyptus oil.