Myths and Facts About the Common Cold

A widespread folk belief says that colds can be ?caught? from exposure to cold weather or by sitting in a chilly draft. This is even where the common cold (or rhinopharyngitis in medical lingo) got its name. In fact, they are so common, that the average person contracts about 3 colds per year. While some weather conditions may indeed favor viruses, colds are upper respiratory tract viral infections that can only be ?caught? through direct contact with contaminated objects or by inhaling airborn drops of infected mucus (such as when someone sneezes next to you in a crowded bus).

Historically, we have always associated various infectious diseases with the weather. For a very long time, doctors believed that deadly diseases like cholera and the plague were caused by ?putrid air? brought about from the heavens, and recommended aromatherapy treatments. It?s not hard to see how a disease that seems to spread faster during the winter months got connected to cold weather. Although modern doctors attribute the spread of colds during winter to our tendency of staying indoors or using crowded means of transportation, many people still believe that there is some other, direct connection between cold and, well, colds.

Oddly enough, for such widespread diseases, colds cannot be cured medically. That?s right, the body?s immunity must overwhelm and destroy the viral infection entirely on its own, which usually takes about a week. Medication and alternative treatments can help ease the symptoms, but will do nothing against the viruses themselves. The symptoms of the common cold are actually a natural immune response, so we know that our bodies are fighting infection when they occur.

A runny nose helps trap the infection in the upper respiratory tract, preventing it from spreading to the lungs, where it could cause the far worse infection, pneumonia. Coughing helps expel microbes, while fever has been shown to speed up immune reactions and hinder the spread of viruses. Simply put, some doctors believe that when we get a fever, the body turns up the heat to create a hostile environment for the infectious agent. However, 25% of the people who get colds never develop any symptoms, telling us that having symptoms is not an absolutely necessary condition for getting over a cold.

Because we sometimes get chills and fever during a cold, it is traditionally believed that you can ?sweat out? a cold by covering up with extra blankets or taking really hot baths. These techniques might help with relaxation, but they are ineffective against the viruses that cause colds. Once a cold virus is contracted, doing nothing or following one of the many treatments available will have the same effects.

Changes in food choices, even small temporary changes, have shown to impact health in staggering ways? in either direction. Removing certain foods can give your body the much needed break to achieve ?balance? once again. Find out here what can be done today to encourage positive health changes for you and your loved ones.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/healthandfitness/2012/11/02/myths-and-facts-about-the-common-cold/

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