You woke up in the morning, but your nose does not breathe, it tickles and aches in your throat, your head is cast-iron, your chills are beating. This almost completely means that you have caught a viral infection, it has already invaded the body and has begun its “black business”. What to do? Urgent action!
You should not be so self-confident that you think that “it will pass”.
Note!
A viral disease goes through five stages:
- infection (the virus invades),
- replication (the virus multiplies),
- inflammation (the virus captures and kills healthy cells, continuing to multiply),
- intoxication (affected cells die and poison the body with decay products),
- recovery (the body blocks the spread of the virus, removes toxins, restores affected tissues).
The first day that we understand that we are sick, this is usually the stage of replication or inflammation that has already begun. If you managed to prevent infection a day before (for example, apply oxolinic ointment, rinse your nose with saline, or warm your entire respiratory system with steam and prevent the virus from invading), the second stage might not have come.
Kohl has already appeared "cribbing" and "coughing" - the disease is in full swing. Now you have to go through all the stages.
Morale
A common mistake: a person immediately runs to the pharmacy and asks to give "some strong, effective, effective, the best" cure for the common cold. He accepts it and, thinking that now everything will pass, rushing about according to his usual business: to work, to study, etc. There it was. The medicine will remove the symptoms for a while, and under its "cover" the virus will actively multiply, continue to destroy your body.
Correct solution: cancel all your affairs and do the treatment. It only seems that no one will manage without us and in no way can we "fall out" of life for a day. Can! And it is necessary! Take a day off, warn that day "lie down."
Medication
Mistake: Do not immediately take everything that the seller at the pharmacy advises, a girlfriend or a neighbor. There are no drugs that can kill the virus! Only your body can do this personally. All you need on the first day: miramistin or even just plain saline (for washing the nose), vasoconstrictor drops (it is better to take a children's dosage). Pharmacy cold medicines often contain components that stimulate the psyche, such as a large dose of caffeine. This will help to cheer up, increase efficiency, but after 4-5 hours, a deterioration will inevitably occur.
Antibiotics against the virus are powerless. Their use will weaken the already working in an emergency mode immunity.
As for antiviral and immunostimulating drugs, which are actively advertised in the media, you should understand: their effectiveness has not been clinically proven. They act differently on everyone. If any arbidol / anaferon / AGRI / polyoxidonium / oscillococcinum / etc. helped your friend well (or even to you personally last time) - not the fact that he will act on you now the same way.
Bed rest
Sleep is the best cure for viral infection. A warm bed is where, ideally, you need to spend the first day of a cold. In 90% of cases, this is enough to stop the active development of the disease the very next day. If this is impossible and you need to be "on your feet", you should at least a couple of hours in the afternoon sleep and go to bed in the evening as early as possible.
The most important: to postpone all business outdoors. It is strictly forbidden: trips, hiking, generally, staying on the street (even on the balcony!).
Remember: you can not wash and, especially, wash your hair on the first day of a cold.
Drink
The breakdown products of the virus are excreted by the kidneys. A warm liquid activates the metabolism.
It is very important to drink often and a lot. It’s great if it will be homemade fruit drinks, compotes, tea with mint, linden, lemon and honey, green tea, ginger tea.
Remember the rule: once every two hours a cup of hot drink is a must! Hot drink is also a thermal procedure!
A few words about alcohol. Someone assures that vodka with pepper or hot beer, as well as mulled wine, help in the fight against viruses. Brazenly lying. All this only temporarily raises the mood and loads the liver and kidneys.
Heat
Viruses do not like warming. Almost all of them die already at 39-45 degrees. That is why during a cold, the temperature rises, the body itself seeks to kill the virus.
From the very beginning it is important to “warm up”: warm socks (you can pour mustard powder in them, which warms the feet according to the principle of mustard), warm clothes, a woolen scarf. Even if you are at home and do not leave the bed - insulate the "strategically important" places: neck, legs, back and chest. Old grandmother's down scarf can work wonders!
If you have a fever, do not immediately drink antipyretic. Give the body an opportunity to "fight." Provided that the temperature is tolerated normally, without severe headaches, cramps and confusion, it can not be reduced to 38 - 39 degrees. Most likely it will decline itself after a couple of hours.
If there is no temperature, thermal procedures are required. There are many options: breathe over steam or boiled potatoes (10 minutes) two to three times a day, warm the sinuses with a warm boiled egg, make a half-alcohol compress on the throat. A very effective tool is steaming the legs. We keep our legs in a basin with hot water for 15-20 minutes, then we warm ourselves and go to bed.
Attention. Going to the bathhouse, sauna, sitting in a cedar barrel on the first day of a cold is absolutely impossible. It only spurs the virus!
Nutrition
Huge mistake: refusal of food on the first day of a cold, snacking on sweets and sandwiches.
Do not forget that food is also a medicine. Proper nutrition on the first day of a cold can significantly alleviate the condition and help in the fight against the virus. Improper nutrition exacerbates the disease. You need to eat often, little by little, choose light and rich in protein foods.
We eat: scrambled eggs, liquid milk porridge, soups, vegetable salads, fish. Do not forget about herbs, onions and garlic. It is strictly forbidden: smoked, fatty, salty, fried, fast food.
By the way: Chicken stock - a natural anti-inflammatory!
Aromatherapy
It is very important what the sick person breathes. Usually, this factor is not given enough attention. Meanwhile, it is obvious that if you spend the first day of a cold in a clean room, where there is a minimum of dust, wet cleaning is done, the air is fresh - this significantly increases the chances of a speedy recovery.
The air should not be dry (use humidifiers or just place wet towels in the room). It is also worth spending the first day of a cold in rooms where there is fungus and dampness.
The use of aroma lamps with oils of eucalyptus, tea tree, citrus, juniper will help overcome the virus. It’s also nice to knead a plate of finely chopped garlic at the head of the bed. Phytoncides will inhibit the virus on your mucous membranes.
If you did everything right, then not the next morning you will feel a positive trend.
Attention: after the first day comes the second! If you feel better, this does not mean you need to get involved in the usual rhythm of life.
SARS is insidious, it can return with renewed vigor.
If possible, continue to observe all of the above, especially with regard to heat, drinking, and drug support.
If the condition worsens on the second day, urgently consult a doctor before waiting for tracheitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis or otitis media to occur.
Take care of yourself!
