This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.
You wake up and just aren’t feeling up to par. But you have a midterm and a paper due tomorrow, so you have to start feeling better. And fast. Here are some tricks for life’s small but most annoying ailments.
Sore Throat
- Gargle with warm water and Epsom salt (if Epsom isn’t available, any salt will do). This stops the spread of any infection and calms irritation.
- Drink warm tea, preferably herbal.
- Buy some Burt’s Bees honey and lemon lozenges. They have menthol, which aids in cooling, and the honey and lemon actually work to fix the sore throat.
- Best medication: Advil
If you have swollen glands (under your jaw line is tender and swollen on either side), you feel like you can’t breathe, or your sore throat persists for more than two days, you should get checked at the infirmary.
Congestion
- Get some saline spray at CVS. You just spray it up your nose and it comes out—sounds gross, but it helps clear your passages in no time. And it’s safe to use everyday to help keep your sinuses clear!
- Netti pot. I’m personally not a huge fan of this one, but people swear by it!
- Take a hot shower with a lot of steam. Or, if you can, try to get some hot water from the dining hall and put a towel over your head and the cup— so the steam is restricted to your nasal passages and face. It will really open up your sinuses.
- Best medications: Mucinex or Dayquil
Fever
- Soak in hot water to help break a fever. If you have a tub, that is ideal, but a hot shower works too.
- Sleep. It may seem obvious, but the best cure for a fever is some rest so your body has time to fight whatever’s going on.
- Make sure to drink a lot of water—otherwise a fever can seriously dehydrate you and make you feel worse.
- Best medication: Motrin
If your fever spikes, especially higher than 101, you should get to the infirmary as soon as you can.
Headache or Migraine
- Drink Coca-Cola (moderately). The sugar and the amount of caffeine are perfect for helping ease a migraine.
- Put a cool compress on your head to help the blood vessels constrict and the pain to ebb.
- Best medications: Tylenol or Excedrin (take only when absolutely needed and the correct dosage—too much can be harmful!)
If you have persistent headaches or migraines, check with your doctor for more information and treatments.
Stomach Ache
- Drink ginger ale. Ginger works wonders for the stomach and the carbonation helps calm down irritation.
- Use a heating pad on your stomach. If you can’t find one, soak a hand towel in warm water and put it on your stomach.
- Sip chamomile or peppermint tea, which both have stomach calming properties.
- Not feeling up to eating? Not eating will actually make your stomach feel worse. So try to eat some bread, rice, or yogurt—all of which are known to settle the stomach.
- Best medication: Probiotics
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