Common cold


Is it good to run when you have a cold and cough?
A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, typically presents varying clinical symptoms in patients depending on the type of infecting pathogen. Commonly, patients with a cold experience coughs of varying degrees, which may be either dry or productive. Therefore, the choice of medication in clinical treatment often differs according to the nature of the cough. For patients with a cold and cough, if there are no significant fever symptoms, these individuals can usually engage in running. Running effectively enhances bodily immune functions and facilitates early recovery from illness. Consequently, patients with a cold and cough might choose suitable physical activities based on their condition. Persisting in such activities can not only expediate recovery but also help in boosting the immune system. Therefore, running is generally a good option.


Does cold medicine hurt the stomach?
Cold medicines are harmful to the stomach because the drugs used to treat colds mainly involve symptomatic treatment and the selection of antiviral medications for etiological treatment. Colds often come with symptoms like headaches and fever, thus necessitating the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics. The most common adverse reactions to these drugs are gastrointestinal reactions. Therefore, taking cold medicines can easily harm the stomach, especially in patients with indigestion, chronic gastritis, or gastrointestinal ulcers, who may experience more pronounced symptoms. It is recommended to take cold medicines half an hour after eating to reduce their irritative effects on the gastrointestinal tract.


What should I do if I have a cold, headache, and vomiting?
After catching a cold, various respiratory symptoms can occur, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, sore throat, etc. However, there is also a category of patients who, particularly after a viral cold, may exhibit symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and even abdominal pain and diarrhea. These patients are referred to as having a "gastrointestinal cold." Like the common cold, a gastrointestinal cold is also caused by respiratory virus infections. Therefore, there are no special medications required for treatment; general over-the-counter cold medicines are sufficient. If there is severe vomiting, some antiemetic medication may be used, and drinking some cola boiled with ginger can also be very effective in treating the headaches and vomiting.


Can I eat chicken when I have a cold and cough?
During a cold with cough, the diet should be light. If there's no fever or wheezing, it's acceptable to eat some chicken, but not excessively. The focus should be on foods that are light, soft, and rich in vitamins and fiber. Over-nutrition can not only nourish the body but also strengthen the pathogens within, which is not conducive to recovery from the illness. Also, measure body temperature, drink plenty of water, and check for signs of acute infection in the throat or respiratory tract. If there are signs of infection, it is necessary to choose antibiotics for anti-inflammatory treatment.


Can you eat eggs when you have a cold?
A cold, commonly caused by chilling, is characterized by symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, throat itchiness, and coughing. These symptoms often occur when the body's immune function is low, allowing viruses to take the opportunity to invade the respiratory tract. For such patients, we recommend a light diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods. It’s advisable to eat more foods high in vitamins and proteins daily. Eggs, for instance, are high in protein and also contain nutrients such as lecithin and amino acids, which are needed by the body. Therefore, it is appropriate to eat some eggs when suffering from a cold.


Types and Symptoms of the Common Cold
The types and symptoms of colds can generally be divided into influenza and the common cold based on their causes, and there are certain differences in their symptoms. Influenza typically occurs during epidemic periods and shows classic symptoms such as sore limbs, fatigue, headache, nausea, and drowsiness. In contrast, the common cold typically features symptoms like clear nasal discharge, watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, dry mouth, and sore throat, but lacks the sore limbs symptom seen in influenza.


What will happen if you take medicine for wind-heat cold when you have a wind-cold cold?
The treatment principle for colds caused by wind-cold is to use pungent and warm herbs to expel the pathogen through sweating and to disperse wind-cold. The medications for wind-heat colds mainly focus on using pungent and cooling herbs to expel the pathogen, and the treatment principles for the two are completely opposite. If medications for wind-heat cold are taken for a wind-cold cold, it might lead to a worsening of the trapped cold, causing mild fever, more severe headache, and body aches, along with nasal congestion and a runny nose with clear discharge. At this point, it is necessary to stop using the medication for wind-heat colds and switch to medications for wind-cold colds, or, if the condition is severe, seek a face-to-face consultation with a doctor.


How to treat a baby's cold fever
Children's heat colds generally occur in the summer when the weather is hot, and the following methods can be used to manage it: First, give the child an appropriate amount of warm water to drink. When a child catches a cold, they will consume too much water from their body. At this time, replenishing water can improve the child's symptoms. Second, take some antipyretic and heat-clearing drugs. These drugs are effective in alleviating symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, and cough caused by heat colds. Third, if the child develops throat inflammation, nasal congestion, and yellow nasal discharge after catching a cold, this might be a bacterial infection. Cephalosporin antibiotics can be used, but it is best to take the child to the hospital for tests like a complete blood count and other examinations. Only after confirming the indications for antibiotic use should antibiotic treatment be administered.


Which recovers faster, a cold caused by wind-heat or a cold caused by wind-cold?
Whether colds caused by wind-cold or wind-heat recover quickly varies from person to person, as the severity of illness and individual resistance differ, so the recovery time can also vary. Generally, whether it's a wind-heat or wind-cold cold, it usually takes about 3 to 7 days to see significant improvement. In severe cases, it may take about 10 days to recover effectively. During the recovery period, attention should also be paid to diet, such as consuming more digestible foods, or undergoing medication treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician.


What fruits to eat for a stomach cold?
For a cold affecting the gastrointestinal system, it's advisable to consume fruits rich in vitamins, such as pears, watermelons, kale, and kumquats. These fruits can replenish fluids timely and have effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and enhancing immunity. Additionally, during a gastrointestinal cold, it is important to timely choose medicine that soothes the liver and stomach, and clears heat and dampness for treatment. Other dietary considerations should focus on light foods, eating soft and easy-to-digest foods such as noodle soup, rice soup, porridge, vegetable soup, and drinking plenty of water, while paying attention to balancing work and rest. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)