Cold comfort

It is a misnomer to suppose that cold weather is the harbinger of colds. It is not the weather that causes colds, although, most colds are caught in the fall or winter. This is so because most cold viruses thrive better in colder temperatures, when there is less humidity in the weather. Actually, the common cold is an infection of upper respiratory tract. It is relatively harmless, though it does not feel harmless when you suffer from it.

The most common symptoms of cold include head congestion, nasal congestion, sore throat, coughing, headache, sneezing, and watery eyes. Children may develop a low-grade fever, but this is rare in adults. Most colds clear up on their own in eight to ten days, though they sometimes may lead to a more serious illness such as bronchitis, a middle ear infection, or sinus infection.

Adults can have two to four colds per year, whereas preschoolers can have it eight to ten times a year.

Treating colds

A vaccine for cold is unlikely to develop, because the viruses responsible have the ability to change their size and shape, and have hundreds of different forms.

The remedies available for common cold can at best provide with symptomatic relief. Analgesics, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen, help to relieve aches and pains and reduce fever. It helps to let a low-grade fever to run its course; an elevated temperature is one of body’s ways to fight infections. If a fever is 102 F or more it is a sign of developing bacterial infection somewhere in the body that will need treatment. Analgesics may mask this sign by reducing fever.

Do not give aspirins to children; it may have a role in causing Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease. Reye’s syndrome is a rare, serious disease that affects many internal organs, particularly the brain and liver. It primarily strikes children between the ages of four and twelve. Most cases of Reye’s syndrome occur in children who were given aspirin or aspirin –containing medications for a viral infection such as the flu or chicken pox.

Anti histamines decrease nasal secretions; it is better to allow the body to get rid of the viruses through nasal secretions rather than blocking them. Cough medicines come in two basic types – expectorants and antitussives. Expectorants help in removing irritants from the respiratory airways, whereas antitussives reduce the frequency of coughing. It is not a good idea to suppress coughing unless it is interfering with sleep, or it is unusually persistent.

Decongestants shrink nasal blood vessels to relieve swelling and congestion but the side effects include insomnia, jitteriness and fatigue. Most OTC (over the counter) products to treat the symptoms of common cold often contain some combination of these ingredients.

Some experts believe these ingredients, may work against one another. So it is a good idea to take medicines for treating only those symptoms of cold that is causing maximum discomfort.

Weak immune system, stress, and poor diet make us susceptible to cold.

Preventing cold

Taking zinc lozenges and vitamin C at experiencing first symptoms of cold provides relief from the stuffy nose, body ache and headache that go with cold. Real relief for cold may come from substances such as interferons, natural proteins that the body produces in response to viral infection. Vitamin C aids in the production of interferons.

Cold Care

• Sipping hot liquids, like chicken broth helps in relieving the worst of the symptoms and shortening the duration of the cold. Vegans can go for vegetable soup.
• Drinking lots of fluids but not aerated beverages or coffee as they dehydrate the body.
• Remaining active helps in reducing the muscle aches. Stay indoors, away from work in case of a fever or a bad cough.
• Flushing facial tissues after use as they harbour viruses
• Washing hands often. Keeping kitchen and bathroom counters clean, if someone in the family has a cold.
• Warm saline gargles and saline nasal drops for the nasal congestion help. To use saline nasal drops put several drops into one nostril, then immediately bulb suction that nostril, repeat the process with the opposite nostril.

Cold, flu and allergy have been used interchangeably, whereas they differ from each other.

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