How many days can a cold and cough heal by itself?

Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on May 23, 2025
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In general, the common cold usually resolves itself in about seven days. Common symptoms of a cold often include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing, which may be caused by exposure to cold air or getting wet in the rain. It is recommended to stay warm in daily life, and you can also drink some brown sugar ginger tea to dispel the cold inside the body. Additionally, soaking your feet in hot water before bed can help promote the self-healing process of a cold. At the same time, it is important to note that if the symptoms are severe, such as severe coughing, coughing up thick yellow phlegm, or difficulty in expectorating phlegm, it is essential to visit a hospital for an examination. Under the guidance of a doctor, carrying out relevant tests and taking medication according to the test results for targeted treatment is crucial.

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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What to eat for a cold caused by wind-cold

Cold due to wind-cold primarily occurs when the body's resistance is weakened, and it is exposed to the pathogenic influence of wind-cold. This pathogenic influence remains inside the body and cannot be expelled promptly. Symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose with clear discharge, sneezing, headache, aversion to cold, and floating pulse may occur. At this time, it is necessary to take some food or medicine that dispels wind and cold, and releases the exterior to regulate the body. You may choose to drink ginger and brown sugar water; ginger has an excellent effect in dispersing wind-cold, and brown sugar can enhance the body's resistance. Drink it hot to induce a slight sweat, which can quickly improve the symptoms of a cold due to wind-cold. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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How many days until one can eat after a stomach flu?

Patients with gastrointestinal colds can continue to eat if they are able to do so without skipping meals. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait until the cold is over before eating. Additionally, consuming nutritious foods can aid significantly in the recovery from a gastrointestinal cold. It is advisable to eat soft, easily digestible foods, such as vegetable soup, noodle soup, and rice soup. Increase vegetable intake and stay hydrated. Avoid raw, cold, and spicy, irritating foods. It is important to rest and actively use medication for treatment.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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What to eat when you have a cold, headache, and nasal congestion?

If you have symptoms such as headache and nasal congestion with a cold, it is recommended that in addition to taking anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications and cold medicine under the guidance of a doctor, you should also eat some foods that have the effect of expelling colds, such as appropriately boiling some brown sugar ginger juice to drink, or frying eggs with ginger and sesame oil. These dietary methods have the effect of expelling cold and stopping cough, and can also relieve symptoms of nasal congestion and headache well. If the pain is severe, you can take pain relief medication and combine it with massaging the temples to alleviate symptoms. Be sure to rest plenty, avoid overexertion, keep indoor air fresh and circulating, and also pay attention to eating more fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins, enhance your immunity, and promote disease recovery.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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Can children take a bath when they have a cold?

Children with colds can take baths, but care should be strengthened during the bath to avoid catching cold, thus preventing the symptoms of the cold from worsening. Since a cold in children is an infectious disease, bathing can keep the child's skin clean and make the child feel comfortable. Appropriate water temperature is beneficial for promoting blood circulation in babies and speeding up metabolism, which is conducive to the recovery of the baby's condition. However, if warming is not promptly ensured during the bath, or if the water temperature is too low or too high, it can cause repeated or even worsened symptoms of the cold in babies. Therefore, parents must pay attention to some nursing details during the bath.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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What cold is nasal congestion?

Nasal congestion is the most common clinical symptom of nasal diseases. Various disorders, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal foreign bodies, and even nasal tumors can cause nasal congestion. In terms of colds, clinically it mainly refers to an upper respiratory infection caused by a viral infection. Therefore, nasal congestion alone cannot determine which type of cold it is. The types of colds, in modern medicine, refer to upper respiratory infections. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are divided into colds caused by wind-heat and colds caused by wind-cold. Merely from the symptom of nasal congestion, it is impossible to determine the type of cold. Therefore, in clinical practice, the main focus for treating nasal congestion is symptomatic treatment, which may include the use of medications to constrict the nasal blood vessels and clear the nasal passages. (Please follow the doctor's prescription for medication use.)