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Feeling sneezy? You’re not alone. Americans get an average of two to three colds per year, according to the American Lung Association. What’s more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current estimates show that there have been at least 18,000,000 illnesses, 230,000 hospitalizations, and 9,300 deaths from flu so far during the 2025-2026 season.
The good news, though: Most of the time, you can recover from a cold or flu just fine on your own. Here's all the info you need to feel better fast, including doctor-approved natural remedies and products that will make riding out symptoms easier—as well as facts about staying one step ahead of germs so these viruses will know better than to mess with you again.
First things first: do you have a cold or the flu? A lot of people confuse the two conditions, but there are key differences.
Cold symptoms:
The first sign is usually a scratchy throat or runny nose that gradually gets worse. Symptoms tend to be mild and include sneezing, nasal congestion, a sore throat, slightly swollen glands, and coughing.
The right treatment:
Take it easy, rest up, and stay hydrated. Pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can provide temporary relief. A cold may last 10 days, but you’re less contagious as soon as you start to feel better.
Flu symptoms:
They’ll hit you fast. You may feel feverish in the afternoon, and progress to full-body aches by dinner-time. You have all the joy of cold symptoms, plus a fever, headache, fatigue, chills, and maybe even fun stuff like vomiting and diarrhea.
The right treatment:
You’ll probably need to stay put for three to seven days. Ask your doctor if they recommend Tamiflu, an antiviral prescription. Although you may be tired, you can start to resume your routine when the fever disappears.
Serious red-flag symptoms:
If you have any of the following symptoms, see a doctor right away (even if you don't think you're sick):
- It’s hard to breathe or keep fluids down.
- Your fever is higher than 100.4°F and won’t break.
- You experience severe vomiting.
- You have upper-respiratory symptoms that drag on for more than 10 to 14 days.
- Your headache is extreme and your neck stiff, or you’re sensitive to bright light—signs of meningitis, according to Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic.
What are some effective natural remedies for treating a cold or flu?
There’s an urban legend that drinking hot liquids can prevent you from catching a cold because they send germs into your stomach to die a horrible acidic death. But the fact is, hot liquids themselves won’t flush germs out of your system, says Glenn Wortmann, M.D., the Section Director of Infectious Diseases at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the Medical Director of Infection Prevention at the MedStar Institute of Quality and Safety. Still, he adds, “it’s a good idea to stay well hydrated so your nose and air-ways can make enough fluids to help trap the viruses,” which you can then cough and sneeze out.
While they won't prevent a cold or flu, other home remedies may ease symptoms and shorten the duration of a cold. However, early intervention is key. When you feel that icky, bleh feeling coming on, try these tricks:
- Gargle with saltwater: Mayo Clinic recommends adding a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt to 4 to 8 ounces of warm water.
- Consider hot sauce: Some doctors suggest mixing a spoonful of hot sauce in warm water and garlgling with it for sore throat relief. Capsaicin, an ingredient in spicy peppers found in hot sauce, may be the key.
- Sip some tea: chamomile may help lull you to sleep, ginger may help a sore throat and relieve nausea, and peppermint may work to ease headaches, clear your sinuses, and relax your airways.
- Have some honey: It's a sore-throat soother and bacteria-killer. Try stirring a spoonful into hot tea.
- Suck on a popsicle: The cold can reduce pain in your throat.
- Put a humidifier next to your bed: According to UF Health, the moisture a humidifier adds to the air in your home can soothe inflamed airways in your nose and throat.
- Eat chicken soup: A soup made with chicken, herbs and vegetables may act to lower inflammatory markers in respiratory illness, according to a July 2025 study. This means you may have a shorter, less severe course of illness.
What over-the-counter products will help treat symptoms of a cold or flu?
These products contain doctor-vetted ingredients to bring next-level relief:
Each individually wrapped drop contains 7.5 mg of cooling menthol along with a honey-lemon flavor. They should help ease a sore throat, clear nasal passages, and quell a cough.
These powder packets contain a fever reducer and a cough suppressant. Plus, mixing them in water forces you to get much-needed hydration.
This was the first congestion formula to combine a cough suppressant, a cough expectorant, and 19% natural grade A honey.
Originally designed for kids, these moist wipes help soothe adult noses, too, with a mix of aloe, chamomile, and vitamin E.
Eric M. Ascher, D.O. is a board-certified family medicine physician. He completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, his family medicine residency and fellowship at Northwell Health, and has been working for Northwell Health since. Dr. Ascher practices in New York City and focuses on preventative medicine and healthy lifestyles. He has been recognized annually on The Super Doctor’s List posted in the New York Times and has been recognized by Northwell Health as a Rising Star and Physician of the Year. He hosts a series on YouTube in collaboration with Northwell Health called “Hack Your Health,” where viewers are taught why household items may relieve their ailments. Dr. Ascher is an assistant professor of the Zucker Hillside School of Medicine at Hoftsra Northwell, has been a pioneer for telehealth throughout his career, has been a media expert, and is heavily involved in practice and technology optimization. He appreciates building relationships with his patients and their families to encourage long, happy, and healthy lives.
