Cold is the most common illness that affects infants and elderly alike. Unlike the contrary belief cold weather is not the cause of colds. There are 200 types of viruses, which cause cold. The common cold is usually mild with symptoms of running nose, sneezing and throat sore. The symptoms may last for one or two weeks. Cold is common among the children and decline with age. On an average people may get 2 to 4 colds per year depending on their body immunity.

Causes and Symptoms
Cold viruses enter the body by way of the nose or mouth. After a sick person coughs, sneezes, or even talks, the virus travels though droplets released into the air. Hand-to-hand contact with contaminated objects, such as telephone receivers and hand towels, also spreads the cold virus. Oftentimes, touching the nose, eyes, or mouth after being exposed to infection can lead to ‘catching’ a cold. Out of the more than 200 viruses responsible for colds, the most common offender is the highly contagious rhinovirus. Signs and symptoms of the common cold may include stuffy or runny nose, itchy or sore throat, watery eyes, cough, congestion, body aches, mild headache, sneezing, mild fatigue, and a low-grade fever (up to 102 F degrees).

Home Remedies for Common Cold
While home remedies for the common cold use convenient ingredients and methods typically found in the comforts of your own household – it’s important to recognize when your symptoms indicate something more serious. Contact a physician if you experience fevers above 101°F for more than three days; extreme pain; greenish or bloody sputum; shortness of breath; difficulty swallowing, excessive loss of appetite; and/or wheezing. For treating the general under-the-weather cold, consider the following home remedies:

Ginger:
Drink ginger tea to soothe the coughing that comes with a cold.

Cinnamon:
In a glass of water, boil cinnamon with a pinch of pepper and honey to treat a sore throat and reduce the lingering effects of a cold.

Onion:
Use onion to help liquefy phlegm, making it easier to remove the unwanted substance from your system.

Garlic Tomato Soup:
Boil two to three tomatoes in a cup of water. Add one teaspoon of garlic paste, butter, and black pepper powder to the blend. Consume the soup two to three times a day to relieve nasal congestion.

Lemon and Honey:
Combine one teaspoon each of lemon juice and honey. Add hot water to the ingredients to create a healing syrup, which soothes the throat, loosens mucous membranes, treats fever, and eases body aches.

Pot of Boiling Water:
Boil a pot of water on the stove. Turn off the flame and drape a towel to form a tent over your head and the pot of hot water. Inhale the steam to moisten a dry throat, calm coughing fits, and make it easier to breathe.

Garlic:
Add a spoonful of garlic paste to a glass of warm milk to reduce chest congestion and make breathing easier.