Introduction:

Cold and fatigue down till the bones.! That frustrating inability to feel the warmth despite being covered by blankets or warm water bags. That sharp headache, which often gets combined with a sore throat, makes you not want to swallow anything. You feel dry to touch because of the chilling fever, which drenches you in sweat. The common cold is not so unusual to experience, and we are sure that everyone out there has gone through the same at least once in their life.

What is Common Cold?

The common cold is a frequent viral infection. The Rhinovirus or Influenza A attacks the throat, nose, and lungs, producing the signs and symptoms of the disease. The virus is distinct from the stomach "flu" viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Most Common cold patients recover with time, but it causes severe symptoms in high-risk individuals. Also, specific demographics are more susceptible than others to develop common cold-related complications, such as:

• Babies, especially those who are 12 months or younger.
• Women who are pregnant or have recently given birth during the flu season.
• Adults who are over 65.
• Those who work or reside in buildings with many other residents and congested areas.
• People living in assisted living facilities, like nurses or people working in camps.

Common Cold: Signs and Symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of Rhinovirus infection in the form of a Common cold can appear soon after the disease and are very visible for diagnosis. Common cold symptoms vary from person to person and are severe and fatal only on rare occasions. The following are the common symptoms observed in the majority of people.

• Fever or experiencing chills.
• Headache
• Sore throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Body pain and aches in the muscles.
• Exhaustion (weariness).
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhoea.

Also, it's observed that not all cases of Rhinovirus infection display fever symptoms.

Causes of Common Cold.

The microbe that is known to cause the common cold is rhinovirus in the majority of cases. And it gets transmitted by breathing in the microscopic airborne droplets of an infected person through their cough or sneeze. The disease can also spread through close contact with the mouth, nose, or eyes or even after touching materials and things that have viruses on them.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Common Cold:

In Ayurveda, the common cold is known as 'Pratishyaya'. The symptoms of the common cold can be viewed as caused by the imbalance of Tridoshas, which are bio-energies inside the body, as per Ayurveda.

Common cold symptoms caused by vata dosha include extensive mucus discharge, runny nose and dry cough.

Common cold sufferers with pitta dosha are more likely to experience fever, a stuffy nose, and a sore throat.

Common cold symptoms for kapha dosha individuals include headaches, heaviness in the head, and thick mucus discharge.

Ayurveda, as a branch of holistic medicine that emphasises matching your body's needs to the cycles of the seasons, looks after the patient's immune responses before treating a disease. As a result, Ayurvedic treatment protocols and strategies are highly focused on how you prepare, consume, and use food. The endotoxin accumulation in your body is cleared away with Ayurvedic remedies and practices. Ayurveda believes that every disease, in one way or another, is caused due to the build-up of Ama. Hence, removing endotoxins strengthens your immune system, helping you fight infections.

The following are the main Ayurvedic Home remedies for common colds:

Tulsi Tea.

Because of the plant's profoundly cleansing and therapeutic qualities, it is highly regarded in India, and people frequently keep it in and around their homes. Tulsi encourages robust digestion and healthy circulation while eliminating excess kapha from the lungs and upper respiratory tract. Thus, it helps with common cold prevention effectively. It aids in preserving an average body temperature and strengthens the immune system. Due to its highly sattvic qualities, Tulsi is also used to enhance mental clarity. Hence, accompanying the liquid extracts of the beautiful herb into your Morning tea helps you boost your immunity and fight infections.

Turmeric.

Turmeric effectively helps lessen the common cold symptoms because of its strong antibacterial and antioxidant qualities. Turmeric, known to have a strong affinity for the immune system, strengthens digestion, removes natural toxins from the digestive tract, and purifies the blood. Additionally, you can gargle with turmeric to promote natural wellness and relax throat issues like inflammation, pain and soreness.

Ginger Tea.

Ginger is well known for its capacity to stimulate and support the immune system. It is a well-known common cold medication as it burns Ama(endotoxins), cleanses the blood and lymph, stimulates healthy circulation and clears the lungs of excess kapha. The body can easily absorb the broad range of health benefits of ginger from ginger liquid extract. Add thirty droplets of ginger juice in water or mix it in your regular tea for excellent results.

Ashwagandha.

This Ayurvedic herb is a veritable superfood due to its remarkable ability to cure infections and alleviate cold, cough, and viral symptoms. Taking Ashwagandha regularly will help boost immunity naturally; you should take Ashwagandha in tablet or powder form up to three times a day if you have a sudden cold infection. Viral infections can cause chronic stress and fatigue, which can also be managed with the herb's natural immune-boosting qualities.

Ayurvedic self-massage.

This could be your Ayurvedic way of common cold self-care. The foundation of conventional medicine is the idea that our skin contains numerous sensory neurons that have the ability to naturally cleanse you. So giving yourself a massage with herbal oils can help with chronic infections to a great extent, boost immunity, and relax the nervous system.

Breathe and Stretch.

Stretching has numerous advantages, and these are not practices limited to runners and athletes. It may surprise you that it also benefits patients with the common cold, flu, chronic infections, diabetes and depression. Stretching helps improve the oxygen supply in the body and boosts blood flow and the uptake of nutrients by your muscles. In addition, it also assists in eliminating metabolic waste products like uric acid, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.

Stretching, when combined with breathing exercises like Pranayama, gives excellent results. Pranayama or alternate nostril breathing, when practised correctly, helps to open up the sinuses, and it lets out the accumulated phlegm to drain and relieve common cold symptoms of headache, heaviness of the head and even sinusitis.

Get more sun to boost immunity.

There is proof that vitamin D lowers upper respiratory infections. Thus, increasing your exposure to sunlight will increase your vitamin D levels. More vitamin D helps in common cold prevention and resistance against diseases like the common cold as it supports the immune system's ability to combat bacteria and viruses.

Salt Water Gargle.

The saline solution coats your throat and mouth when you gargle with salt water. This presence of salt in warm water helps reduce inflammation, loosen mucus, and soothe sore throats. Gargling with salt water can also help eliminate the bacteria or virus causing common cold and the resultant sore throat and inflammation. This is because the pH balance in your mouth is altered by salt, which makes it more difficult for them to survive. Additionally, it might aid in drawing germs or viruses from the mouth and the throat into the solution, which you spit out after gargling.

Kerala Ayurveda's formulations for Common Cold:

• Dasamoolakaduthrayam Kwath : Kerala Ayurveda's herbal decoction of Dasamoolakaduthrayam Kwath is made as mentioned in the traditional Ayurvedic texts, with potent ingredients that help treat colds and coughs most effectively. Breathing problems can arise in patients with respiratory diseases that result in congestion from excessive mucus formation. The herbal components in Kwatham are known to raise body temperature and lessen severe congestion.
• Sinactil Oil : Conditions like Tonsillitis, Sinusitis, Rhinorhinitis and other upper respiratory tract disorders including chronic allergic reactions can all be treated with Kerala Ayurveda's sinactil oil, an external application which is prescribed as an adjuvant. It possesses the strength of powerful herbs that aid in decongesting and relieving such as the Brahmi, Aranya Tulasi, Karaskaralata and Samudraphala.
• Tuss Nil Syrup : Ayurvedic Syrup for Dry Cough The natural ingredients in Kerala Ayurveda's Tussnil Syrup have been used for centuries in Ayurveda to treat dry and ineffective coughs. As the next flu season approaches, now is the perfect time to stock up on Tussnil, an Ayurvedic remedy for cold and cough.

Conclusion.

Everyone feels disappointed when their bodies fail and are in the least state to afford more stress when they constantly beg for a break.

Who would turn down a resilient immune system if given the option? Here we give you the same choice.! An overview of Ayurvedic techniques for promoting good health and a robust immune system will help you fight chronic infections to a great extent. At the same time, you build your immunity like never before.! The Ayurvedic remedies that promise you a healthy self!