Struggling with a cough and a sore throat? We asked a GP how to ease your symptoms.
As the weather cools down and the days get darker, it’s time to accept that cold and flu season is here. Whether you’re sniffling on the bus or are waking up achy, you might find yourself surprised by just how uncomfortable the symptoms of a common cold can be. And there’s one symptom that is particularly pesky – a cough that just won’t go away.
A sore throat and a cough is one of the most common symptoms of cold or flu. This is usually caused by a viral infection, which causes the glands in the neck to swell, making your throat feel irritated. “In viral infections, the virus causes a local inflammatory reaction, which causes the glands in the neck the swell and also for the pharynx (back of the throat) to become sensitive and tender,” explains GP Dr Ross Perry.
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More than 200 viruses are known to cause the common cold, according to Dr Perry, most of which infect the upper respiratory system – an area of the body starting from the nose and sinuses, to the throatand down to the first parts of the tubing which carries air into the lung. Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics and the best way to get rid of them is by resting as much as possible.
There’s nothing worse than coughing your way through Zoom calls or not being able to get back to sleep because of a scratch in the back of your throat. So here are eight things you can do to relieve these symptoms, according to Dr Perry…
Stay hydrated
Good hydration will help you stay healthy all of the time but especially when you have a cold. Dr Perry recommends drinking plenty of fluids, including water and hot drinks like tea. if you’re dehydrated, you won’t be able to produce enough saliva and mucus to keep your throat naturally lubricated which could make the inflammation causing a sore throat or a cough even worse.
Try to drink at least eight glasses of water per day when you have a sore throat or a cough.
Eat plenty of plants to boost recovery
You might only feel like eating endless slices of buttered toast when you have a cold, but eating a balanced diet could actually help you recover quicker. In particular, eating fresh fruit and vegetables to ensure you’re getting lots of vitamin C could boost your immune system, helping you to fight the virus and shift your cough quicker.
Gargle with salt water
Looking for immediate relief? “Gargling with salt water will help relieve a sore scratchy throat,” Dr Perry says. This is because salt can draw mucus out of your swollen, inflamed throat, which could stop it from feeling itchy.
Drink honey
Many people crave lemon-and-honey drinks when they’re ill and there’s a good reason for that – honey can actually help to relieve a sore throat.“Honey in hot water also helps to soothe a sore throat and works as a cough suppressant,” Dr Perry says.
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Try ginger shots
You’ve probably wondered whether the health benefits of ginger shots are worth the rather unpleasant taste. But apparently they might be if you’re struggling with a cough. “ A shot of ginger is a great anti-inflammatory, which helps with congestion, high temperature and colds in general,” Dr Perry says.
Breathing in essential oils can help
“Essential oils such as eucalyptus have antiviral and antimicrobial properties which is a good choice in treating the common cold along with peppermint oil which is used as a natural decongestant,” Dr Perry says.
Add an essential oil to a diffuser or dilute them and apply them to your skin like a vapour rub to feel the benefits.
Eat more garlic
This is one way to soothe a sore throat we can get behind – Dr Perry explains that simply adding garlic to a meal can help to relieve your cough as it’s packed full of minerals, enzymes, vitamin C, sulphur and selenium. Garlic also has antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, which means it could be one of the best ways to naturally fight off a cold.
Opt for hot soup lunches
Chicken noodle soup might be an old wives’ method of getting rid of a cold, but according to Dr Perry, the science backs it up. “Eating a hearty soup will speed up the movement of mucus in your nose simply because it’s a hot fluid and that causes dilation of blood vessels which causes increased blood flow,” he explains. “This allows the mucus to flush everything out, helping with congestion.”
Some research has suggested that chicken soup in particular can help reduce inflammation associated with a cold. This is because it contains carnosine, which is thought to minimise inflammation in the upper respiratory tract.
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