The Truth About Colds Many people don’t realize that there is no cure for colds. To date, there is no medicine that can “cure” a cold. They can only relieve the symptoms and make you feel better, but they do not shorten the course of the illness. And the consequences of taking antibiotic drugs indiscriminately can be more serious than the cold itself. In addition, the more often people take medication and get a drip, the more the cold will linger, and the more often the autoimmune function will decline, and the more frequent the infection will be, and so on in a vicious circle. Three truths about colds The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has revealed three “ones” about colds. The first “one”: the cold is a viral “syndrome” of upper whistle infections, and there are more than 100 viruses that can trigger a cold; the second “one”: Generally, the symptoms of a cold last for about a week, with or without medication; the third “one”: the beginning of a cold should be a day before the symptoms appear, when the virus has already taken up residence in your body. To be more precise, the cold virus will be latent in your body for 24-72 hours and then suddenly break out. The earliest symptoms include sore throat, sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, and body fatigue. Many people think that the cold comes from freezing, which is not true. Whether you are wearing too little clothing, walking barefoot on the ground or going out without blow-drying your hair, these are not the direct causes of a cold. But it can lead to a decrease in resistance, allowing viruses to take advantage of it. Other conditions that cause a drop in resistance include excessive alcohol consumption, anxiety, exertion, and lack of sleep. In contrast, dry, poorly ventilated environments are more likely to lead to colds. This is because the amount of viruses in the environment is too high and the body’s mucous membranes’ ability to fight viruses decreases due to lack of water. The number of times a cold attacks each person is also different. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children get colds 8-10 times a year, mainly because children are closer and have a greater chance of spreading the virus. Adults, on the other hand, get colds 4-6 times a year, more women than men, and women in their 30s are the most likely to get hit because they are the mainstay of child care. Rest is the best cold medicine Many people mistakenly believe that once the cold and fever, must be infusion, to use “antibacterial”, in fact, antibacterial at all can not destroy the virus, reckless medication will also appear adverse reactions and interference or aggravate the disease. Many people do not know that drug-resistant bacteria can survive in the body for more than 3 months, once the infection of these drug-resistant bacteria will be a problem. So, why take cold medicine? The main effect of cold medicine is to relieve the symptoms, with the effect of clearing the heat and detoxification, which can make you feel better and rest better, but it is not likely to shorten the course of the disease. 6 things you must do for a cold Step 1: Get enough sleep After a cold, it is best to find yourself a more comfortable bed to lie down. Sleep is the “best cold medicine”, so make sure you get 8 hours of sleep every day. If you can, it is best to take 1-2 days off from work. Step 2: Breathe well Turn on the humidifier, the dry air will make the respiratory tract feel uncomfortable, put a humidifier by the bed or sofa, you can make you breathe more smoothly. Before using it, be sure to wash it thoroughly to avoid the spread of viruses through it. Step 3: Take vitamin supplements Eating liquid food with vitamin C, hot soup and hot porridge are good choices. The saying that chicken soup cures colds has been passed down for centuries, and British scholars have found this to be true because certain ingredients in chicken soup can reduce coughs, and the steam from hot soup and hot porridge helps relieve nasal congestion. If you have a bad appetite, you can drink some yogurt or eat some fruits rich in vitamin C, such as: dates, oranges, kiwis, tangerines and grapefruit, which can play a part in relieving cold symptoms. Step 4: Hydration Drink more water as appropriate. For people with normal heart and kidney functions, make sure to drink 2,000 ml of water daily to replenish electrolytes. Step 5: Medication relief Taking over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen) or compound and preparations for cold and flu, cough syrup and other over-the-counter medicines can alleviate the symptoms of cold and flu. Although these medicines do not fight the virus, they can make you feel better. However, you should be careful not to take them too often to avoid side effects, and also beware of drug allergies and certain diseases when some drugs are not available. Step 6: Be patient and observe The common cold will go away on its own in about 7 days. However, if the symptoms persist or worsen sharply, such as: sore throat, severe cough, little urination, chest tightness, panic attacks, etc. it is best to go to the hospital as soon as possible to ask a doctor for diagnosis. Especially children, elderly people, pregnant women and people with underlying diseases.