The most common reason people visit a doctor is to get cold medicine. Billions of people develop the cold and it can be repeated at least once a year. It is the most common infectious disease not only in America but worldwide as it is called the common cold.
It is difficult to ignore the cold especially since it is so easy and frequent that we have it. Sometimes it's even more surprising to many when they haven't had a cold in a year. We can say that we expect colds especially when there are drastic changes in the weather.
However, this is not the right and proper to do. The cold still has adverse effects and can cause a variety of complications to our health. It is still best to treat and prevent colds even though we think it should not be a concern.
So for people who are often ill and need to take cold medicine, we will provide a variety of information and advice that may help your situation. Just read on in this article to expand your knowledge of the common illness we call colds.
WHO GETS COLD MORE OFTEN?
All of us may have colds because they have no choice, but there are still people who are more likely to have colds. These people listed in the next section need to be more careful to avoid colds and other illnesses.
The newborn babies are exposed to a variety of diseases such as cold especially during the first four to six weeks of birth. This is because the immune system of the babies is not fully functioning and they do not yet have a full defense against the germs. To prevent colds — or any other disease — in the babies, it is important for them to breastfeed. Breastfeeding gives them antibodies that help to fight germs. It is also important to sterilize the bottles they use, pre-refrigerate the milk when it is not needed, and immediately give the warm milk before it can have bacteria.
CHILDREN AGES 4 - 6
At age 4-6, children often go to school or even leave the daycare center where they can get colds. Children are naturally curious so they cannot be avoided. They just love to play and hold things that are not clean. All you can do at this time is to make sure the child is healthy. It is also a good idea to train the child to wash his or her hand before eating or after playing with friends.
STUDENT LIVING IN DORMITORY
Students away from home and living in dormitories are also more likely to be exposed to colds because there are a lot of people under one roof. This means they only use limited space and they often use one another's equipment. They may not eat well and often lack sleep because they are studying and can no longer take care of themselves. And since they are not in their homes no one else can take care of them.
OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE 65 AND ABOVE
It is not surprising, people who are 65 and older can have a cold. Besides, their illnesses often last longer. There is only one cause and this is the weakening of their immune systems. Although it is difficult, you can still avoid the cold by drinking lots of water, relaxing, and exercising.
PEOPLE WITH WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEMS
Apart from age, the immune system can also be weakened when a person has other illnesses such as AIDS, undergoing chemotherapy or even just after surgery. The immune system can also be weakened at birth. These people have a high chance of getting cold so their vaccines need to be updated regularly, have a healthy diet, and get enough rest.
CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, AND EFFECTS OF COLD IN THE BODY
Daily, the nasal cavity produces mucus or cold sores. This is an important process needed to keep our nose moist and keep our inhalation clean. But every time we get cold there is a change in mucus production and it doubles and excess. Common causes include:
ALLERGENS
One of the most common causes of colds is the ingestion of allergens into our noses and can cause allergy. These allergens include dust, smoke, animal fur, and flower pollen.
Rhinoviruses are the most common virus caused by colds and can infect our bodies with our mouth, eyes, and nose. It also spreads through the air whenever the sick person coughs, sneeze or talks.
Bacteria can also cause bacterial infections within the nose. When bacteria cause your illness, expect your cold to be thick and green or yellow.
A few days after allergens, viruses or bacteria develop the symptoms of a cold. You will know that you have been ill and that you need medication for a cold when you experience the following things:
- Stuffy nose
- Keep Sneezing
- Itching of the throat
You may also experience the following symptoms, but this may mean that your illness is a bit more serious and not just cold:
- Coughing
- Fever
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Swelling of the throat
- Muscle pain
The common cold has two effects on our bodies. This is only natural and should not be taken seriously unless it is associated with other symptoms that are not related to having a cold. These two effects are:
Loss of sense of smell
It is easy to understand if our senses are lost or weakened each time we have a cold. Because our sinuses are clogged, molecules carrying aroma or odor cannot reach our brain.
Loss of sense of taste
Not only does the tongue and mouth need to taste the foods, but it also needs the help of the nose. Our sense of smell and taste is so strong that when the first one disappears, the second one disappears too.
5 EASY WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST COLD
In fact, there is no direct way to prevent colds, probably because it is not easy to avoid the causes of allergens, viruses, and bacteria. But that doesn't mean that we can just let these things get to us and rely only on cold medicine. There are still things we can do to protect ourselves and this is:
Use soap and water every time you wash your hands and do it for 20 seconds. It is also important to teach the importance of washing hands with your children or younger siblings so that they do not suffer from any illness. If there is no soap or wax, the alcohol or sanitizer is sufficient.
2. Avoid touching different parts of the body when your hands are dirty
As mentioned earlier, allergens, viruses, and bacteria enter our body from the nose, mouth, and eyes so avoid these parts when your hands get dirty.
You do not know which of your companions have the virus or carrying the virus that can cause colds so it is best to avoid using their glasses or spoons. If needed, label your belongings so others will not be able to use them.
4. Stay away from sick people
Obviously, everyone needs to stay away from people who are sick, but that is not to be avoided if you are assigned to take care of a person with a cough or cold. But as much as possible, reduce the time you spend with someone who is sick.
5. Take care of yourself
One of the most effective ways to protect yourself from colds and other illnesses is to take care of yourself. Eat right, exercise, relax and manage your stress well.
The simple thing to do is to protect yourself from the cold. These methods are no longer confidential or secret but still many don't do it. But if you really do not want to have a cold, just follow the ones listed above and I'm sure you only need to take cold medicine a few times.
THINGS TO DO TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COLD
After we figure out ways to protect ourselves from the cold, we'll share what people with colds have to do. By the time we got cold, we have to do something to prevent it from spreading and not being able to catch our loved ones. These tasks are:
- Just stay home and never go to work or school.
- Avoid physical contact such as shaking hands and hugging others.
- Stay away from people when you need to sneeze or cough.
- Use a tissue when sneezing or coughing. It is also advisable to wear a medical mask to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses from the mouth and nose.
- Wash hands after sneezing and coughing.
- Disinfect handheld items such as doorknobs and gadgets.
DIFFERENT CURES AND MEDICINES FOR COLD
Many cold medicines can be purchased over-the-counter like decongestants but most people need to know that these drugs actually cure. It also does not shorten the duration of the cold. All they can do is reduce the symptoms of a cold.
Furthermore, these medications should not be given to infants and children under 4 especially without the advice of a doctor.
In addition to taking cold medicine, other effective ways to reduce the symptoms of colds are resting, drinking lots of water and avoiding other drinks such as alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks. You can also drink hot soup or ginger ale - effective cold remedies. To get rid of sore throat or irritation and inflammation of the throat, try gargling lukewarm water with salt.
Currently, there is no actual cold medicine. All you can do is wait for it to disappear and reduce the symptoms using the above. Out there is nothing else that can be done and medicine that can be taken to eventually get rid of the virus in the body that causes colds.
