DON’T worry if you catch cold or flu. It will soon go away if you manage and handle it right.

Here’s what you should do with colds:

* Take some rest. Make yourself comfortable and that means rest. Your body needs rest. If your body says you need to sleep, then that’s what you should do. Ignore it and it could take you longer to recover.

* More water. Drink three to four extra glasses of fluid a day to replace the moisture lost from coughing and sneezing and to thin mucous secretions.

* Drink herbals. Herbal drinks and teas can help. Don’t rely so much on vitamin C. A 2007 review of 30 studies found it doesn’t reduce your chances of getting a cold and is unlikely to affect an existing cold’s severity.

Here’s what you should do with flu:

* Take prescription drug. There are some flu medicines available in the market, it can reduce the duration and severity of the flu, but these drugs must be started within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Most symptoms will disappear by themselves within a week, though a cough and fatigue could persist for a few weeks.

* More rest and liquid. Like managing colds, you need to stay hydrated, get lots of rest, and try appropriate over-the-counter or home remedies.

Should these illnesses linger  after 10 to 14 days, you may have a sinus infection or bacterial bronchitis. This means that bacteria have caused irritation to the main airways of the lungs. Call your doctor; these infections usually require antibiotics.

The worst complication from the flu is bacterial pneumonia. This primarily strikes older adults and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, but healthy people can also get it.

Call your doctor if your symptoms disappear and then return or if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or a severe cough that brings up blood or phlegm.