Do you really know about colds? Seven Mistakes about Cold

1. Is it because the resistance has decreased?

There is a saying that people catch a cold only when their resistance drops. There is no scientific basis for this. The virus that causes the cold can invade the human body at any time. Even if you are as strong as a cow, the cold virus may find you.

Can vitamin C and zinc supplement prevent colds?

Vitamin C or zinc supplements can relieve symptoms in some people after catching a cold, but they have no effect in some people. At present, there is no credible evidence that vitamin C or zinc can prevent colds, nor can they prove that they can relieve symptoms.

Can cold air or dry air cause colds?

Dry air does not cause colds. Many people think that dry hot air can damage the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, and cold viruses are more likely to invade the body. Humidity has nothing to do with the incidence of colds. However, after catching a cold, moist air can indeed relieve symptoms such as nasal congestion and cough.

Cold air also does not cause colds, at least it is not the direct cause of colds. The reason why people feel that they are prone to colds when the weather is cold is that people prefer to gather indoors for activities in cold weather, which is more likely to spread the cold virus.

Can antibiotics treat colds?

Antibiotics are used to fight bacteria. They have no therapeutic effect on colds, which are diseases caused by viruses. Improper use is harmful. Abuse of antibiotics will increase the drug resistance of bacteria. When you really need antibiotics, they will not work.

4. Can influenza vaccination cause influenza?

Of course not. But some people will suffer from headache, fever and other flu-like symptoms after being vaccinated with influenza. However, the duration is relatively short, about one day. The real flu fever symptoms will last for an average of five days. There will also be headache, sore throat and other symptoms, and serious complications such as pneumonia. The elderly, pregnant women, patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, and people with impaired immunity are more likely to have these complications than the average person.

Can Bigu help treat colds?

No. There is no correlation between diet and the severity and duration of symptoms. However, doctors recommend drinking plenty of water during colds.

6. Is there a home prescription for coughing?

There are too many folk remedies for cough, such as what onion, honey, ginger tea, etc. For cough accompanied by sore throat or nasal obstruction, drinking hot tea or honey water seems to have an effect, but it is difficult to say whether it is comforting or really effective.

It is hard to convince people that honey cannot relieve cough. This idea is too deeply rooted in people’s hearts and is difficult to change. If you really think it is useful, drink it! However, considering the possibility of botulinum poisoning in infants, it is not recommended to feed honey to children under 1 year old to relieve cough.

7. How to treat the common cold

This has long been an answer in medicine, That is: The common cold does not require treatment. Most of the cold medicines on the market are only used to relieve symptoms and cannot promote recovery. You may have heard of various ways to prevent colds, but the most important thing is to wash your hands frequently. A pair of clean hands can prevent the spread of the virus. If you want to prevent flu, the most effective thing is to get vaccinated.

Responsible Editor: Wang Yucheng