Chills upon waking, a scratchy throat, a runny nose as soon as the cold weather sets in… Winter often puts the body to the test. To help you get through this season, Soin-et-Nature offers a selection of natural, targeted remediesto relieve minor ailments such as colds, coughs, sore throats, or flu-like symptoms. Mild syrups, comforting herbal teas, sprays, and immune-boosting supplements: simple solutions to incorporate into your daily routine to maintain your well-being and get through the winter with greater peace of mind.
More detailsThe common cold. The quintessential winter illness. It refers to an infection of the nasal passages. Most often, it’s caused by a virus. The symptoms resemble those of the flu, but are much milder: fever, watery eyes, fatigue, and body aches. Plus, a runny nose.
When the virus spreads to the adenoids, located above the throat, the condition is called rhinopharyngitis. It’s quite common in young children. Another common complication in infantsis bronchiolitis, which occurs when the infection spreads to the lungs. It is characterized by a productive cough and is highly contagious.
Ear infections are also very common: the ear canal is very close to the respiratory tract, especially in children; if secretions travel upward, they can infect the middle ear. Symptoms: severe pain in the affected ear and a higher fever than with a common cold. An ear infection itself is not contagious. However, the common cold that often causes it is contagious.
Throat infection. It is viral in most cases, but can also be bacterial (streptococcus, for example). It is essential to be very thorough in treating winter infections, especially in children: a bacterial throat infection can lead to heart or joint problems.
The term “pharyngitis” is used when the throat and tonsils are affected as a whole.
If only one or two tonsils are affected, it is tonsillitis. The tonsils are red and swollen and may have pus.
Sore throat is also a classic winter ailment. It is most often viral, but can also be bacterial. There is also a rapid test that your doctor can perform in the office: this test can determine whether you have strep throat. Be aware that a negative result doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not a bacterial infection, since this test can only detect streptococci. That’s why your doctor may sometimes prescribe antibiotics anyway. You should take them—it’s not an unnecessary precaution. In addition to a severe sore throat, strep throat can also be identified by the relatively high fever that often accompanies it (39°C) as well as by the enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.
Bronchitis is characterized by a deep, productivecough accompanied by phlegm. In children, it is often the result of a poorly treated cold. This is referred to as descending rhinobronchitis. In adults, it can certainly be a primary condition—that is, one that is not the result of another illness. Adults may also suffer from chronic bronchitis, usually when the bronchial system is compromised (smoking, allergies, asthma, etc.).
Not to mention the inevitable flu, a sort of “happy mix” of all the symptoms mentioned above. Typically, it presents as follows: chills, a fever of varying intensity, headache, extreme fatigue, and body aches. The flu virus is highly contagious. There are many strains, which mutate and change regularly. For example, the 2009 strain is known to be particularly aggressive, confining even the hardiest among us to bed.
There is a flu vaccine, but it cannot be 100% effective given the virus’s variability. It is difficult to predict from one year to the next which strain will strike. Furthermore, patients respond differently to this type of vaccine.
Every winter, viruses proliferate and illnesses are widespread. Two main types of illnesses are observed in winter: primarily respiratory infections (colds, sore throats, bronchitis) and digestive disorders such as gastroenteritis. Discover our range of treatments for winter illnesses.
They don’t disappear once winter ends—far from it. But they’re much more common during cold weather and can add to the fatigue caused by the lack of daylight. Winter illnesses primarily affect the respiratory tract, with the exception of gastroenteritis, which targets the intestines. Here’s a brief, non-exhaustive overview of these winter ailments.
A contagious viral illness caused by the influenza virus. It is characterized by high fever, body aches, severe fatigue, and respiratory symptoms. The flu can lead to serious complications in the elderly, young children, or people with weakened immune systems.
Inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by viruses (such as norovirus or rotavirus), leading to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Soin-et-Nature offers a complete range of products to help you get through the winter season while maintaining your health and well-being. Here are the available categories:
These products, available on Soin-et-Nature, help you protect yourself and stay healthy during the cold season with natural, tailored solutions.
