Corticosteroids for the common cold

Zinc for the common cold.

BACKGROUND The common cold is one of the most widespread illnesses and is a leading cause of visits to the doctor and absenteeism from school and work. Trials conducted in high-income countries since 1984 investigating the role of zinc for the common cold symptoms have had mixed results. Inadequate treatment masking and reduced bioavailability of zinc from some formulations have been cited as i...

Newer Insights into the Prsevention of the Common Cold

Since most colds are self-limiting, symptoms will usually resolve on their own in seven to ten days. For the majority of patients, treatment is symptomatic and targeted at the most bothersome symptoms. Specific nonprescription therapy may relieve cold symptoms but should be used with caution, especially in at-risk patient populations. Patients should monitor for worsening symptoms, and progress...

The common cold.

Blood-letting therapy for the common cold

Background: Many people experience the common cold, but there is currently no special treatment. For this reason, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are used to improve the symptoms of the common cold. Blood-letting therapy (BL) is a CAM therapy that has been used for over 2000 years to treat various diseases. However, few studies have provided evidence for the efficacy and ...

Vitamin C: cure for the common cold?

The idea that an increased intake of vitamin C may be helpful in fighting the common cold has been around since at least the 1930s, but it was not until 1970 that the publication of Linus Pauling's best seller, Vita min C and the Common Cold, turned the issue into a public controversy. 1 As a result of the interest generated by this controversy, a number of scientifically sound experimental stu...