Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : December 11, 2017 6:33 PM IST
Winters and cough and cold go hand in hand. And this is the reason, why most of us believe that cold is caused due to the chilling weather. Moreover, the common cold is known to be a condition that subsides with an increase in temperature. But it is not completely true. In fact, cold is caused due to an infection. YES! unlike popular belief, staying all wrapped up in warm clothes or drinking hot fluids hardly does any good to fight with it. To deal with it, you need to get doctor's consultation. When asked about the same to Dr Narendra Prasad, Consultant Physician, Columbia Asia Hospital, Hebbal, hesays "It s a myth where many people believe that cold is caught by not keeping yourself warm in winter or being exposed to chilling weather." Here are things you should NOT DO when you have a cold.
What is common cold?
Cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract when the virus particles are inhaled. hence, if a person suffering from cold sneezes, there is a high chance that the virus can spread. The virus can also spread through infected person s droplets of spit while talking and from mucus released through the nose while wiping. The virus can be spread by touching surfaces contaminated with respiratory secretions thus increasing the risk of respiratory infections.
The symptoms of common cold usually start to appear after an incubation period of 48-72 hours of the virus. These include nasal discharge, sneezing, sore throat, cough and nasal obstruction. The symptoms usually are the same for both kids and adults. In very few cases, muscle pain and headache are also seen. Fever is very rare in the case of cold. There are no possible health complications caused due to common cold (if present, it's very rare), but ear pain and sinusitis are seen if cold fails to subside within few days.
Common cold can be treated with decongestants to manage nasal discharge or obstruction and antipyretics to control body pain, inflammation and fever. The at-home treatment options include drinking a lot of fluids and taking sufficient bed rest. Also read about naturopathy for cold and cough.
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