Home Remedies for common cold

In Ayurveda common cold is referred as Pratishaya

The first sign of common cold and cough is sore throat and is caused by viral infection. Normally it doesn’t require any kind of treatment in most cases of the common cold get better without treatment within 7 to 10 days. But a cough may last a few more days. But if symptoms get worse or don’t go away, see your health care provider.

Although over-the-counter medications can decrease symptoms, natural home remedies for common cold and cough can offer instant and effective relief.

Characteristic Symptom

Ayurvedic View

Ayurveda, the ancient holistic health system emphasis the correlation between nature’s cycle and our health. Understanding how different seasons impact the body’s doshas balance is crucial in managing chronic cold effectively.

This condition is refferd as Pratishaya in Ayurveda. All three doshas are responsible for common cold and cough. There are five types of cold have been specified:

1. Caused by vititation of air body humor.
2. Caused by vitiation of fire body humor.
3. Caused by vitiation of phlegm body humor.
4. Chronic cold caused by all three humors.
5. Caused by the disorder of the blood.

Common Cold Home Remedies

1. Steam inhalation by burning a piece of turmeric can provide instant relief from running nose.
2. Gargle with saline water or warm water with a pinch of phitkari added to it, 3 to 4 times a day.
3. For relief from nasal congestion, make a powder by pounding together black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon and black cumin seeds in equal parts and sniff it.
4. Pound approx. 6gm of garlic with equal quantity of jaggery. Take this at bed time.
5. Mix approx. 5 to 10 ml juice extracted from betel leaves with freshly grounded basil, mint and ginger. Add about 4 to 5 pounded peppercorns to the paste. Take half tablespoon of this preparation, mixed in to some honey.
6. Pound some fresh leaves of Bilva to extract their juice and take approx. 10 to 20 ml, 2 to 3 times a day.
7. Prepare decoction with ginger, basil and pepper. Take it warm twice a day mixed with half tablespoon of honey.
8. Put 2-3 drops of ghee in the nostril as nasal drops once or twice a day.
9. During the first stage of cold, when you are bound to suffer from continuous watery discharge from nose, try this: Boil half table spoon black pepper powder in glassful of milk and take it warm at bedtime before sleep.
10. Cinnamon is also a destroyer of phlegm and is recommended in treating cold. Take approx. 1 to 3 gm cinnamon powder mixed with 1 tablespoon honey. For better relief add a pinch of black pepper powder and a few drops of ginger juice.