Common Cold

(Viral Rhinipharyngitis, Cold, Running Nose, Acute Rhinitis, Nazla, Zukhaam, Balgami Amraaz, Sardi)

Introduction

Common cold is viral infection of upper respiratory tract. Different types of viruses are responsible for common cold. It is not a life threatening condition but it can lead to discomfort in breathing. 

Ayurveda : Common cold occurs when digestive fire (agni) did not burn toxins of body (Ama) and and results in phelgm formation. Kapha pacifying diet is ideal in common cold.

Unani : Transformation in the body temperament (Tabayi mizaj) from normal to cold.(Sard), where phelgm (akhlath e balgham) is increased in the body. Rhinitis or Zukaam is the equivalent term to running nose. Here the phlegmatic fluid (balgami khilth) is increased in the body by the production of excess of  phelgm (balgam) in the body.

Sore Itchy Throat

Finding difficult to eat , swallow or sleep. A common occurrence in cold whether.Come winter and exposure to  ailments such as common cold and viral flu increase many folds. Not to forget the rising Pollution levels as well as the alarming threat of Covid 19, of all which dent the immunity system.

Sore throat is one of the most common complaints in winter.People experience discomfort, pain, itchiness that can even lead to  difficulty in speaking or swallowing. Due to rapid spread of Covid 19 and the looming threat of omicron, one must isolate and get tested for Covid 19. If Sore throat persists "Sore throat is one of the symptoms of Covid  19. If it is accompanied by fever, dry cough, body ache, headache, lethargy and running nose. And if theses symptoms persist for 2-3 days get an RT- P.C.R done and seek medical attention at the earliest.

Causes

• Covid 19
• Viral infections 90% of sore throat
• Breathing in dry air sucks moisture from throat leaving it dry scratchy and uncomfortable more so in winter  when the heater is on.
• Strep throat : A bacterial infection of the throat and tonsils, can cause intense pain , which may worsen at night  due to post nasal drip.
• Gastro-Esophageal Reflex Disease (G.E.R.D) .is a condition wherein stomach acid frequently  comes up into the  esophagus or food pipe.. This can burn and irritate the lining of the esophagus, causing sore throat.
• Muscle sprain
• Seasonal change

Remedies

• Keeping oneself well hydrated.
• Periodic hand washing
• Avoid touching one's eye, face.
• Keeping indoor spaces humidated.
• Wear a mask in public at all times, to shield the body from pollutants.(N-95 Mask)
• Use a humidifier at night if you are sensitive to dry air.
• Fresh garlic is anti bacterial and anti viral. Crush and chew a clove of fresh garlic to ease throat pain or mix crushed garlic with honey in hot water 
• Bone broth are loaded with calcium zinc and magnesium, which will help tackle infections better.
• Gargling with baking soda can neutralize acids in the mouth, ward of infection and protect against inflammation.

Cough / Khaansi

If a person is suffering from cold, then coughing times are not far behind. There are two types of cough :

Dry Cough : Cough without expectoration.

Wet Cough : Cough associated with expectorant.

Phlegmatic Headache

Due to excess accumulation of phelgm  in the meninges or layers of the brain, there occurs a severe headache.. In this type of headache, the patient suffers from : severe headache with  nasal block, watering of the eyes,, continuous sneezing and earache. Due to this person becomes restless and cannot withstand the severe headache and at times cannot even carry out his daily routine activities.

Whooping Cough /Shaqeeqa

A person suffering from continuous and persistant cough is said to be suffering from whooping cough.

In this condition a person is unable to breath properly and a wheezing sound is heard from his chest while breathing. The infected person spreads the disease causing organism into the surrounding air by coughing and any person in the vicinity can contract the infection. A person with whooping cough is usually not contagious after the third week of illness.

                                           

Tonsillitis (Warm -e -halaq)

Unani

In Unani terminology, the term Tonsillitis can be  explained as inflammation or pain (warm) of the throat (halaq). Quite a common condition and that too especially amongst the children,tonsillitis can be seen as the inflammation or  the swelling of pair of tonsils present bilaterally inside the throat.Usually associated with adenoids in children, the major symptoms of this condition are :

Symptoms

• Pain : Severe pain (waja) is experienced in the throat region during intake of food and liquid.
• Fever : At times, the pain is associated with fever (huma) which is known as Huma -e-yaum in tibb - e - unani that is quite severe at its onset.
• When palpated one could feel the nodular mass like swelling below the chin or both the side of throat.
• Usually when it occurs in infant they continue to cry uncontrollably.

Diphtheria (Qanaaq)

The inflammation of mucus membrane of the mouth and throat is known as Diphtheria. It is usually seen in children and at times, this condition is also mistaken for tonsillitis. The affected children may have a runny nose or blocked nostrils.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

At times, accumulated phelgm, can also lead to joint pain, which usually occurs as a reduction of the fluid between the joints (synovial fluid). A few causes of this condition are

• Extreme cold
• Increase of phelgm in the body
• Cold climate
• Cold temperament

Life Cycle of Common Cold

Symptoms

• Sneezing
• Shivering
• 
  

Causes

• Getting drenched in the rain.
• Wearing wet cloths for a long time.
• Children playing in water for long time may get cold and running nose.
• Consumption of extremely cold food items like ice, guava, and black berry etc.

Diet

Early Morning

Warm Water.

Breakfast

Veg Semolina (Veg Upma), Broken wheat porridge (Veg Dalia), Veg Vermicelli (Sewian), Veg Poha (Rice Flakes, Veg Idli / Brown Bread Sand witch, Besan Pancake (gram floor), Stuffed Chapati, Chapati with veg or Dal, 1 egg white portion.

Mid-Morning

Fruit, Fruit juice, herbal tea, coconut water.

Lunch

Barley Chapati+ vegetable + Dal + Salad.

Evening

Herbal Tea, Green tea, Roasted grams, Rice flack snack.

Dinner

Chapati + Vegetable + Dal.

                                         "Saline gargles best remedy for sore throat."

Diet Instructions

Cereals

To Be Consumed : Wheat, Barley, Granola, Rye, Amaranth, corn, Millet,Buckwheat, quinoa,

To Be Avoided : White Rice.

                             "Mendel's throat paint"

Fruits

To Be Consumed : Apple, Cranberry, Pomegranate,Apricot Papaya, litchi.

To Be Avoided : Prunes, cherries, figs, Grapes, Mangoes, Melons, Orange, Peach, Pear, Raspberry, Strawberry, Banana, Date.

"Avoid heaters for dry cough instead use humidifiers or keep 1  bucket full of water in room."

Vegetables

To Be Consumed : Broccoli, cabbage, celery, Asparagus, cabbage, chard, Cilantro, green beans, Lettuce, Mushroom,peas, onion,cauliflower, radish,potato,Sweet potato, ginger, garlic.

To Be Avoided :  Okra, Egg plant, Colocasia.

Pulses

To Be Consumed : All Pulses can be consumed.

To Be Avoided :  : Nil.

Dairy Products

To Be Consumed : Cow's Ghee.

To Be Avoided : Cottage Cheese, Milk, Sour Cream, Yogurt, Butter milk, cheese cream, ice cream.

Spices

To Be Consumed :  Black Pepper, Cardamom, cloves, Mustard, Turmeric, Asafotida, Basil, Cinnamon, Cilantro, Cumin, Fenugreek, Parsley, Mint, Nutmeg, Red Chilli in limited quantity.

To Be Avoided : Nil.

Drinks

To Be Consumed : Coconut water, home made soups,Green juice, herbal tea.

To Be Avoided : Whole milk drinks, Canned, soup and packed soup, Alcohol, sweet drinks,Squashes, carbonated drinks, caffeinated Drinks.

Flesh Foods (Flesh foods to be consumed once in a 15 days)

To Be Consumed : Egg While, Chicken (once a week)

To Be Avoided : Processed and fried meat, Red Meat (lamb,Beef,Pork),

Seeds & Dry Fruits

To Be Consumed : Almond, Raisin, Groundnut, Walnut,, Peanut, Pistachio, Cashew, Pumpkin Seeds, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds.

To Be Avoided : Nil.

Oils

To Be Consumed : Mustard, Safflower, Sunflower, Ghee, Peanut, Sasame, Almond, Coconut. 

To Be Avoided : Cream and Palm oil.

Other Foods

 To Be Consumed : Honey, Jaggery Soya milk.

To Be Avoided : Bakery and Processed foods.Fried Foods, Junk Foods, Pickles, Artificial sweeteners and Packed  Soups and refined sugar.

.

Diet Tips

• Do not skip meals.
•  Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid overeating.
• Avoid simple crabs and saturated and trans fat.
• Do not use refined sugar.
• Avoid consumption of packed food.

Home Remedies

Basil Leaves : Chew 2-3 Basil leaves.or boil leaves in a cup of water,and drink it in the morning.

Ginger : Take 2-3 slices in a cup of water  and boil it for 5 minutes. Drink this decoction.

Garlic : Put some cloves of garlic in mustard oil  and heat the oil for some times. Apply oil on chest.

Gargling : Add pinch of salt in water and boil the water for 2-3 minutes.

Black Pepper : Mix 1 tsf of black pepper with jaggery , prepare a mixture and have it 2-3 times in a day.

Treatment

Allopathy

Sore Throat

Bed rest advisable

Inhalation of medicated steam : Menthol inhalation, karvol inhalation,

Pills : Tab Sinarest or Wikoryl ND

Tab Actified 1-1-1

Tab Dispirin 1-1-1

Tab Suckcee 500 mg two times a day to be sucked.

Nasivion or Otrivin nasal drops. 2-5 drops in each nostril for 3-5 days.(Avoid use of nose drop for long)

Expectorant

For allergic Rhinitis Tab Levocetrizine 5 mg OD. (Patient must be told about drowsiness and advised to avoid accident prone work or driving and avoid alcohol while taking antihistamine.)

Ayurveda

AVOID

• Milk and milk products as they are mucous producing and causes increase in phelgm
• Fish
• Fried food.

Phlegmatic Headache

• Local Application is good i.e. Tiger balm. It act as a effective pain reliever.
• Combination of camphor,menthol,thymol and wax.
• Or camphor,ajwain and mint.Mix all three ingredient in stoppered glass bottle and shake vigorously till all of them liquefy. Mix this liquefied content with wax and apply as a pain  balm over fore head and the temples. The above mixture can also be added to boiling hot water and the vapors inhaled.. These vapors provide good relief by  dissolving accumulated phelgm from the meninges of the brain.

Zulal :  

Black pepper 2 tsf

Common salt 1/2 tsf

Dry Ginger 1 tsf

Water 1 cup

Powdered black pepper and dried ginger mixed with salt are added in water and after 10 minutes, give to patient to sip it slowly. The prepation enables a person in providing him some relief from his nagging headache.

Unani

Common Cold

Decoction : A cup of hot water mixed with Cardamom, crushed ginger, peppercorn , and cloves.The decoction immediatly worked wonders with a soothing relief.

Joshanda Decoction : 

1 . 

• Ginger 1 inch
• Cumin Seed 1 teaspoon
• Jaggery 2 teaspoons
• Peppercorn 10-12
• water 1 glass

Slightly roast on a pan cumin seeds, peppercorn and crushed ginger till they turn a little brown and grind them finely. Powdered jaggery is then added to a mixture and water is added to it. and than resulting mixture is than boiled on a high flame till the liquid is remained to half its volume. The contents are then filtered and the filtrate is used to cure cold and cough, when sipped slowly twice a day.

For persistant cough

2 . 

• Tulsi 1-4 leaves
• Turmeric 1/2 teaspoonful
• Jaggery 2 tbsp
• Water 1/4 cup

Grind together the Tulsi leaves and Turmeric add water and jaggery and boil for 5 minutes. This is then given to the patient espcially after food as a  drink. (For diabetes patient it is given without jaggery.

Louqh (Semi Solid Preparation)

• Dry Ginger (Sonth)5 tablespoon.
• Mullhathi 5  tablespoon
• Honey 7 tablspoon

Dry ginger and Mullathi are coarsely powdered  and mixed with honey.. About 1/2 to 1 teaspoonful of this mixture given to the patient three times a day.

Cough Mixture 

• Mulethi 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds 2 tbsp and 
• 1 cup water. 

The above drug are finely powdered and sieved and then soaked in water  and boiled it for 10-15 minutes. The resultant mixture is consumed orally preferably on an empty stomach, twice a day.

Whooping Cough

Simple Home Remedies

• Clove is kept under the tongue when there is an attack of cough, for instant relief.
• Black pepper can be crushed and given along with  mint leaves  to the affected person which could be either kept under the tongue or chewed.
• Turmeric mixed with honey is made to licked by the patient.

Phlegmatic Headache

local Application

others :

Tonsillitis

Gargling

Gargling with warm water containing 2-3 crushed Adusa leaves helps in reducing the pain in throat.

Mouth Drops

• Mullathi 1 tbsp
• Black pepper 10-15 corn
• Honey 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds 2 tsf

Method of Preparation

Stir fry the cumin seeds and pepper corn on a pan till they turn golden brown and them grind them to a fine powder and mixed with honey. The mixture is then made into small round balls of the size of a horse gram and shade dried. These balls are then kept below the tongue to provide some relief from throat irritation.

Diphtheria 

For Gargling

Dried peel of pomegranate is powdered and boiled in water continuously for 15 minutes. The water is used for gargling twice a day as it helps in reducing the inflammatory pain.

For the prevention of infection

Consuming ginger paste mixed with honey twice or  thrice a day helps in checking the infection.

For external Application

Sandal powder 1 tbsp

Camphor 1/2 tsf :Sandal Powder and camphor are mixed with castor oil and applied externally on the throat.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

A few remedies :

• Castor leaves 1-2
• Castor oil 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds 2 tbsp

Castor leaves are heated on a pan and are smeared with castor oil, which has been heated with mustard seeds and the leaves are tied around the affected areas (usually knee joints) like a bandage and left overnight.. This relieves a pain quite an extent.

Roghan e kafoor

Olive oil 1/2 cup

Camphor 1 tbsp

Camphor mixed with olive oil is warmed on a pan and application of an oil on the affected parts provides pain relief and comfort to the patient as this oil acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

https://madhuchhandacdmo.blogspot.com/2021/10/common-cold.html