Zdravstveni savjeti:

I tokom zime ostanite hidratizirani! Mnogi smatraju da je hidratacija bitna samo tokom ljetnih mjeseci kad se najviše znojimo. No to naravno nije istina. Posebice ako pokušavamo izbjeći kašalj i prehladu. I iako za vrijeme zimskih mjeseci nismo žedni kao ljeti, to ne znači da biste trebali smanjiti dnevni unos vode. No slobodno ubacite koju promjenu. Ne morate nužno piti samo običnu vodu. Biljni čaj bez zaslađivača je isto u redu, kao i cijeđeni sok od naranče. Budite kreativni!

IU ovom dijelu ćemo vam dati korisne informacije i savjete o prehladama i gripi. Naći ćete i informacije o produktivnom kašlju koji je često propratni simptom prehlade ili gripe.

What are Cold and Flu?

Cold & flu are viral infections of the upper respiratory tract, and are the most frequent types of infections. They typically appear in the cold periods of the year. It is normal that an adult person would have 3 – 4 upper respiratory infections a year. In children these infections are even more frequent, with up to 10 infections per year considered being normal. How to treat Cold and Flu? In most cases, cold and flu would only require rest and a lot of hydration. This would help ease the symptoms and recovery. Now, who wants to feel sick with cold or flu for several days? In addition, who has the time for staying in bed? That is why one of the biggest categories of Over the Counter pharmaceutical products are actually the Cough and Cold medicines (link to Caffetin products), used for symptomatic treatment of cold and flu. They usually come in the form of tablets or hot drinks. Generally, a combination of two or more components is used, to help alleviate the various symptoms, and make you feel better to proceed with your daily activities. What is Cough? We all sometimes experience cough. It is a normal response of the body when something is irritating the throat or the airways. Cough can be either acute or chronic, depending on how long it persists. Cough that lasts less than three weeks is an acute cough. Cold and flu are usually the main causes of acute cough, but also bacterial infections can be associated with it. Sometimes inhaling an irritant (such as smoke, dust, chemicals or a foreign body) can cause acute cough. If the cough is dry and irritating without excess production of mucus, we refer to it as dry cough. If excessive production of mucus, which the body is trying to get rid of, is causing the cough, then we are talking about wet or productive cough. Chronic cough, on the other hand, can be associated with many health conditions, which would require medical treatment. How to treat Acute Cough? Acute cough would usually clear up by itself within three to four weeks. You should rest and drink plenty of fluids. There are also pharmaceutical products that your pharmacist can recommend to soothe dry cough, or to help cough up extra mucus in productive cough. Productive cough is the one more often requiring a pharmaceutical treatment. Sometimes there can be a lot of mucus, or it can be very thick and difficult to cough up. This category of products are called mucolytic (link to Bronles). Mucolytic act by thinning the mucus and help you get rid of the mucus easier and faster. What to do with a Stuffy or Runny Nose? A stuffy nose or nasal congestion can be quite annoying. It occurs when nasal and adjacent tissues and blood vessels become swollen with excess fluid. This is causing a plugged feeling. Nasal congestion may or may not include a nasal discharge or runny nose. Several different factors can cause a stuffy or runny nose. They are like medical conditions, irritants, pharmaceutical products, etc. Among the most common are infections like cold and flu, and sinus infections (sinusitis). If you have a stuffy or runny nose caused by cold or flu, it will go away as the infection clears up. To ease the symptoms and annoyance in the meanwhile, you can try a self-care approach. Try drinking plenty of fluids to help thin nasal secretions, avoid common irritants like cigarette smoke and sudden humidity changes, and use saline sprays on rinses. There are also quite effective pharmaceutical products in the form of decongestant drops (link to Nazopass) for use directly in the nose. They are based on components that have the ability to reduce congestion of the basal mucosa. Their action is usually very fast - within a few minutes after application. Also, be sure to check out our portfolio of over the counter medicines to get information on how our products can help you in cases of cold and flu, acute cough, or stuffy and runny nose. If you have any questions related to our products or any information provided in this section, you can go to Meet the Expert (hyperlink to category medical expert) and get addition info and advice.