Did You Know that Garlic Oil Can Help with a Head Cold?

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by: Martino
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Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 Time: 8:06 PM
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Head cold has been around since time immemorial. Also known as the common cold since the 16th century, it now accounts for up to 100 million physician visits and over 7 billion estimated costs yearly in the US alone. It is self-limiting, lasting up to a week on average, but displays symptoms that disrupt daily routines more often than not, driving people to seek symptomatic relief. There are numerous home remedies that vary in different countries, and one of these herbal applications is garlic oil, which has been used in treatment of coughs throughout the centuries.

Human beings catch a cold up to twelve times in one year, making the common cold not only the most common respiratory disease, but the most common infectious disease as well. Symptoms vary in every individual and each infection, but may include runny nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat, watery eyes, and nasal congestion. Some equate colds with flu, but contrary to popular belief, the former does not infect the lungs but only the upper respiratory tract: nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx whereas the latter also involves the lower respiratory tract, including the lungs.
The variation in symptoms is largely due to the fact that the common cold is brought about by one of over a hundred cold-causing viruses. There is no known cure or vaccine for the common cold owing to the large number of viruses, which mutate continually and come in different groups. The group of virus very well known to frequently induce colds is the human rhinovirus, which includes 99 different species. A couple of days after rhinoviruses and other cold-causing viruses infect the upper respiratory tract, the body defenses release a legion of antibodies that kill these viruses and rid the body of infected cells to avoid viral regeneration, lasting up to seven days on average.

Garlic has always been associated with its medicinal uses for ages. The first noted use of garlic by physicians in Greek antiquity was in treatment of wounds and bites, including leprosy and similar skin lesions. In addition to its healing properties, Greek soldiers and athletes believed that garlic enhances strength and performance in battle. It was a prized ingredient in humoral medicine, touted as a panacea in ancient medical accounts. Peasants and poor citizens with pneumonia used garlic extensively as word of mouth spread its efficacy.
In the early 20th century garlic was extensively used against typhoid fever, cholera, and smallpox. More recent studies point to the role the compounds found in garlic oil play in fighting off respiratory tract infections. Garlic produces antibacterial and antiviral compounds when crushed. In a study involving 146 participants that spanned for 12 weeks, one group given garlic supplements during winter was reported to show a much lower risk of catching colds.

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