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Edited to add that I’m once again having trouble leaving comments on Blogspot blogs. It worked this morning and now it doesn’t. If I don’t comment on your post now or in the future, this is the reason why.
My best home remedy for the common cold is something I first discovered a year or two ago that’s called a nasal saline spray or a sterile saline nasal mist.
It’s a gentle purified solution of salt and water that is not habit forming. There are no drugs or preservatives in it, therefore I’m hoping that most of you will be able to give it a try if you’re interested.
Here’s a photo of my current bottle. Its ingredients are identical to the name brand version so far as I can tell, so don’t waste your money on the fancy stuff unless you really want to. It all works exactly the same. You can even make it at home if you prefer that option.
When I have a cold, it feels like 90% of my body is comprised of mucous. My cheeks, sinuses, and nose become sore and uncomfortable, and that can trigger a nasty headache and other painful reactions in nearby body parts as well.
Squirting nasal saline spray into my nostrils helps to clear them out and reduce the pain and inflammation that can be part of the common cold. This makes it easier for me to fall asleep and stay asleep.
It works better and lasts longer than inhaling warm, moist air from, say, running the shower and sitting in the bathroom. That was the trick I used for many years before I discovered this product, and it’s still a great option to use in conjunction with this or instead of it if you can’t use saline solutions. 
I’ll use my spray a few times a day when I’m sick depending on how much my sinuses are hurting and how congested I am. It’s especially nice to do right before bed as I can then breathe through my nose more easily as I fall asleep.
Common colds are never going to be fun, but nasal saline spray makes them a lot easier to deal with.
I look forward to reading everyone else’s responses to this prompt and will be taking notes for the next time I get sick.
Thanks, Lydia! I’ll have to give it a try next time I’m all blocked.
You’re welcome. I hope it helps. 🙂
I bought one of those when I was having nose bleeds, but I’ve never used it. I’ll see if it works on my allergies.
Fingers crossed for you!
I use something like this when my sinuses start giving me troubles and it works like a charm.
Also, I had a pharmacist tell me years ago the same thing – how the FDA in the US requires that the active ingredients be the same, so there was no reason to spend extra on the name brands. It’s good info to have.
Good to know! And I’m glad this works well for you.
I’m a huge fan of both the saline sprays and the saline rinses, especially when my allergies are acting up. I can’t do a rinse right before I go to sleep, just because it tends to dribble out when I lay down, but an hour or two beforehand and it’s a big help.
Interesting! I haven’t had that problem yet, but I’m glad you figured out a solution to it. 🙂
I do not like nasal spray. I had a hard time taking the COVID test with having to swap up my nose.
I’m sticking with tea.
Fair enough. 🙂
As a guess, that would completely cure rhinovirus, provide some relief for adenovirus, and have little effect on coronavirus or flu. I could even be wrong–it might offer more than topical relief. After reading this post, I’d consider buying the product if rhinovirus were going around.
Cool.
Growing up, I had really severe asthma and allergies, and my doctor would always insist on me doing nose washes, like a neti pot. It’s kind of the same thing as this spray – and they’re so effective!
I’ve had doctors say the same thing to me! Yeah, very similar idea there.