Some home remedies questioned in treatment of winter illnesses
MetroCreative
Home remedies like consuming honey or using Vick’s VaboRup are encouraged this season, while other remedies are questioned.
Burstynowicz
Over the years, a number of home remedies and internet cure-alls for winter illnesses have circulated.
Local physicians, however, are recommending residents err on the side of maintaining a healthy status.
“It’s this time of year when people are more closed in that illnesses can be transmitted more easily,” said Linda Burstynowicz, executive director of medical services at Uniontown Hospital. “The most important thing is making sure you maintain adequate body temperature in cold weather.”
Burstynowicz said most body heat is lost when our heads are exposed in cold weather. By keeping proper headware on and avoiding wet hair when outdoors in the cold, your body temperature is less likely to fluctuate.
“You can also do simple things, like having good hygiene and hand-washing practices,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of covering your mouth when you cough, but not doing so into your hands, where germs might easily be spread, and instead doing so into your elbow.
Hydration is also key, she said, adding that consuming adequate fluids before and during your illness can work wonders.
“You want to make sure you’re not spreading the infection to others,” she said. “Maintaining a good, balanced diet with proper food intake is also helpful.”
Relief
When it comes to the common cold, however, home remedies and even medication won’t cut it.
“You can’t cure a cold in a couple days with antibiotics. The common cold needs to run its course,” Burstynowicz said. “It depends on its severity, but you’ll probably have it for about a week.”
“There are folks who think that megadoses of zinc or Vitamin C are instantaneous cures, but they’re not going to necessarily shorten the course of a cold,” she said. “But people tend to reach for things they believe in, in that regard.”
As for inevitable symptoms and side effects, there are options.
One home remedy for coughing proven useful by the Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, was the power of honey.
In one of their recent studies, children between the ages of 2 and 18 with upper respiratory tract infections were given a single dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime, while others were given honey-flavored cough medicine or no treatment at all.
“Significant differences in symptom improvement were detected between treatment groups, with honey consistently scoring the best and no treatment scoring the worst,” the study indicated.
The study went on to state that “parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child’s nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infection.”
Marchelle McGrew, a nurse at a family doctor affiliated with Monongahela Valley Hospital, also recommended the old-fashioned notion of reaching for honey to add to tea in order to sooth a sore throat.
“I also still tell people to use Vick’s VapoRub on their chest or feet,” McGrew said. “I know it sounds crazy, but I still swear by it. It works because of the mentholated component that will help break up congestion.”
McGrew said the use of Vick’s may also come in handy for young children who can’t be prescribed heavy medications.
“However, I also stress supportive care, like increased fluids and the use of cool mist humidifiers, or simply resting,” she added.
For those who do want to seek medicinal help, Burstynowicz warned against their ability to simply cure a viral infection.
“We do provide symptomatic relief as we support them through their illness, but it’s not going to clear your cold any sooner,” Burstynowicz said. “If something seems prolonged from an illness perspective, that’s the point at which they should reach out to their physicians.”
“People get upset with us because they want a magic cure for their cold,” McGrew said. “We try to explain to them, though, that the more antibiotics they take, the more resistant they’ll be to them down the road.”
Officials also recommend the use of an over-the-counter nasal saline drop or spray product to help with nasal congestion. You can also run a cold air humidifier in the child’s room at night to additionally help loosen nasal congestion.
When using said treatments in infants and young children, however, officials advise parents to speak with their pediatrician first, as several more serious illnesses may initially produce symptoms similar to those of a common cold.