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Alternative treatments used for the common cold

Overview of notable treatment methods used for the common cold in alternative medicine

Alternative treatments used for the common cold
Summary

Overview of notable treatment methods used for the common cold in alternative medicine

Alternative treatments used for the common cold include numerous home remedies and alternative medicines. Scientific research regarding the efficacy of each treatment is generally nonexistent or inconclusive. Current best evidence indicates prevention, including hand washing and neatness, and management of symptoms.

Echinacea

[[Echinacea]] flower

A systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration, last updated in 2014, examines twenty-four randomized controlled trials studying various echinacea preparations for prevention and treatment of the common cold. Echinacea showed no benefit over placebo for prevention. Evidence for treatment was inconsistent. Reported side effects were rare.

2007 meta-analyses conclude that there is some evidence that echinacea may reduce either the duration or severity of the common cold, but results are not consistent.

Use of echinacea preparations is not currently recommended.

Chicken soup

In the twelfth century, Moses Maimonides wrote, "Chicken soup ... is recommended as an excellent food as well as medication."{{cite journal | doi-access = free Since then, there have been numerous reports in the United States that chicken soup alleviates the symptoms of the common cold. Even usually staid medical journals have published tongue-in-cheek articles on the alleged medicinal properties of chicken soup.{{cite journal

''Pelargonium sidoides'' extract

A 2013 Cochrane review found tentative evidence of benefit with Pelargonium sidoides for the symptoms of the common cold; however, the quality of the evidence was very poor.

Steam inhalation

Many people believe that steam inhalation reduces cold symptoms.{{cite journal

Evidence does not support a relationship between cold temperature exposure or a "chill" (feeling of coldness) and the common cold.

References

References

  1. (August 2005). "A Survival Guide for Preventing and Treating Influenza and the Common Cold". [[American Lung Association]].
  2. (2014-02-20). "Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  3. (2013-06-04). "Heated, humidified air for the common cold". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  4. (October 2002). "Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Association for Professionals in Infection Control/Infectious Diseases Society of America". MMWR Recomm Rep.
  5. (17 April 2008). "Staying healthy is in your hands - Public Health Agency Canada".
  6. "Common Cold: Treatments and Drugs". Mayo Clinic.
  7. Shah, SA. (July 2007). "Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis.". The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
  8. (2006-11-27). "Common Cold". [[National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]].
  9. (2007). "Treatment of the common cold". American Family Physician.
  10. (November 2005). "Common Cold (Upper Respiratory Infection)". [[Merck & Co.]].
  11. The Natural Standard Research Collaboration. (2006-08-01). "Echinacea (E. angustifolia DC, E. pallida, E. purpurea)". Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
  12. (2005-09-22). "Echinacea". University of Maryland Medical Center.
  13. (22 October 2013). "Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections.". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  14. (2005). "Steam inhalation treatment for children". Br J Gen Pract.
  15. [https://thenaturopathic.co/ Thenaturopathic], 24 January 2023
  16. Eccles, R.. (2002-09-01). "Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold". Rhinology.
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

alternative-medical-systems dietary-supplements herbalism naturopathy common-cold
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