What to Do When You Can’t Shake That Illness

This is a collaboration

It’s that time of year again -even if you try your best not to get ill, you can still find yourself experiencing aches and pains, coughs and sniffles, and more. Many problems will resolve themselves in a few weeks, maybe with some help from the right treatment or medication. But sometimes you can realise that your symptoms just aren’t going away. They might improve or change in intensity, but one thing you do know is that the problem doesn’t seem to be healing completely. When you’re finding it hard to shake an illness, even when it seems like an everyday problem like a cold or cough, there are some things you can do to feel better.

See a Doctor

Making an appointment to see a doctor is one of the first things that you should do if you have symptoms that won’t go away. You don’t necessarily need to see a doctor right away, but if your symptoms are persistent, there could be a more serious problem. For example, if you have had a cough for more than three weeks, you should see your GP. It might also be beneficial to see a cough specialist for a persistent or chronic cough. Seeing a doctor can help to identify any underlying causes and find the right treatment.

Take a Break

Sometimes if you’re taking a long time to get better, it could be because your immune system needs a helping hand. If you’re tired or stressed, it can take you longer to recover from an illness. Taking a break and spending some time relaxing could be what you need to start feeling better. If you’re not getting enough sleep, that can have an impact on how well you’re able to heal too. A bit of rest and relaxation could help you to start getting better faster. Even if you can’t take a break, finding some ways to unwind could help.

Find Ways to Manage the Symptoms

Knowing how to manage your symptoms is also important if you’re feeling under the weather. Sometimes you might be taking a little longer to heal, or you might be dealing with a chronic issue that’s not going to just go away. There are usually ways that you can manage your symptoms and feel better, even if you can’t completely heal the problem. You might benefit from pain management or other treatments that will relieve your symptoms so that you can continue with your day-to-day life.

Make Some Lifestyle Changes

Another thing that might help when you’re not very well is making some healthy changes to your lifestyle. This could include getting more sleep, quitting smoking or finding some ways to relax and de-stress. It could also help to change your diet or make sure you’re not overdoing it at the gym. If you think you’ve had a cold for a long time, it could turn out to be allergies, which might also get better with a few lifestyle adjustments.

When you’re struggling to get better, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Take action and find a way to start feeling well again.