With the winter months and chilly weather continuing, it’s no surprise that people are catching colds.

While colds are common, they can still cause frustration especially when they just won’t shift.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get rid of a cold by yourself, look no further.

The NHS website gives advice relating to colds, including how to prevent and get rid of them.

Oxford Mail: There are a few simple ways to try and get rid of cold symptomsThere are a few simple ways to try and get rid of cold symptoms (Image: Canva)

How to get rid of a cold

The NHS website says that by doing the following three things, you can help yourself recover from a cold quickly:

  • Rest and sleep
  • Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration – fresh juice or squash with water is fine too
  • Gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat – The NHS says this isn’t suitable for children

It also says to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better if you have a high temperature or don’t feel well enough to carry out your usual activities.

If you feel that you need to take some medicine to help with your symptoms, you can ask a pharmacist for advice.

Medicines that help with colds can be bought either from a pharmacy or a supermarket.

Aches and a high temperature can be eased by taking ibuprofen or paracetamol and decongestant sprays or tablets can be taken to relieve a blocked nose.

Children under six should not be given decongestants and children aged six to 12 should not take them for longer than five days.

If you decide to take ibuprofen or paracetamol, you’ll need to avoid using cough and cold medicines as these often have ibuprofen or paracetamol in them. Taking them both could cause you to have more than the recommended amount.

The NHS website also says some of these medicines aren’t suitable for children, babies and pregnant women.

It’s worth noting that there’s little evidence that supplements such as vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent people from catching colds or that they speed up recovery.

When you should see a GP

For more information about colds, including how to prevent catching and spreading them, you can visit the NHS website.

The NHS recommends that you see a GP if:

  • Your symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks
  • Your symptoms get suddenly worse
  • Your temperature is very high or you feel hot and shivery
  • You're concerned about your child's symptoms
  • You're feeling short of breath or develop chest pain
  • You have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes, or a heart, lung or kidney condition
  • You have a weakened immune system – for example, because you're having chemotherapy

Antibiotics are not recommended by GPs to help with colds because they will be unable to help you shift symptoms or speed up the recovery process.

Antibiotics can only be used to fight bacterial infections and colds are caused by viruses.