How to get better from a cold quickly?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on May 28, 2025
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First, it is important to correctly understand the common cold. The common cold itself is caused by a decrease in body immunity, infection by rhinoviruses, pharyngoviruses, adenoviruses, influenza, or parainfluenza viruses, leading to symptoms of respiratory infection. The principle of treatment is to choose symptomatic medicinal treatment, combined with antiviral drugs, and causative treatment. In terms of diet, attention should be paid to avoiding overly greasy, stimulating, and spicy foods, drinking plenty of hot water, measuring body temperature twice daily, and consuming foods like kiwifruit, celery, and spinach to help with metabolism.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
1min 36sec home-news-image

How to treat a cold in children

Pediatric colds, also known as upper respiratory tract infections in children, are the most common illnesses among children. They primarily manifest as inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, nasopharynx, and throat, which can lead to conditions such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, and acute tonsillitis. Collectively, these are referred to as upper respiratory tract infections, or simply pediatric colds. The treatment of pediatric colds mainly focuses on preparing for and preventing complications. Secondly, symptomatic treatment is essential. When a child has a high fever, antipyretics should be taken, and physical cooling can be achieved through cold compresses, or warm moist compresses. Children with febrile convulsions should be given sedatives and antispasmodics while reducing the fever. For significant nasal congestion, local medications can be used, or physiological saline water can be used to rinse the nose. For throat pain, throat lozenges can be taken, or sprays that alleviate throat discomfort can be used. It is also crucial to treat the cause of the illness. Generally, antiviral drugs are not specific, but ribavirin can be taken, along with Chinese herbal medicines that clear heat and detoxify. If there is a secondary bacterial infection, antibiotics should be used under the guidance of a hospital doctor.

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
1min 22sec home-news-image

Chills and dizziness are symptoms of what kind of cold?

Chills and dizziness are just symptoms of a common cold, which clinically is categorized into wind-cold, wind-heat, and summer-heat colds. In both wind-cold and wind-heat colds, symptoms of chills and dizziness can appear. When distinguishing between them, generally, a wind-cold cold presents more severe chills but milder fever, and symptoms may include dizziness and covered sweat. Note that sweating while covered is a symptom of wind-cold colds. Other symptoms include headache, sore limbs, and a floating-tight pulse, characteristic of a wind-cold cold. In wind-heat colds, chills and dizziness also occur, but the chills are milder and the fever is more intense. Symptoms include sweating, unresolved heat, dizziness, headache or a sense of swelling, flushed face, red eyes, and signs of heat such as dry mouth, preference for cold drinks, a thin yellow tongue coating, and a floating-rapid pulse. Therefore, in addition to observing chills and dizziness, other clinical symptoms must be considered to determine whether the cold is of the wind-cold or wind-heat type.

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Written by Feng Hai Tao
Pediatrics
1min 59sec home-news-image

How to take care of a child with a cold

How to take care of a child during a cold? First, it is essential to ensure that the child rests in bed. Provide the child with plentiful water, offering small amounts frequently. If the child does not want to drink water, you can appropriately add some juice or glucose water. Also, monitor the temperature changes, generally measuring the temperature under the armpit. Second, it is crucial to keep windows open for ventilation at home, avoiding too cold or too hot environments, as neither is conducive to the child’s recovery from illness. Third, based on the changes in temperature, adjust the child’s clothing accordingly but avoid dressing the child too warmly or covering too thickly, as this can hinder heat dissipation. This is not only detrimental to the child’s recovery but can also exacerbate the illness and potentially lead to heat rash. Fourth, if the child sweats excessively, be sure to wipe the sweat timely and change their clothes. Fifth, in terms of diet, adopt a strategy of small, frequent meals that are light and easy to digest. The child should avoid eating fish, shrimp, spicy, and other stimulating foods. If the child has poor appetite or indigestion, do not force-feed them. Instead, frequently massage their abdomen, and if necessary, administer oral medication to aid digestion. Sixth, ensure adequate caloric intake and that the child urinates frequently and has regular bowel movements. Seventh, actively apply symptomatic treatment for the child and avoid the misuse of antibiotics. If the temperature persists for more than three days or if the condition worsens, it is imperative to visit the hospital promptly to avoid delaying the child's condition.

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
1min 5sec home-news-image

Can you take cold medicine if you have nephrotic syndrome and catch a cold?

People with nephrotic syndrome have particularly weak immune systems, making them especially prone to infections and colds. Once a cold occurs in someone with nephrotic syndrome, the patient often experiences headaches, whole-body muscle soreness, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. In other words, patients with nephrotic syndrome feel very uncomfortable when they catch a cold. If kidney function is normal, it is still possible to take cold medicine. Of course, before using cold medicine, it is essential to follow the doctor's advice for medication treatment. Moreover, after catching a cold with nephrotic syndrome, in addition to taking medication, it is important to rest, consume fresh vegetables and fruits, drink plenty of water, and maintain a light diet. Additionally, it is important to rest, avoid overwork, and if there is a concurrent bacterial infection, sensitive antibiotics should be used for anti-infection treatment, to avoid the recurrence or aggravation of nephrotic syndrome due to infections or colds.

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Written by Guo Xiao Yun
Pulmonology
1min 1sec home-news-image

What are the differences between a hot cold and a cold cold?

The difference between a hot cold and a cold cold mainly lies in the causes and symptoms. If a cold is mainly caused by the invasion of wind-heat evil into the body, it is clinically characterized by yellow urine, coughing up purulent sputum accompanied by high fever, headache, and sore throat discomfort. On the other hand, a cold cold is primarily caused by the invasion of wind-cold evil into the body, and it is clinically characterized by white, thin sputum, and symptoms such as chills, cold limbs, dizziness, and fatigue. Whether it is a hot cold or a cold cold, from the perspective of Western medicine, most are caused by viral infections. Therefore, taking some anti-cold medication or some traditional Chinese medicines can improve symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness.