Traditional healers keep many old recipes that help treat the common cold that accompanies almost all colds. Traditional medicine methods are especially relevant when traditional medicines are contraindicated. One of the most popular treatments for the common cold is onion and garlic. People began to use these root crops for medicinal purposes almost immediately after their discovery.
Tear-provoking, burning, but very effective onion has proven itself in the treatment of this unpleasant condition. Garlic, similar in its properties, is no less popular with a cold. Drops, ointments, inhalations are made from garlic. It is very important to know that garlic-based preparations can not only relieve a cold, but also cause an allergic reaction and a burn of the mucous membrane.
Composition and medicinal properties
Treatment of the common cold with garlic is justified, because it is not for nothing that it is often called a natural antibiotic. Its juice contains volatile, having a bactericidal property. They kill microbes, increase immunity, relieve inflammation. Garlic is effective as a preventative and therapeutic agent. When using drugs based on it, the antiviral effect of phytoncides also manifests itself. Garlic juice contains:
- sulphurous and nitrogenous substances;
- carbohydrates and proteins;
- fiber;
- sodium, potassium, calcium;
- water
- sulfuric and phosphoric acids;
- phytosterols and phytoncides;
- extractive substances;
- Vitamin B
- ascorbic acid;
- antioxidants;
- selenium.
In total, garlic contains about 400 essential and healing substances and compounds.
Indications for use
Some healers advise using garlic from a runny nose and generally with any signs of inflammation of the nasal mucosa. However, not all representatives of traditional medicine share this opinion. Traditional medicine is not always useful. You can treat the common cold with garlic with the following symptoms:
- runny nose with thick discharge of yellow-green color;
- pus in the discharge;
- nasal congestion.
Such symptoms indicate the presence of bacterial rhinitis, which can be caused by harmful microorganisms (staphylococci or pneumococcus). However, it is not recommended to use garlic from a cold if the diagnosis is not confirmed by a doctor. Self-medication can only aggravate the situation.
Treatment for children and adults
If even an adult feels a burning sensation when instilling juice of garlic in the nose during a cold, the child can easily get a mucous membrane burn. Children under 10 years old are contraindicated - the risk of burns is too great. In the manufacture of garlic drops from the common cold for an adult, garlic mashed potatoes are mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10. Children over 10 years old are mixed in a ratio of 1:15. But first you need to make sure that there is no allergy to garlic. Apply a drop of juice for several minutes on the skin under the nose.
Effective recipes: with congestion
From congestion and runny nose, garlic is used to prepare a concentrated composition. To do this, grind two cloves of garlic, squeeze the juice out of them and dilute it based on: three drops of juice - a teaspoon of chilled boiled water. In each nasal passage, drip one drop on the first day. If the body took this remedy well, there was no allergic reaction, dry mucous membrane, then further instill two drops three times a day for five days.
From sinusitis
Inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, called sinusitis, must be treated only under the supervision of a specialist. An additional tool to traditional therapy can be garlic and oil - from a cold, judging by the reviews, it helps not bad. Grind a few cloves of garlic until smooth. Mix it with olive oil in the ratio: one part garlic and three parts oil.
Put the resulting mixture in a container and warm it in a water bath. Remove from heat, cool and strain through cheesecloth. Bury such a composition is necessary one drop in each nasal passage no more than three times a day. Continue treatment based on the advice of your doctor.
Runny nose for colds and flu
For the treatment of the common cold in colds, it is more advisable to use products that include, in addition to garlic juice, other medicinal substances. Grind two cloves of garlic to a mushy state, pour a glass of hot water and add natural honey (a teaspoon).
Mix the composition thoroughly and let it brew for a day. Then strain the liquid. Instill the drug twice a day in each nostril in three drops. Treatment continues until the condition improves.
It should be understood that drops of garlic juice from the common cold should not be taken as a panacea for any inflammatory processes in the nasal cavity. They can not completely get rid of the disease, but they are an effective additional tool in complex therapy. It is necessary to remember the indications and contraindications for their use, so that treatment with a folk remedy gives a positive result.
Garlic juice ointments
Such drugs are used to treat the nasal cavity. These are excellent preventive and therapeutic agents that protect against viruses and help moisturize the mucosa and eliminate mucus. This use of garlic is relevant during an epidemic of viral diseases. We bring to your attention several popular recipes:
- Method number 1. Mix a teaspoon of cyclamen root juice, aloe, garlic juice, Vishnevsky ointment. The resulting product must be applied to the wings of the nose. The healing mixture is best used after cooking, but can be stored in the refrigerator.
- Method number 2. Combine olive, coconut oil and chopped garlic, three teaspoons each. Heat this mixture, then cool and use as an ointment. Keep it in the refrigerator should not be, because the mass quickly thickens.
- Method number 3. Mix a tablespoon of garlic juice and honey. With the resulting mixture, lubricate the wings of the nose several times a day.
- Method number 4. To prepare this ointment, you need to mix aloe juice and garlic in equal proportions. After that, add 10 tablespoons of melted butter to a teaspoon of the mixture. Store ointment in the refrigerator.
Inhalation
Traditional healers recommend inhalation of garlic from a cold. This is one of the safest and most effective ways to influence the pathogenic microflora. You can use several methods for carrying out such a procedure:
- Steam bath. To do this, crush two or three cloves of garlic and place them in a small container. Put the container in a water bath and inhale the healing vapors for 10-12 minutes.
- A clove of garlic can be crushed and pour boiling water over it. Inhale the vapors for five minutes.
- Dry inhalation. Grind 2 cloves of garlic in a mortar and breathe over them for 35 minutes, without heating or diluting with water.
- Peel the head of garlic and set fire to the husk. Inhale for five minutes. During the procedure, both nostrils should be warmed up alternately to achieve a therapeutic result. The bactericidal effect of this agent is due to the fact that fungicides penetrate the nasal passage during the procedure and remain on the mucous membrane.
Such heating has a negative effect on bacterial rhinitis. This is because heating activates the reproduction and growth of pathogenic microflora. Therefore, the positive effect of the use of garlic in this case is quite doubtful.
Oil
Garlic from the common cold is also used in the form of oil, which you can cook yourself. For this, peach, grape seed, olive oil can be used as a base. In the manufacture of this therapeutic agent, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions.
Fill two cloves with a tablespoon of oil and let it brew for a week at room temperature. Enter the composition into the nasal passages two drops twice a day if the patient has no allergic reactions.
Contraindications
Like any traditional medicine, garlic-based preparations have contraindications. Their use must be limited to people with hypersensitivity to the components of such drugs. In addition, we have already talked about this, but we want to remind you that such treatment of children under 10 years of age is strictly prohibited.
With caution, the funds considered should be used by pregnant and lactating mothers. Garlic can cause allergic reactions, so it can be used only sparingly and sparingly. Treatment should be part of complex therapy in combination with official medicine and should be under the supervision of an ENT doctor.
Compliance with the dosage and control of the doctor over the course of the pathology will achieve positive dynamics in the treatment of the common cold. An independent increase in the duration of treatment, an increase in the concentration of juice in the composition of the mixtures can adversely affect health and lead to serious complications.