You should avoid these mistakes now if you have a cold

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A runny nose, a scratchy throat, and excruciating limb pain—colds are our unwelcome wintertime companions. However, if you treat your infection incorrectly, you will have to struggle with the symptoms for longer. It is, therefore, essential to avoid these mistakes.

Suppress sneezing
Sneezing clears the nasal cavity of foreign bodies, such as dust and bacteria. If you suppress it, you keep these germs in your body, promoting even more colds. Even if the loud noise is unpleasant in public, sneezing should never be suppressed. Suppressing a sneeze can even be dangerous and lead to a tear in the throat muscles.

Blowing your nose too hard
If you blow your nose too hard, infectious nasal secretions can enter the sinuses and reach the eustachian tube. This can cause further inflammation. It can lead to sinusitis and middle ear infections in the worst cases. You can also blow your nose incorrectly by pressing both nostrils shut and blowing forcefully into the paper. This increases the pressure inside the nose, and secretions are displaced, for example, into unaffected sinuses or possibly towards the Eustachian tube, which can also promote middle ear inflammation.

Pulling up nasal mucus
Pulling up nasal mucus or (even worse) swallowing it is just as harmful. The nasal secretions can promote inflammation in the throat and neck. It makes more sense to dab your nose or blow your nose with little pressure.

Too much nasal spray
Although nasal spray can be a lifesaver for a blocked or runny nose, the medication should not be used lightly. Too frequent and prolonged use can lead to chronic rhinitis, as the nasal mucous membranes become more swollen, irritated, and dry. As a result, there is no longer any defence function. The nasal spray should not be used for longer than a week for colds.
Doing sport
Sport should be avoided completely if you have a cold. The body needs time and rest to recover. The immune system works much harder to fight the viruses during an infection. A workout puts the body under additional stress. Sport is only appropriate again once you have recovered from a cold.

Get out of bed!
Being exhausted and tired is inevitable when you have a cold. However, spending days in bed only helps to a limited extent. Fresh air and a bit of exercise get the circulation going. A short walk can do no harm during a mild cold. Important: If you have a fever, strict bed rest applies!

Neglecting the immune system
If you don’t want to catch a cold in the first place, you should strengthen your immune system sufficiently. This means eating plenty of fruit and vegetables so that the body can absorb enough vitamins. For example, fresh ginger is also helpful as a shot or tea.