Symptom Relief
Many people think that decongestants, anti-tussives, expectorants and antihistamines are a cure-all. This is not true. While they may relieve some symptoms, these remedies will not prevent, cure or even shorten the duration of your illness. Moreover, most have side effects, including drowsiness, insomnia, dizziness and other physiological responses.Treatment
In the early to mid 1990's, a series of research papers appeared that reported the success of an entirely new treatment approach - zinc. Several controlled studies demonstrated that when zinc gluconate glycine (ZIGG™), a naturally occurring substance, was introduced into the mouth and held there, it had a significant effect on reducing the duration of the common cold. In both of the studies, duration of cold symptoms was reduced by 42%. The brand used in the studies was COLD-EEZE®, which owns the exclusive patent to (ZIGG™).More recently, the results of a study of adolescents ranging from 12 to 18 years reinforced the original clinical trials, concluding that COLD-EEZE® reduces the median duration of a cold by 4 days from 10 to 6 days.
There are several types of COLD-EEZE® to choose from. Lozenges are available in five flavors - Cherry, Citrus, Tropical Fruit, Menthol, Honey Lemon and new Green Tea with Honey. There are also Sore Throat Pops, as well as sugar free tablets for people with diabetes.
The recommended dosage is as follows: Lozenges - 6 per day Tablets - one tablet per hour The most important thing is to stick with it. Even though you feel better, you should continue taking COLD-EEZE® until all your symptoms disappear. If you stop taking it too soon, there is a possibility that your cold will come back. Many people turn to antibiotics, when in fact, antibiotics do not help a cold. This is because antibiotics treat bacterial infections, such as sinusitis and ear infections, while colds are caused by viruses. What's more, overuse of antibiotics has led to increasingly resistant bacteria, which means when you really do have a bacterial infection, antibiotics may not be able to help you. This could mean greater suffering in the future.
Complications
While not serious itself, a cold virus can pave the way for other infections that invade the body, including sinus infections and bronchitis.
Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following:
unusually severe cold symptoms, high fever, ear pain, cough that gets worse while other cold symptoms improve, or symptoms persist beyond 10 days
