Accidents Happen: A Guide to Children's Emergencies

Colds are a particularly common illness that can have major impacts on a person's quality of life. When a patient is suffering from a cold, they may find that the combination of congestion, body aches, fever, and lack of energy can make meeting their daily demands extremely difficult. In order to help you recover from your cold, there are some simple guidelines that may prove useful to you.

Invest In High-Quality Tissues

Mucus discharge from the nose and coughing can be an extremely unpleasant aspect of your cold. Unfortunately, standard tissues can be fairly abrasive, and this can contribute to the skin on your nose becoming extremely irritated. This can cause intense discomfort whenever you need to blow your nose. By investing in a high-quality tissue that is coated with a soothing lotion, you can minimize the irritation to your nose.

Avoid Dehydration

Dehydration can be a common side effect of suffering from a cold. This is often a result of the patient losing much of their appetite and sense of thirst along with the body's increased moisture needs in response to the disease. If a patient becomes dehydrated, they may find that their body is much less effective in its battle against their cold. By making a mental effort to drink more water, you will find that you can greatly reduce the risk of dehydration. In the instance that you start to suspect you are becoming dehydrated, you may want to visit your doctor to determine whether intravenous fluids are needed.

Appreciate The Benefits Of Moist Air

It is common for individuals to develop colds during the winter months. Sadly, the air during these months is often extremely dry, and this can prove to be problematic for those that are suffering from colds. The dry air can irritate the patient's throat and sinuses. This may lead to more mucus production and irritation. Luckily, you can combat this through the use of a small humidifier. For those that are unable to get one of these devices, periodically spending time in the bathroom with the shower running on hot can produce enough steam to help provide relief.

Stay Rested

There are many patients that will be very stubborn when it comes to resting while they are sick. Unfortunately, this can create conditions that are prime for the disease to worsen. In fact, it can be common for colds to transform into pneumonia or other serious medical conditions if the patient fails to respect their illness. Until you become well, you should make an effort to minimize the amount of physical activity that you do and get as much sleep as possible.

If you've taken the above steps but are still struggling to get over your cold, consider visiting a doctor specializing in treating the ear, nose, and throat.