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Common cold
Itchy throat and coughing, is it a wind-heat cold or a wind-cold cold?
When patients present with symptoms such as itchy throat and cough in a clinical setting, it is generally difficult to distinguish between a wind-heat cold and a wind-cold cold based solely on these symptoms. Distinguishing between wind-heat and wind-cold colds requires combining other clinical symptoms to accurately differentiate. Typically, patients with wind-heat colds are more common during the hot summers. These patients experience varying degrees of nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing, along with fever, chills, sore throat, and often cough up yellow sputum. On the other hand, wind-cold colds tend to occur more often in winter. These patients exhibit varying degrees of itchy throat and cough, nasal congestion, and also experience different degrees of fever, but generally do not have chills. Therefore, it is generally difficult to specifically distinguish the type of cold based on the solitary symptoms of itchy throat and cough in a clinical setting.
What to do with excessive sweating from a cold?
When you have a cold and experience excessive sweating, this situation is fairly normal and there is no need to worry excessively. Your body is in a state of rest and is metabolizing at a higher rate to combat the invading cold viruses or bacteria. During this time, it is important to keep warm and avoid exposure to wind or cold. After waking, it's advisable to drink an adequate amount of water to stay hydrated and prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Additionally, under the guidance of a doctor, you should take the appropriate anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medication, or antiviral drugs to treat the condition and alleviate symptoms like sweating. It is recommended to maintain a light diet and avoid spicy, greasy, cold, or irritating foods. It is also essential to follow the doctor's instructions regarding the accurate timing and dosing of medications. Overmedication should be avoided as it could potentially weaken the body and exacerbate symptoms like excessive sweating.
Changes in cold symptoms
The symptoms and changes of a cold are primarily determined by the infecting virus. Clinically, it is mainly divided into the common cold and influenza. The common cold is mainly caused by infections of rhinovirus, adenovirus, and pharyngovirus, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, and sore throat. The other type of cold refers to influenza, which is caused by influenza virus or parainfluenza virus infections, primarily manifested by muscle soreness in the limbs, fatigue, sore throat, and compared to the common cold, the ear, nose, and throat symptoms are relatively mild.
Why do I have a headache with a cold?
There are many reasons why a cold can cause a headache, the most common being due to a viral infection which triggers an immune response in the body's temperature regulation center, leading to fever symptoms; fever can cause headaches. Additionally, a cold can also stimulate swelling of the nasal mucosa, causing nasal congestion and inducing neurogenic headaches. Headaches from a cold are a common symptom and are often accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat. Regardless of the cause of the headache, you can generally choose some antipyretic analgesic drugs to alleviate the symptoms. At the same time, choosing antiviral drugs for etiological treatment is advisable. (Please take medication under the guidance of a professional physician, do not medicate blindly)
Can you eat crab after taking cold medicine when you have a cold?
It is recommended not to eat crab after taking cold medicine. Because crabs are aquatic animals and are considered cold in nature. During a cold, it is best to avoid overly cold foods, pay attention to rest, drink more warm fluids, and follow a light, easy-to-digest diet, and to take medicine on schedule. Although eating crab will not cause poisoning, it can decrease the effectiveness of cold medicine, thereby prolonging the duration of the cold. If the cold improves, crabs can be consumed in small amounts.
How many days does it usually take for a fever to subside from a cold?
A cold, if accompanied by a fever, is mostly caused by bacterial or viral infections. Under the guidance of a doctor, active symptomatic treatment can usually reduce the fever within two to three days. It is recommended that during the fever period, one should monitor the body temperature closely. If the temperature exceeds 38.5°C, fever-reducing medication should be taken immediately to achieve the purpose of reducing the fever, to avoid febrile convulsions, especially in infants and young children whose nervous systems are not yet fully developed. If a high fever is not treated promptly, it could likely lead to febrile convulsions and may have a certain impact on the child's health. Therefore, it is advised to take fever-reducing medication in a timely manner. If the body temperature is below 38.5°C, physical cooling methods can be used at this time. Let the baby or the patient drink more water to promote excretion and enhance their resistance. Physical cooling methods should also be used regularly.
What should I drink for a cold and cough?
For a cold accompanied by coughing, it is appropriate to drink some rock sugar pear water, or some stewed Fritillaria pear, or some fruit juice and vegetable juice. Drinking mung bean soup can also have a certain cough-relieving effect. Additionally, it is recommended to appropriately consume loquat pear or some honey water. Pay attention to a light diet, avoiding spicy and greasy, stimulating foods. During the coughing period, avoid seafood such as fish and shrimp, and also avoid insect-based foods. Also avoid overly sour, overly sweet, or overly greasy foods. At the same time, keep warm, avoid exposure to wind and cold, refrain from intense exercise, and engage in appropriate activities to strengthen the physique and enhance resistance.
Can I eat shrimp with a cold?
It is appropriate for cold sufferers to eat shrimp in moderation. For those with a cold, it is important to maintain a light diet and eat some fruits, avoiding spicy and greasy foods. However, they can consume protein-rich foods such as lean meat, fish, shrimp, and eggs. Additionally, cold sufferers should avoid alcohol, coffee, and strong tea. These dietary adjustments may help the patient's condition to recover on its own. However, it is important to note that although colds often have self-limiting characteristics, when symptoms are severe, it may be necessary to use cold medicines to alleviate symptoms. It is also important to be aware that a minority of patients may experience complications, so if cold symptoms persist, it is necessary to visit a hospital to avoid delaying treatment.
How to control some signs of a cold?
To control early signs of a cold, first and foremost pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle and diet. Avoid staying up late and overworking, opt for bland, soft, and easily digestible foods, abstain from smoking and alcohol, and avoid eating meat. Consume more fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, ensure sufficient and good quality sleep, and drink more ginger sugar water or scallion white broth. These can warm the body and disperse cold, aiding in the recovery from a cold. Additionally, measure your temperature twice daily to check for any signs of fever, and treat the symptoms accordingly.
Can you swim with a cold?
Colds, also known as upper respiratory infections, generally occur because the patient's immune function is weakened, leading to the condition. Many patients catch a cold due to exposure to cold, while others are infected by people with colds due to weakened immune function. For patients with a cold who do not have a fever, we generally recommend engaging in appropriate exercise, which can help alleviate the symptoms of a cold. For instance, if a cold occurs during the cold winter months, swimming and participating in similar physical activities can be beneficial for enhancing the patient's immune function and aiding in quicker recovery from the illness. Therefore, it is acceptable for patients with a cold to swim.