With or without medication, the cold or the flu can give you real trouble. You can choose from a variety of medications that can give you some relief in symptoms or you can take the natural approach that may prevent, speed your recovery and help you to feel better along the way.

When is coming to children a cold or flu or other upper respiratory infection can also ends in an ear infection - acute otitis media - that appear in the space behind the eardrum, that is called the middle ear.

This is very common in children younger than age 8, as their immature ear can be easily infected. Their Eustachian tube (the tube that connects the throat and the middle ear) is shorter, softer and more horizontal which is more easily blocked by secretions than those of older children or adults. Also, very exposed could be infants because of their sucking habit. Always keep a breast or bottle feeding baby under an angle to prevent entering the liquid into theirs immature ear.

During a cold, throat infection, allergy or other upper respiratory infection, the Eustachian tube swells and prevents air from entering the middle ear, leading to allowing the secretions to enter to the middle ear and be trapped there. This leads to viruses and bacteria to grow and cause infection.

Using salt therapy you can prevent or reduce the symptoms in cold, flu or ear infection. If your baby has a stuffy nose and has difficulty breast- or bottle feeding or seems to be short of breath, the Salin device is the best. Using Salin during the night, while sleeps, your baby wont wake you up because of the stuffy nose. He or she will be able to breathe normally, the inhaled saline will open the airways, will clean secretions and kill bacteria, reducing the duration of cold or flu and preventing an ear infection.

In the range of 0.1-2.5 microns - the same size as the most damaging micro particles from auto and industrial pollution, and invisible to the human eye -- the micro particles of salt penetrate into every corner of the bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli and deposit upon the surface, cleaning secretions, killing microbes and bacteria, leading in turn to a reduction in inflammation. Acting as a mucokinetic, they restore the normal transport of mucus and unclog blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles and upper respiratory tract. The inhaled saline (NaCl) is hydrophilic, so it absorbs the edema from the mucosa lining the airway passages.

In the bronchial tree: Absorption of the inflammatory edema from the mucosa lining the bronchial tree, causing asthma, will be diminished, leading to widening of the airway passages. Also, it humidifies and fluidizes the bronchial secretions in the bronchial tree leading to the relief of the broncho- spasm assisting and improving the treatment of asthma. In the nose and para-nasal sinuses, edema of the nasal mucosa, causing nasal obstruction, will be diminished, leading to widening of the airway passage in the nose and the tubes of the sinuses and improves the sinuses drainage.

In the auditory tube: Edema of the Eustachian tube mucosa, causing obstruction and otitis media, will be diminished, leading to widening of the airway passages, better drainage of the inflammatory secretions & better aeration behind the tympanic membrane (drum).

The hygiene of the respiratory tract has a very important place in treating an preventing a respiratory infection or ear infection. Here are some tips:

1. Use Salin device and Salt Pipe to clean all the respiratory tract.

2. Correctly blow your nose often - dont blow your nose hardly as the pressure can carry secretions back into your ear passages. Press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently the other.

3. Clean your nose with saline solution: mix 1.25 g salt in 1 cup warm water (body temperature) or you can also add in half-half quantities salt and baking soda. Put few drops in every nostril.

4. Place an extra pillow under your head creating an angle. The best way is to place it under the mattress to create a smooth slope. This will help with nasal congestion and also prevent ear infection.

For more information, kindly refer to the website.

NB: The author grants reprint permission to opt-in publications and websites so long as the copyright and by-line are included intact and the article is not used in spam.