Every day in my family medicine clinic, at least one patient is sick with common cold symptoms like rhinorrhea, otherwise known as runny nose and sinus congestion. The question is the same: what’s the best treatment for a runny nose? I’m sharing this because most of my patients are not taking what I think is most effective.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Colds & Flu
Thick, Greenish Runny Nose = Antibiotics? No, It Doesn't…
It’s a popular misconception among not just the population but also many doctors, that a greenish runny nose = bacterial infection = the need to take prescription antibiotics. Well, it’s not true! As this fun New York Times article reviews, the color is more a sign of clumps of your body’s infection-fighting white cells as well as colorful shades of your normal nose bacteria.… Read the rest
Great News: Something Actually Helps Fight The Common Cold — Zinc!
I’ve often complained, along with the rest of the world, that there is no magic pill yet designed to cure the world’s most common illness — the common cold. But now, there is some hope! There’s an excellent meta-analysis by the well-respected Cochrane Library which now says what some docs had been touting for years — that zinc supplements, when taken within 24 hours of cold symptoms, can truly improve symptom severity and length, as well as lower risk of needing antibiotics.… Read the rest
“Not All Bugs Need Drugs” — AKA Antibiotic Overuse…
Here’s another pop quiz: Which scenario below requires antibiotics?
- A fever for 3 days
- Cough that turns wet
- A cough that “gets deeper into my chest”
- Runny nose that turns yellow
The oversimplified answer is “none of the above“, at least not without having a doctor check you out first, to decide whether it’s a virus or a bacteria.… Read the rest
Fight Off Your Cold — With Gargling?
It’s definitely the middle of winter season already, and my clinic’s waiting room is filled with sniffly, sneezing patients. Since there’s no magic bullet to cure the common cold, what natural methods help? I’ve mentioned a lot of preventive medicines on my blog, especially my new favorite, vitamin D.… Read the rest
Healthy Tips to Prevent Colds & Flu
We are now deep into winter, and most likely you and your family have already been through a couple rounds of the common colds and flu. What simple tasks can we do to cut down on these inevitable illnesses? There are a lot of home remedies and folklore about preventing the common cold, but let’s review the best, evidence-based preventive tips.… Read the rest