Treatment
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. There are currently no medications or herbal remedies which have been conclusively demonstrated to shorten the duration of the illness. Treatment comprises symptomatic support usually via analgesics for headache, sore throat and muscle aches.
There is no evidence to support the age-old advice to rest when you are sick with an upper respiratory illness. Moderate exercise in sedentary subjects with a URI has been shown to have no effect on the overall severity and duration of the illness. Based on these findings, it was concluded that previously sedentary people who have acquired a URI and who have initiated an exercise program may continue to exercise. Getting plenty of sleep; however, is advisable since even mild sleep deprivation has been shown to be associated with increased susceptibility to infection. Increasing fluid intake, or "drinking plenty of fluids" during a cold is not supported by medical evidence, according to a literature review published in the British Medical Journal.
Read more about this topic: Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
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