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Common cold
Can you drink alcohol when you have a cold and a stuffy nose?
A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, causes patients to experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing due to the congestion and swelling of the nasal mucous membrane from viral or bacterial infection. Some patients may also experience fever and coughing. Therefore, for patients with upper respiratory tract infections, it is not advisable to consume alcohol. Alcohol, which is spicy and stimulating, could worsen cold symptoms. Alcohol promotes blood circulation and can exacerbate congestion and swelling of the nasal and pharyngeal mucous membranes. Consequently, drinking alcohol can intensify symptoms like nasal congestion. Thus, it is not recommended to drink alcohol when experiencing nasal congestion during a cold.
Can I eat oranges when I have a cold and cough?
People with a cold and cough can eat oranges. This fruit is rich in vitamin C, which can promote the repair of tissue mucosa and is beneficial for recovery from illnesses. Additionally, it can also provide some cough relief. Therefore, it's fine to eat oranges when you have a cold and cough, as generally, there are no special contraindications with most fruits. Fruits like apples, bananas, tomatoes, tangerines, pineapples, and dragon fruits are also edible. It is mainly important to avoid overly greasy and spicy foods, refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water, ensure good indoor air circulation, and maintain suitable indoor temperature and humidity to help recover from a cold and cough.
Can you drink yogurt when you have a cold?
Colds are a relatively common type of illness, often occurring in people whose immune functions are compromised. For such patients, it is recommended that they consume foods high in protein and vitamins. Commonly, individuals catch colds due to inadvertent exposure to cold environments leading to viral infections. For such cold sufferers, it is generally advised to consume items like yogurt and milk, as yogurt has high nutritional value due to its fermentation process. It typically contains high-quality proteins, probiotics, calcium, and various vitamins, including B1 and B6. Therefore, consuming yogurt when suffering from a cold can greatly supplement the nutrients needed by the body, and indirectly boost the patient's immunity. Thus, yogurt is advisable during a cold.
What is good to eat when you have a cold?
For dietary considerations during a cold, it is generally advisable to eat light, consume more fruits and vegetables, and avoid spicy, greasy, raw, or cold natured foods. If the cold is severe, some cold medicines may be necessary to combat the virus. It's important to rest regularly and avoid excessive fatigue. Consuming foods like millet porridge, Eight-Treasure porridge, egg soup, and thin noodles can be beneficial as these foods are nutritious and do not burden the gastrointestinal tract, aiding in the recovery from a cold. When the body's immune function is compromised, viral infections may occur, necessitating antiviral medications for treatment.
The difference between heat cold and cold cold in children
When children catch a cold, parents can use the following methods to determine whether it is a cold caused by wind-cold or wind-heat. Parents can observe the child's nasal discharge. Generally, children with a cold have a runny nose. If the discharge is clear, it usually indicates a wind-cold cold. If the nasal discharge is thick and somewhat yellow, it suggests a wind-heat cold. Starting with clear nasal discharge and then turning yellow indicates that the child has inflammation. Parents can also judge by observing how much the child is bothered by the cold. Generally, a wind-cold cold will show more obvious signs of being chilly, with an increase in body temperature, while a wind-heat cold doesn't show chilly symptoms as noticeably, or may not show any at all. It is important to watch for signs of the child shivering. Based on these identification methods, parents must timely administer appropriate medication to treat the child's symptoms.
How to differentiate between Wind-Cold Common Cold and Wind-Heat Common Cold
The differences between colds caused by wind-cold and those caused by wind-heat mainly lie in the symptoms. Colds caused by wind-cold are due to the invasion of wind-cold into the body, often as a result of exposure to cold environments. Common symptoms include chills, cold limbs, dizziness, fatigue, and coughing up white phlegm. On the other hand, colds caused by wind-heat occur due to the invasion of wind-heat, which frequently happens in the summer. Clinically, they are characterized by symptoms such as dark urine, coughing up pus-filled phlegm, high fever, headaches, and sore, swollen throat. Whether it is a cold caused by wind-cold or wind-heat, both can lead to related discomfort in the body and need active treatment and management to prevent the condition from worsening.
What should pregnant women eat when they have a cold?
If you experience cold symptoms during pregnancy, the first thing to note is not to take medications blindly on your own. If it becomes necessary to take medication, it must be taken under the guidance of a doctor and specifically for the symptoms. Initially, you can improve the symptoms of a cold by daily conditioning, such as eating some light fruits and vegetables, supplementing vitamins, and appropriately consuming some porridge. Also, rest more, avoid overexertion, consume fruits rich in Vitamin C to boost metabolism and enhance your immunity, do not stay up late, and ensure sufficient sleep. If the situation is severe, you can appropriately take some anti-cold traditional Chinese medicines, such as anti-inflammatory traditional Chinese medicines to treat and alleviate symptoms. (The doctor's answer is for reference only, please take medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)
How to treat a cold in children
Pediatric colds, also known as upper respiratory tract infections in children, are the most common illnesses among children. They primarily manifest as inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, nasopharynx, and throat, which can lead to conditions such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, and acute tonsillitis. Collectively, these are referred to as upper respiratory tract infections, or simply pediatric colds. The treatment of pediatric colds mainly focuses on preparing for and preventing complications. Secondly, symptomatic treatment is essential. When a child has a high fever, antipyretics should be taken, and physical cooling can be achieved through cold compresses, or warm moist compresses. Children with febrile convulsions should be given sedatives and antispasmodics while reducing the fever. For significant nasal congestion, local medications can be used, or physiological saline water can be used to rinse the nose. For throat pain, throat lozenges can be taken, or sprays that alleviate throat discomfort can be used. It is also crucial to treat the cause of the illness. Generally, antiviral drugs are not specific, but ribavirin can be taken, along with Chinese herbal medicines that clear heat and detoxify. If there is a secondary bacterial infection, antibiotics should be used under the guidance of a hospital doctor.
Is it good for pregnant women to use moxibustion for a cold?
When pregnant women experience cold symptoms, they can use moxa fumigation. For example, if a woman has a cold, cough, or nasal congestion, moxibustion can be used to help relieve some symptoms. Moxa is purely herbal and harmless to the human body, and it has little effect on the baby. Moxa sticks can purify the air and sterilize, and clinically, they are mainly used to treat some chronic gynecological diseases. During pregnancy, moxa fumigation is possible, but it is not recommended to use moxibustion on the Hegu acupoint, as this point can easily cause uterine contractions. Additionally, try to avoid using moxa sticks on acupoints.
Is a sore throat caused by a cold with wind-cold or a cold with wind-heat?
Sore throat may be caused by a cold due to wind-cold or wind-heat, which are terms used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, from a Western medicine perspective, both wind-cold and wind-heat colds are caused by viral infections, and in rare cases, bacterial infections. When bacteria or viruses invade the respiratory tract's mucous membranes, especially the mucous membranes of the throat, it leads to congestion and swelling of the throat mucosa, increased exudation of inflammatory secretions, resulting in symptoms such as sore throat, throat discomfort, and coughing up phlegm. Therefore, a sore throat could be due to a cold caused by wind-cold or wind-heat. In such cases, it is appropriate to take some anti-cold medications or some Chinese patent medicines to alleviate the symptoms.