THE TRUTH ABOUT THE COMMON COLD

August 19, 2010

When a friend of mine was computing for his tax due last year he cursed and concluded that the only two things that are sure to come in life are taxes and death!

Well, my friend may probably be right, but, I think he forgot about another sure thing that all of us, regardless of sex, race, age, geographical location or financial status will get to experience in life…the common cold.

Here are some myths and facts about the common cold that will help us understand and deal with this nuisance that causes us to be needy, helpless, sentimental and sleepy.

WHAT ARE COLDS

A very common, mild viral infection of the nose and throat, whose symptoms include sneezing, sniffling, a running or blocked nose, a sore throat, coughing and a headache.

(from en.wiktionary.org/wiki/common_cold)

COLDS AND THE WEATHER. Colds are not related to the weather, people are just more likely to get colds during the colder months because the inside lining of our noses are drier and more vulnerable to viral infection. Also in the cold weather, people are inside more and in closer contact with each other (even those who might be contagious), thus increasing our risk to get the virus.

KILLING THE COLD VIRUS WITH ANTIBIOTICS. Antibiotics kill bacteria, but the common cold is caused by a virus. Therefore, antibiotics will have no effect at all. They can however be used to treat complications of the common cold, such as bronchitis, sinusitis, fever and ear infection.

WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM MAKES YOU SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COLD VIRUS. This does not heighten the risks of catching a cold. Healthy and unhealthy people exhibit the same amount of susceptibility to colds. 

VITAMIN C BOOST. Vitamin C may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms, but scientifically there is no clear evidence of this. Taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large amounts may even be harmful. Too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea.

INHALING STEAM. This may temporarily relieve symptoms of congestion (blockage of mucus) and thus make us cope better, but, unfortunately does not cure our colds. This however, will open and clear our pores! At least we will have a better skin while waiting out the cold virus.

ALCOHOL AS A CURE. The cold virus is not afraid of any form of alcohol because they don’t get to meet each other! Though alcohol has a sterilizing effect, it gets to the body (and leaves it) through gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestine), and the cold virus through upper airways. Alcohol slows down body reactions, weakens the immunity, bad for liver and incompatible with some medicines. So the next time you make an excuse to drink because of your colds, think again!

COLD SYMPTOMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP US GET OVER THE COLD VIRUS. A lot of us believe that the symptoms of a cold like running nose, coughing etc. are designed to help us get over the sickness quickly that is why we are quick to treat the symptoms with medicines. But the truth is that the symptoms does not make any difference to the duration of the cold, they only help spread the bug to other people – through noseblowing and coughing. Treating the symptoms with medicine will only make the illness more tolerable and will help to keep it contained. 

TRANSFERRING THE VIRUS BY KISSING. The cold virus is transferred through the nose (nasal passages). In order to become infected through mouth, one would need a thousand times stronger concentration of rhinoviruses, than through nose. Hurray! It’s safe to kiss afterall!

TRANSFERING THE VIRUS BY HANDSHAKE. Our body part that is most likely to have frequent access to our noses are our hands. So, better wash your hands frequently so that no cold virus stays there.

TREATING COLDS

It is nice to know that the common cold is like most of our ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends, it does not stay permanently!  No direct cure is yet known.  For the meantime what we can do is just to let the cold run its course. There is no proven specific treatment for a cold, but, supportive measures may be helpful.

• Try not to get overly stressed or overly tired.

• Drink about 8 glasses of fluids/water daily.

• Get plenty of bedrest.

Over-the-counter medications such as throat lozenges, throat sprays, cough drops, and cough syrups may also help bring relief. Decongestants or antihistamines may be used for nasal symptoms. Saline sprays and a humidifier may also be beneficial.

And of course I am one firm believer that a Tender Loving Care is still the best way to wait-out that damn cold virus!

(Sources:10 myths about the common cold at http://listverse.com/, http://cold.emedtv.com/common-cold/common-cold-myths.html, http://geniusbeauty.com/woman-health/7-myths-about-the-common-cold/)

This one is dedicated to hon who’s always down with the virus! Get well soon ☺