Sure, when you catch cold you can reach for the cough syrup.

Your doctor might prescribe some antibiotics to fight a particularly nasty virus.

For comfort, you might whip up a bowl of chicken soup to sip when you are under the weather.

But have you ever wondered what other treatment — perhaps a little less well-known — exists to treat the bug?

A sore throat, runny nose, congestion, coughing and sneezing are symptoms of acute viral nasopharyngitis, or acute coryza, what people know as the common cold. People suffering from it can also experience muscle aches, fatigue, headaches and other symptoms.

According to traditional Chinese medicine everyone has a different body constitution and reacts differently to illness, says Jinglan Li, a practitioner in Markham.

Some people catch colds easily while others stay healthy depending on how strong each person’s chi, or energy, is, says Jinglan, who has practised traditional Chinese medicine for 24 years. As well, a healthy balance between the properties of yin and yang will help keep colds and other illnesses at bay.

A common Chinese remedy for colds is tea containing green onion, ginger and brown sugar, she says. Those vegetables have properties that help cleanse the body when someone is ill, she notes.

A massage people do themselves also helps prevent colds and treat symptoms such as a runny nose and headache, Jinglan said. The massage focuses on pressure points at the sides of the nose, back of the head and at the temples.

Perhaps not surprising, getting enough rest, eating well and exercising can help keep you healthy, Jinglan said.

“The best treatment is prevention,” she said.

Another option to treat a cold is homeopathy, which shares similarities with traditional Chinese medicine, said Asha Frost, an Aurora-based homeopathic practitioner.

Homeopathy believes symptoms represent imbalances within a person and must be dealt with by treating the entire individual. Treatment involves giving a patient diluted substances from plants, minerals and animals. If your cold comes with teary eyes, for instance, homeopathy uses a remedy from allium Cepa, made from onion.

And rather than mask symptoms with treatments such as cough syrup, homeopathy aims to treat the whole patient at once.

“We can heal ourselves and it’s not about suppression,” she said.

In a pinch, you can get an over-the-counter homeopathic cold treatment called oscillinum at most health food stores, Ms Frost said.

Vitamins, minerals and supplements can also be used to fight the common cold, said George Hildebrandt, owner of Remedies Clinic and Health Store in Woodbridge.

Mr. Hildebrandt is also a practitioner of orthomolecular medicine, which uses those substances to treat patients.

For example, vitamins C and D can help a cold, he said. But simply taking more of certain substances might actually harm rather than help, he said.

“You have to be very careful,” he said. “Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s safe for everybody.”

Best to consult an orthomolecular medicine practitioner trained to know which supplements might interfere with others, Mr. Hildebrandt said. A practitioner will come up with a specific prescription — called a protocol — tailored to each patient, he said.

In terms of food, ensuring you get a good variety of colourful fruits and vegetables will help keep your immune system healthy, says Lori Liggesmeyer, a public health nutritionist and dietitian with York Region Community and Health Services.

“Especially the colourful ones,” Ms Liggesmeyer says. “All the bright colours have the antioxidants.”

Look for dark green, orange, red, white and yellow vegetables to help keep your immune system healthy, she says.

Omega 3 fats found in fish such as salmon, sardines and trout will give your immunity a boost. As well, try foods high in zinc, such as meats, lentils, pumpkin seeds, yogurt and whole grains.

And sorry, there’s nothing special about chicken soup in fighting a cold, Ms Liggesmeyer said. Unless that soup contains plenty of vegetables, of course.

“There’s nothing in the chicken that will help,” she said.

And whatever treatment you choose, hand washing and hygiene remain important, says Tara Cretney, a public health nurse also with York Region Community and Health Services.

Make sure to clean your hands after you touch your face, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing and after visiting the washroom, Ms Cretney says.

Try to keep frequently touched areas clean, such as door knobs, computers and telephones.