Common Cold - Herbal and Home Remedies

Ayurvedic Name: Pratishyaya

What is a common cold ?

A common cold is a pattern of illness that can be caused by a variety of different viruses. Out of the 200 viruses causing common cold, rhinoviruses (nose viruses) are the the most common. Common Cold is relatively harmless disease. It can occur at any time throughout the year but the most common are in late winter and fall. They are most common in children and an average child has about six colds per year.

Common cold acts as a gateway to many other respiratory problems. It’s called the “common cold” because you may feel more cold in this than any other type of illness. If it is neglected, and not taken care right from the beginning of its cause, then it may lead to complications of serious nature. Common cold is also called coryza, because it is running from nose, catarrh.

What are the causes of common cold ?

Common Colds are usually caused by rhinoviruses. The common cold is transmitted from one person to another through contact, mainly when an infected person touches the eyes, mouth, or inside of the nose and spreads the virus through the hands. Other common modes of transmission of virus may include kissing and sharing utensils with an infected person.

Other common virures responsible for causing of common cold are:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and a host of others can produce colds.

Here is a misconception about common cold in many people's mind. They think that going out in cold whether causes cold. Let me clear it out - going out in cold weather or rain do not cause a cold or going outside while your hair's wet do not cause colds, colds are mainly caused from airborne particles expelled when someone with a cold coughs or sneezes.

What are the symptoms of common cold ?

Approximately 95% people exposed to a cold virus become infected, although out of them 75% show symptoms. The symptoms start within two days after infection.

Generally a cold starts with a sore throat, after that the symptoms are a result of the body's defense mechanisms like: sneezes, runny nose, and coughs to expel the invader, and inflammation to attract and activate immune cells.

Due to more than 200 viruses causing common cold, its symptoms tend to vary a lot. Some of the common symptoms are listed below:

• Runny Nose.
• Sore throat.
• Sneezing.
• Blocked nose.
• Scratchy throat.
• Fatigue.
• Muscle Aches.
• Loss of Appetite.
• Cough.
• Headache.
• Mild fever.
• Mild chills.
• Sinus swelling.
• Sometimes high fever too.

Ayurveda has recognized five types of cold, as given below:

1) borne out of vata.
2) borne out of the vitiation of pitta.
3) borne out of kapha.
4) borne out of disorders of the blood.
5) chronic cold borne out of the three doshas.

Herbal and Ayurvedic Treatment for Common Cold

Some common ayurvedic medicines & prescriptions for treatment of common cold are:

• 120 gm of Laxmivilas Churna and 120 gm of Shring Bhasma mixed with 240 mg of Narsar may be taken three times in a day with warm water.

• You may also suck Vyoshadi Vati as a lozenge three to four times daily to get well from common cold fast.

• 120 mg of Mahalaxmi Vilas can be taken with powder of mulethi, honey and ghee.

• 10 gm of Chitrak Hiratiki may take in the morning and last thing at night with one cup of warm cow's milk.

• 3 gm of Vyoshadya Churna can also be taken two times daily with warm water after the main meals.

• Take 50 gm of Madhuyasthyadi Quath three times daily to get well soon.