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The common cold: myths and remedies
BY JAMI REINHART
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
Runny nose, congestion, sneezing, scratchy throat, cough. From the beginning of the semester, up until almost May, the majority of students will catch a cold at least once or twice. “I usually get a cold at the beginning of the school year and usually more than once during the year,” said junior Michelle Wirz. Along with colds come prevention methods and remedies to cure it quicker, but what if some of the most popular remedies are merely myths? Despite multiple remedies and prevention techniques, sometimes catching a cold is inevitable. So for the next time it feels like one is coming on, this article provides some basic treatment methods to use and treatment myths to avoid.
According to the American Lung Association, colds account for more visits to the doctor than any other condition in the United States. Adults get an average of two to four colds a year, mostly between September
and May. “We have been readily busy with students who have come in for cold symptoms since school has started,” said Diane Dickey, a RN at Health Services. Aside from drinking plenty of orange juice, applying Vicks VapoRub and trying to get added rest, many students have their own cold-curing remedies. “Orange juice is my first reaction,” said junior Britney Bockwitz. “I also microwave a bowl of hot water and put my face over it with a towel over my head; the steam helps.”
Though some of the most common and easiest prevention methods may seem elementary, they are often the most overlooked. “The best and easiest thing to do is wash your hands,” said Dickey. “College students live in close quarters and should be aware of their exposure to airborne germs.” Staying healthy, beginning
with good hydration, is another prevention method. According to the American Lung Association, remaining hydrated will keep the lining of the nose and throat from drying out, which allows the mucus to stay moist and easy to clear from the nose.
Remaining hydrated includes drinking about eight glasses of water per day. For students, this is like three to four nalgenes, said Dickey. Avoiding coffee, tea, soda and drinks with caffeine and alcohol is also recommended to maintain hydration. According to the American Lung Association, drinks containing caffeine or alcohol dehydrate instead of hydrate. Though these methods typically help to prevent colds, it is sometimes impossible to avoid catching one. So how do you know what works and what does not?
Ever heard that going outside when it is really cold out will make you sick? According to the American Lung Association, colds are more common in the winter months because that is when the viruses spread around the country, not from being outside in the cold weather. Do large doses of Vitamin C prevent you from catching a cold or quickly curing one? According to American Lung Association, the claims have not been proven that the intake will prevent or cure a cold.
Are herbal remedies an effective treatment for colds? Echinacea and other herbs, as well as Zinc lozenges
receive quite a bit of publicity as remedies for a cold, yet these claims are not yet soundly supported by scientific studies. What about the popular chicken noodle soup remedy? Though hot liquids can soothe a scratchy throat or cough, chicken noodle soup does not cure a cold, according to the American Lung Association. Are people with a weakened immune system more susceptible to catching a cold? According to commoncold.org, healthy people with normal immune systems are highly susceptible to cold virus infections as well.
Having cold symptoms has been said to be good for you because they help get over a cold, suggesting you should not treat a cold. This is yet another myth. According to commoncold.org, about 25 percent of people who get a cold virus infection do not develop symptoms, but they get over the infection as well as people who do have symptoms. Does drinking milk during a cold cause increased nasal mucus? According to commoncold.org, no. In fact, milk is digested just as any other protein.
With the cold virus going around during these beginning stages of winter, many people also seek antibiotics and the help of a doctor. “We can evoke sympathy,” said Claude Erickson, a Physicians’ Assistant at St. Mary’s Clinic in Duluth. “The patients can treat the symptoms of the cold, not the actual virus. Many people think antibiotics will help, they won’t.” While some may choose to ignore the myths all together, others may choose to stick to their own unique remedies to cure. Either way, catching a cold is sometimes inevitable if given enough exposure to the virus, and simply needs to be waited out.
“If you wake up with cold symptoms, wait it out,” said Dickey. “There can sometimes be 10-14 days of symptoms, just give it some time.”
Jami Reinhart is at
reinh079@d.umn.edu
