WHAT IS COMMON COLD?

1
WHAT IS COMMON COLD? It is an illness caused by a
virus infection inside the nose. It also involves
the ears, sinus and bronchial tubes

• COMMON SYMPTOMS
• Sneezing
• Running or blocked nose
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Headache, Chill
• Feverishness
• General weakness

The cold virus enters through the nose and is
carried to the adenoid area where it attaches
itself to cells
A cold virus is deposited in front of the nasal
passage through droplets or through contaminated
hands
5 SIMPLE THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD
Always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing
so that you dont spread the virus. Always use a
clean dry piece of cloth to wipe your nose.
Drink lots of water and juices to loosen the
phlegm and also to avoid dehydration
Get lots of rest and sleep
Do not share food or drinks with other people.
This will help reduce the spread of germs.
Always wash your hands after you wipe your nose
or after sneezing or coughing and before you eat
food.
2
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT COMMON COLD

• GETTING WET IN THE RAIN OR BECOMING COLD WILL
  CAUSE COLD
• DRINKING MILK INCREASES THE MUCUS AND PHLEGM
  DURING A COLD
• STARVE A FEVER, FEED A COLD OR FEED A FEVER AND
  STARVE A COLD

Oh its raining! Now I will surely catch a cold
THE TRUTH Cold virus is passed from one person to
another due to contact. In rainy season people
spend a lot of time indoors and are in close
contact with each other which increases the
chance of cold. So the rain doesnt cause cold!
THE TRUTH Milk only looks like the mucus! But it
gets digested like any other protein. So there is
no increase in mucus because of milk
To eat or not to eat is the big question?
THE TRUTH Eat normal, healthy food. Neither
starve nor eat too much. Drink lots of water and
if possible fruit juices
THE TRUTH Not sure about this one!!!!
3
WHAT IS COUGH? Coughing is the bodys way of
cleaning the breathing system and getting rid of
phlegm or other germs in throat or lungs. Cough
by itself is not a sickness and usually indicates
an illness in some other part.
DRY COUGH This is the most common type of cough
and usually produces little or no phlegm. It is
usually due to cold or flu.
COUGH with PHLEGM This results when there is
mucus in the lungs. The mucus is cleared from the
lungs when coughing the phlegm out.
Picture of someone breathing hot vapors
1 part honey 1 part lemon juice is the best
cough syrup for dry cough. Take a teaspoonful
every 2 to 3 hours

• Things to do to loosen the phlegm.
• Drink lots of water as it loosens the mucus
• Sit on a chair with a bucket of hot water at your
  feet. Place a sheet over your head and breathe
  the hot vapors for 15 minutes. Repeat several
  times a day

DO NOT SMOKE Not smoking is the best way to
prevent, cure or calm a cough
FOR A SORE THROAT Add ¼ teaspoon of salt to warm
water and gargle frequently. It provides relief
to a sore throat

• COUGH THAT NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION TALK TO YOUR
  HEALTH WORKER
• Cough with wheezing usually asthma or
  bronchitis
• Coughing up blood, pus or smelly phlegm TB or
  Pneumonia
• Persistent cough that lasts several days or weeks
  TB, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma