Key TakeawaysCOVID infections tend to be mild in vaccinated adults, and many can care for themselves at home.Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can help ease a sore throat, headache, body aches, and fever symptoms.Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest to let your body recover.

Key Takeaways

COVID infections tend to be mild in vaccinated adults, and many can care for themselves at home.Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can help ease a sore throat, headache, body aches, and fever symptoms.Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest to let your body recover.

COVID cases are rising as the weather cools and people return to indoor gatherings and regular school and work schedules.

If you feel under the weather, the first thing you should do istake a COVID test. It’s important to know if you have COVID, even if it’s a mild case. Half of the point of testing is to protect others, Julia Adamian, MD, an internal medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, told Verywell.

“As much as we are concerned about making sure that we’re getting better, one of the biggest concerns is to make sure that we do not give COVID to others who are at high risk for complications,” Adamian said.

Confirming that you have COVID is also the first step towards getting the correct treatment, Adamian said. As you’re isolating from others and weathering out the infection, you can use over-the-counter medications and home remedies to manage your symptoms.

When and What Day to Test for COVID-19

How to Treat Common COVID Symptoms at Home

Whether you’ve had COVID or not, you’veprobably experiencedbody aches, congestion, cough, fatigue, fever, headache, and a sore throat at some point in your life. The symptoms mentioned above are the most common mild COVID symptoms.

While many people can safely treat these COVID symptoms at home, older adults and people with underlying conditions may be at a higher risk for complications and should monitor symptoms accordingly.

If you have COVID, inform your primary healthcare provider and discuss your treatment plan. Treatment depends on your underlying health, current medications, and the type and severity of your symptoms. Here are some ways to care for yourself at home when dealing with mild COVID symptoms.

Sore Throat

If a sore throat is your primary COVID ailment, you can try sipping onwarm herbal teaswith honey, primary care physicianAdam Makkawi, DO, told Verywell.

If the tea isn’t cutting it, you can also look for an over-the-counter throat-numbing spray. Makkawi recommends looking for throat lozenges or sprays that contain menthol or benzocaine for a pain-relieving effect.

Over-the-counter medication likeTylenol and Advilcan also help relieve throat pain, Adamian said—but for a cost-saving solution, you can gargle with salt water or room-temperature chamomile tea.

Cough

A cough is another common COVID symptom that may be treated at home. Often, a cough is the last symptom to linger as you recover from a respiratory virus, pediatric gastroenterologistJonathan Miller, MD, told Verywell.

For a dry aching cough, Makkawi said to consider also using ahumidifierto add moisture to the air. A dry cough is a hallmark of COVID; cool, dry air can also exacerbate throat dryness. Over-the-counter cough syrups or lozenges containing dextromethorphan can also helpsuppress coughing, Makkawi added.

Congestion

Over-the-counternasal sprayssuch as Flonase (fluticasone) can relieve nasal congestion, Adamian said, and oral medication like Advil Sinus can work double-duty to alleviate congestion and headaches—which are often related. Just be careful with the nasal sprayAfrin (oxymetazoline), which should be used for a maximum of three days.

Addressingnasal congestioncan also help relieve other ailments since congestion can lead to difficulty sleeping and decreased appetite. Pressure from sinus congestion and inflammation can cause a headache.

You can also try a saline nasal spray at home, use a neti pot, or take steam showers to manage congestion. Makkawi recommended ginger tea as well, which can help clear the sinuses.

Fever, Chills, and Fatigue

Something as simple asTylenol (acetaminophen)can do wonders for fever management, Adamian said. A fever can also cause associated symptoms such as fatigue, chills, and body aches—all of which can be treated with ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen.

Make sure to follow the recommended dosing on the label if you are taking over-the-counter medications to manage COVID symptoms, Makkai said. If your fever persists for several days without improvement, you should speak with a healthcare provider.

It’s also important to get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and maintain a balanced diet to fuel your body as it recovers from a fever, Makkawai said. Doing so can minimize the fatigue or lethargy from a fever.

“We lose a lot of fluids as insensible losses during an infection, and so it is very important that we replenish our fluids lost with adequate hydration,” he said.

Headaches

Resting in a dark, quiet room can also provide some temporary relief from a headache, Makkawi said—and above all, hydration is your friend.

“I cannot emphasize the importance of water and how important it is todrink plenty of water,” Adamian said. “There’s not a specific requirement, but I would say that one of the very good measurements of whether you drink enough water or not is the color of your urine. It should be clear."

Body Aches

Body achescan occur with most viral infections, including COVID, Makkawi said. The same over-the-counter pain relievers you take for a headache or fever can help alleviate these aches.

You can also consider using warm baths or heating pads to provide relief. Makkawi added.

Helpful Items to Have On HandWhether you’ve recently tested positive for COVID and are looking for symptom relief or are stocking up on medications and home remedies for the impending cold and flu season, here are some helpful items to have on hand:Aceitaminophin (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)Cough syrup containing dextromethorphanNasal sprays (Flonase or Afrin)Throat lozenges or sprays with menthol or benzocaineHeating padHerbal tea and honeyHumidifierNeti pot

Helpful Items to Have On Hand

Whether you’ve recently tested positive for COVID and are looking for symptom relief or are stocking up on medications and home remedies for the impending cold and flu season, here are some helpful items to have on hand:Aceitaminophin (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)Cough syrup containing dextromethorphanNasal sprays (Flonase or Afrin)Throat lozenges or sprays with menthol or benzocaineHeating padHerbal tea and honeyHumidifierNeti pot

Whether you’ve recently tested positive for COVID and are looking for symptom relief or are stocking up on medications and home remedies for the impending cold and flu season, here are some helpful items to have on hand:

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Not everyone can recover from COVID at home, so it’s important to know when to seek medical care from an experienced provider. Adults over 65 have a higher risk of complications from COVID, and children can also be at risk if they are not vaccinated.

Several health conditions can also increase your risk of severe COVID, including:

People who have not received the full course of theCOVID vaccineare also considered high-risk.

If your symptoms get significantly worse or you experience difficulty breathing, you should alert your healthcare provider, Adamian said. This can look like rapid breathing or feel like severe chest discomfort when breathing, Makkawi added.

Other warning signs to look out for include confusion, drowsiness or inability to stay awake, high or persistent fevers, unresponsive to over-the-counter fever reducers, severe dehydration, and bluish-tinged lips or face indicating a lack of oxygen intake, Makkawi said. These warning signs should warrant a visit to the hospital or urgent care.

What This Means For YouIf your COVID symptoms are mild, you can likely care for yourself at home. Getting vaccinated can decrease your risk of needing intensive medical care.

What This Means For You

If your COVID symptoms are mild, you can likely care for yourself at home. Getting vaccinated can decrease your risk of needing intensive medical care.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.United States of America situation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-1624. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Khodaie L, Sadeghpoor O.Ginger from ancient times to the new outlook.Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2015;10(1):e18402. doi:10.17795/jjnpp-18402Farshbafnadi M, Kamali Zonouzi S, Sabahi M, Dolatshahi M, Aarabi MH.Aging & COVID-19 susceptibility, disease severity, and clinical outcomes: the role of entangled risk factors.Exp Gerontol. 2021;154:111507. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111507Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: people with certain medical conditions.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.United States of America situation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-1624. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Khodaie L, Sadeghpoor O.Ginger from ancient times to the new outlook.Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2015;10(1):e18402. doi:10.17795/jjnpp-18402Farshbafnadi M, Kamali Zonouzi S, Sabahi M, Dolatshahi M, Aarabi MH.Aging & COVID-19 susceptibility, disease severity, and clinical outcomes: the role of entangled risk factors.Exp Gerontol. 2021;154:111507. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111507Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: people with certain medical conditions.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

World Health Organization.United States of America situation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-1624. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Khodaie L, Sadeghpoor O.Ginger from ancient times to the new outlook.Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2015;10(1):e18402. doi:10.17795/jjnpp-18402Farshbafnadi M, Kamali Zonouzi S, Sabahi M, Dolatshahi M, Aarabi MH.Aging & COVID-19 susceptibility, disease severity, and clinical outcomes: the role of entangled risk factors.Exp Gerontol. 2021;154:111507. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111507Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: people with certain medical conditions.

World Health Organization.United States of America situation.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.

Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-1624. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0

Khodaie L, Sadeghpoor O.Ginger from ancient times to the new outlook.Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2015;10(1):e18402. doi:10.17795/jjnpp-18402

Farshbafnadi M, Kamali Zonouzi S, Sabahi M, Dolatshahi M, Aarabi MH.Aging & COVID-19 susceptibility, disease severity, and clinical outcomes: the role of entangled risk factors.Exp Gerontol. 2021;154:111507. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111507

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: people with certain medical conditions.

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