Use them according to the directions on the package. You can make an inexpensive, soothing gargle with tsp. Use this as often as you like. Zinc lozenges and Echinacea have been introduced as possible cold remedies in recent years. Although acceptance of these treatments has grown, clinical trials have failed to provide concrete evidence that either of these items is effective in eliminating or preventing colds.
Cold symptoms do follow a pattern.
Symptoms begin to appear from 1-3 days after the initial infection. However, the cold virus may be passed on to other individuals even before the infected person begins to experience symptoms. This is one reason why colds are hard to prevent. Usually the first indication of an infection is scratchiness or a tickling feeling in the throat. Within a few hours, a person may experience a stuffy nose, sneezing, and other forms of discomfort and illness.