Cold/Flu Prevention & Self-Care
Do you feed a cold and starve a fever or the other way around? When should I see a doctor? How can I avoid catching what my roommate has? What kind of medicine should I take for a dry cough and a runny nose? These are common questions when someone starts sneezing, feeling congested or feverish. So, how do you keep from getting sick in the first place and what should you do if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms?
This page will provide you with information to answer these and other questions. Please check back, especially as the cold and flu season gets underway, to find newly placed information.
In the meantime, here are some things you can do to reduce the duration and intensity of your cold or flu:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Drink extra fluids, especially caffeine-free beverages like water, juice, or decaffeinated tea.
- Gargle with warm salt water to relieve a sore throat.
- Try a zinc gluconate product such as Cold-Eeze.
- Use an over-the-counter medication to relieve some of your symptoms, such as Tylenol or Advil for aches and fever, a decongestant, such as Sudafed, to reduce sinus swelling and dry up secretions, or a cough syrup, such as Robitussin, to loosen phlegm or relieve a dry cough.