Can the Common Cold be Stopped
The common cold is an infection of the upper air passages by any of possibly two hundred viruses, which attack the lining cells, causing them to pour out mucous. The infection spreads easily from person to person by infected droplets of moisture or dust floating in the air and, 50 percent of the time, by hand contact. Children, who are most susceptible, may spread the virus by touching other children after they have rubbed their noses. You can transmit the virus a few hours before your cold has developed and for as long as five days after. Following exposure, the cold may appear in two or three days, and last from four to seven days, and sometimes even two weeks.
Since any one of many viruses may cause a cold, a specific vaccine is not feasible. Even having a cold makes you immune only to the virus or viruses that caused it. The same virus may infect you repeatedly, as the immunity is relatively short-lived.
The symptoms usually begin with a roughness or irritation in the throat, followed by sneezing and a runny nose. The discharge soon becomes thick and greenish-yellow. You may experience general aching, chilliness, and a low fever. Secondary infection by common bacteria is responsible for the complications that may develop, such as infection of the middle ear, sinusitis, bronchitis, and even pneumonia.
Exposure to cold or wind, excessive fatigue, loss of sleep, and other causes of reduced resistance make you more susceptible. This is especially true if you are in crowds or closely associated with someone with a cold.
What you can do.
There is really no one treatment for the cold. Staying at home will prevent you from spreading it to others. You can make yourself more comfortable if the room air is warm and moistened with a humidifier. Placing the humidifier two to three feet from the patient will protect him against any possibility of a steam burn. Nose drops give relief from congestion, but if used too frequently or for more than a few days, cause irritation and congestion themselves. Cautious inhalation of steam will open the air passages.
Gargling is often recommended, but is essentially ineffective as it keeps the water in front of the pharynx. To simulate circulation in the throat, drink hot water (as hot as you can bear it) about once an hour during the day. At night use a heating compress to the neck.
Maintain a high fluid intake. Many recommend high doses of vitamin C. No conclusive evidence supports the practice; however, the issue remains controversial. Cough syrup may relieve a troublesome cough. As mentioned earlier, prevention by a healthful lifestyle is the best treatment.
What your Physician might do.
Your doctor may recommend other symptomatic measures. He can help if you develop complications such as, sinusitis, middle ear infection, or a serious bronchitis or pneumonia. Antibiotics are effective against most organisms.
Here is an herbal remedy that works for my family and me.
Echinacea is one of the best-researched herbs that you can find to help the body fight colds and flu once they have begun to invade. It stimulates white blood cell activity, increases the body’s production of antiviral substances such as interferon, and enhances the ability of immune cells to engulf and destroy invading microbes.
Anytime I feel like the cold bug is about to hit me, I have my wife make me a cup of Echinacea tea. Usually around the next day, I start to feel a lot better. It does not knock the cold out completely, but it shortens the duration of the cold. The only drawback to Echinacea is you cannot take for long periods. Your body will be accustomed to it, and it will not work, as it should.
Is it a cold or the flu?
Some people might not know that there are different viruses that are responsible for the cold and the flu. The cold is caused by the Rhinovirus, and the Influenza virus causes the flu. Cold symptoms restrict themselves to the upper respiratory passages. The flu comes quickly and produces an all-over sick feeling. With that being said, it is still possible to get the cold even after a flu shot.
Here is a chart to give you a better understanding of which one you may have:
Symptom |
Common Cold |
Flu |
Onset |
gradual |
abrupt and dramatic |
Nose |
drippy |
congested |
Throat |
scratchy |
sore |
Chest |
Slight cough as symptoms wane |
cough can be severe and lingering |
Heads |
light headache from congestion |
more pronounced headache |
Muscle aches |
absent |
usually present |
Chills/fever |
absent, or low-grade |
usually present |
Sensitivity to light |
absent |
sometimes present |
Fatigue |
absent |
present |
Appetite loss |
absent |
present |
