All about the common cold
It’s winter – and for many families that means stocking up on cold medications and immune boosters. According to Affinity Health, there's no cure for a common cold, but it typically runs its course in a week to 10 days.
Affinity Health gave their expert advice on managing a cold in 10 days.
Winter is here. Many families are stocking up on cold medications and immune boosters.
How do you catch a cold?
You know the drill. Before you know it, you are nursing a scratchy throat, sneezing, coughing and lying in bed with a cold.
A cold is a contagious upper respiratory infection. Having a cold affects your nose, throat, sinuses and trachea (windpipe). There are over 200 varieties of viruses that cause a cold. But the most prevalent is the rhinovirus, which handles at least 50% of colds.
You can contract the virus from another affected person. Infection can occur through direct physical contact with someone contagious.
Colds also happen after you touch surfaces with then touch your nose or mouth. Surfaces include:
- Computer keyboards
- Doorknob
- Cutlery
Additionally, you can contract it from infectious droplets in the air caused by a sneeze or cough.
When a virus clings to the lining of your nose or throat, a cold begins. Your immune system fights against pathogens. Immune systems dispatch white blood cells to assault this invader.
Your body will send in reinforcements. Your nose and throat become irritated and produce copious amounts of mucus. You exhaust so much energy fighting the cold virus.
One myth you need to forget is that being cold or wet does not make you sick. Several factors increase your risk of contracting a cold. For instance, you are prone to getting sick when exhausted. Symptoms also worsen when during stress, anxiety and nasal congestion.
Signs and symptoms of a cold
When a cold occurs, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Sore or scratchy throat
- Sneezing
- Stuffy or blocked nose
- Watery eyes
- Low to moderate fever
- Mild muscle ache
- Mild headache
Children and colds
Adults catch two to three colds a year. Children, on the contrary, get about five to seven colds per year. A leading cause is the amount of time at school. Day-care is where they are in close touch with other children.
See The 5 Most Common Kids’ Health Problems.
Also, children are less diligent about:
- Sneezing into their arms.
- Washing their hands.
- Keeping to themselves.
They may not have developed immunity to as many cold strains as adults.
Learn How Washing Your Hands Keeps You Healthy.
Getting ready for the cold season
In South Africa, most colds occur during winter. Beginning late April or early May, infection rates increase for a few weeks.
“Winter is not to blame for colds. But cold weather may cause more colds in winter. The weather forces you to spend more time indoors, where air circulation lowers. It is also a prime spot for close contact,” said Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health.
Humidity changes may also affect how often people get sick. Cold weather may dry up the lining of your nose, making it more susceptible to viral infection.
