How to avoid or shorten a cold.

Colds are extremely contagious

With the arrival of the winter cold, the body is less resistant and the immune defenses less efficient. This is how the victims of cold are the most vulnerable at some point.

Children are the most affected. They contract on average six coldsevery year. Their immature immune system is still in question, but since viruses are particularly contagious, community life (nursery, daycare, nursery school, etc.) also plays an important role.
The frequency of colds then decreases with age. The adult is affected 2 to 3 times a year and the Old person once, if at all, because the body is then immune to the viruses that cause colds.

How to avoid a cold?

The safest way to not catch a cold is to make sure not to weaken your immune system.

• Manage stress because it undoubtedly erodes the immune system: yoga, relaxation ??…
• Practice regularly physical activity : half an hour of walking per day for the most sedentary, that's already it!
• Eat balanced, varied and enough: this is really not the time to start a restrictive diet.
• sleep enough and go to bed at regular times.

How to avoid spreading your cold around you?

Viral transmission is based on hygiene:

• Wash your hands regularly and teach children to do it correctly: soap and water, lather for more than a minute, fingernails to wrists.
• Do not exchange cutlery, glasses, pacifiers, washcloths, etc.
• Wear your hands as low as possible.
• Ideally, wear a mask when you are Snifflesotherwise cover your face when you sneeze or cough.
• Do not kiss if you have a cold, avoid handshakes and postpone certain visits (sick people, the elderly, young children).
• Sniffles or not, when viruses are circulating, do not kiss a toddler on the face.

How do you distinguish a cold from the flu?

The flu is characterized by intense symptoms, which begin very suddenly and which most often make it necessary to stay in bed (fever, headaches,muscle aches, body aches, strong fatigue ??). Conversely, symptoms of a cold settle gradually and are less intense: low fever, mild headaches, minor aches, fatigue and weakness, runny nose, congested, sneezing and sometimes a slight cough, watery eyes.

Should I consult in case of colds?

If it is a flu (intense symptoms of very sudden onset), it is necessary to consult as soon as possible in order to benefit from an antiviral treatment.

But needless to consult his doctor as soon as we catch a cold.

On the other hand, if cold symptoms drag on for more than ten days, they certainly signal the presence of complications. It then becomes necessary to go to the doctor. 
In children it is most often a otitis media. But one cold can also degenerate into sinusitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, even pneumonia. Also note that a cold, by weakening the organism can reactivate herpes (cold sore or genital herpes).

How to cure a cold?

Le cold treatment based on the symptoms (fever and pain medication, nose decongestants, syrup against dry cough when it persists). Remember that antibiotics have no action against viruses. They are therefore only prescribed against bacterial complications.

You have a cold. Improve your daily life!

• Stay warm and rest.
• Clean le nose using nasal sprays of water sea.
• Drink a lot, especially drinks hot.
• Do not overheat the room.
• Ensure sufficient humidification of the chamber.