There is nothing more annoying then being sick during the summer. But with the hustle and bustle of summer trips, water parks and flights this is the perfect time to catch a virus. I hope these tips I found on Pain.com and WebMD help. Much love, Bridget
The Dreaded Summer Cold
The common cold is not actually one disease, but a group of
symptoms that can be caused by many different kinds of viruses. The most common
and well-known virus type that causes cold symptoms is called rhinovirus. The
most common effect of rhinovirus infection is the familiar group of cold symptoms,
but rhinovirus can also cause some other problems such as ear infections and
pneumonia in rare cases. Other viruses can also cause cold symptoms, including
RSV, parainfluenza and coronavirus. It is often difficult to tell exactly which
virus is causing someone’s cold symptoms, because some viruses are not as
easily cultured in the lab as bacteria or even other types of viruses.
When a viral respiratory
infection does occur, the typical cold symptoms that result are usually
extremely annoying but not debilitating. Oddly enough, many cold viruses,
especially rhinovirus, do not replicate as well inside of the body because the
normal body temperature is above its optimum temperature for replication. Cold
viruses proliferate better in the nasal cavity, where it is slightly cooler,
and thus most of the symptoms of a cold are experienced in the upper
respiratory tract. Common cold symptoms include: sneezing, runny nose,
coughing, nasal congestion, sore throat, itching in the throat, eye watering,
fatigue, slightly increased temperature, achiness and sinus headache.
Fatigue, headache and
muscle aches caused by the common cold are often noticeable, but not as severe
as they can be with many other illnesses, such as the flu. A person may feel
generally “blah” and need to rest more than usual, but colds usually don’t
prevent someone from most daily functions. Symptoms of a cold usually become
noticeable a few days after a person is infected with a respiratory virus due
to replication of the virus within the nasal cavity. Some of the symptoms of a
cold, such as frequent sneezing, actually serve to transmit the virus to other
people via respiratory droplets. Others are caused by the virus replicating or
the immune system trying to fight the virus off. Some types of cold viruses,
like RSV, cause mild cold symptoms in adults, but can cause more severe
respiratory problems, such as viral pneumonia, in infants and young children.
Colds are usually
considered a seasonal illness because they are more common in the winter
months. However, it is possible to contract a cold any time of year, including
during the summer. In fact, summer colds are fairly common, because
rhinoviruses can easily infect people during the warmer times of the year and
they are one of the most common cold culprits. Also, enteroviruses can cause
colds during the summer months. Summer colds are often worse than winter colds
in symptoms, and enteroviruses are often to blame for this. Summer colds may
even last longer than winter colds, and it is more likely that a person will
suffer from a summer cold, think that they have recovered from the infection
and then start to suffer symptoms again in a few days.
Summer colds may be
confused with seasonal allergy symptoms. The most common type of allergy in the
summer months is allergic rhinitis due to ragweed pollen. Seasonal allergies
have similar symptoms to the common cold, except they may last longer because
allergies are not self-limiting like a cold is. Colds also tend to cause a lot
more sneezing than seasonal allergies, and the mucus produced with a cold tends
to be yellow or greenish in color, while the nasal discharge produced due to
allergies tends to be colorless. Distinguishing between colds and seasonal
allergies is important for relief of symptoms.
Summer colds may be
unexpected and particularly annoying, but they are generally dealt with in the
same manner as winter colds are. Medical treatment is not usually necessary for
colds. If a person goes to the doctor with cold symptoms, some doctors may
prescribe an antibiotic, but this is useless and potentially harmful because of
the problem with antibiotic resistance of diseases. Relief from colds in both
the winter and summer months is symptomatic and may involve over-the-counter
medications and home remedies. For example, over-the-counter cough syrup can
control cough. Cough drops or throat lozenges can soothe a sore throat. A
solution of salt and water made at home can also be used for a sore throat;
this solution should not be swallowed, but used as a rinse. Over-the-counter
medications are also available to help with nasal congestion, runny nose, and
other cold symptoms. Many medications are available to treat multiple cold
symptoms at once. Be careful not to take more than one medication with the same
ingredients, and follow dosage instructions carefully. If you have any
questions about over-the-counter medications for cold symptoms, ask the
pharmacist at the drug store for more information or call your doctor.
No comments:
Post a Comment