What department should I go to for a cold?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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Colds are generally divided into common colds and influenza. For a common cold, one can visit the department of respiratory medicine; if this department is unavailable, one may alternatively visit the general internal medicine department. This disease can also be treated at community hospitals under the general practice department. Additionally, influenza is a contagious disease, so it is typically advised to seek treatment at a fever clinic or a clinic specializing in infectious diseases. If these options are not available, it is recommended to go to a hospital that can treat influenza.

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How to treat cold and dizziness during pregnancy?

Due to decreased immunity during pregnancy, women are particularly susceptible to infections from external microbes, leading to respiratory illnesses such as the common cold. The cold can cause symptoms like nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing, which can reduce the amount of oxygen inhaled. As the brain's demand for oxygen cannot be met, this can result in symptoms of dizziness. Since pregnant women cannot use medications due to the development of the fetus within, if dizziness occurs due to a cold during pregnancy, one can inhale some oxygen as a remedy. Additionally, using a hot towel on the nose to improve breathing can also help alleviate symptoms of dizziness.

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Physical cooling methods for colds

Fever symptoms caused by a cold can be treated with physical cooling methods. There are many commonly used methods in clinical practice. For adults, one can wipe the palms, soles, neck, and chest—areas where major blood vessels run—with warm water or alcohol. You can also use a cool towel or ice packs to compress the forehead. Drinking herbal concoctions like scallion water or ginger sugar water can also help reduce fever physically. Additionally, soaking feet in Sichuan peppercorn water can be effective. Regardless of the method used, it's important to drink plenty of water and recheck the temperature after two hours.

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Written by Liao Bin
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Can you drink alcohol during a cold?

During a cold, one should not drink alcohol. Patients with a cold often experience nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat. Some may feel general body aches and weakness. Drinking alcohol can potentially worsen these clinical symptoms, especially since patients are prone to gastrointestinal disturbances during a cold, particularly those with a gastrointestinal type of cold who exhibit significant nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Continuing to drink alcohol can lead to a severe worsening of digestive symptoms, and even lead to watery diarrhea and symptoms of collapse. Some patients with a cold may experience a fever induced by drinking alcohol, which can worsen and prolong the illness. Sometimes, drinking alcohol can lead to secondary bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, forming a bacterial type of cold and worsening the condition. Moreover, cold patients may need to take oral medication, and drinking alcohol could exacerbate the adverse reactions of these medications. Specifically, in cases of bacterial colds where cephalosporin anti-inflammatory drugs are required, drinking alcohol can cause a disulfiram-like reaction. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid alcohol during a cold.

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What should I do if I have a cold and my ears are itchy?

Having a cold accompanied by itchy ears may be due to congestion of varying degrees in the nasal mucosa and the middle ear canal following an upper respiratory tract infection. This condition can worsen when the patient blows their nose or if there is a concurrent bacterial infection, sometimes even leading to otitis media. Therefore, in such cases, patients might experience varying degrees of discharge and itching in the ear canal. It is crucial first to identify the specific pathogen causing the cold and treat it with the appropriate anti-infection or antiviral medications. Once the inflammation is effectively controlled, the symptoms of itchy ears can also be alleviated promptly and effectively.

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Which department should I go to for a stomach flu?

Gastroenteritis is mostly caused by improper diet leading to infections, resulting in symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, for gastroenteritis, one should register with the gastroenterology department. However, if the gastrointestinal symptoms are caused by a cold, then one should register with the respiratory department. It depends on the sequence of symptoms: if gastrointestinal symptoms appear first, registration should be with gastroenterology; if cold symptoms appear first followed by gastrointestinal complications, a registration with the respiratory department is possible. Yet, for resolving gastrointestinal symptoms, it is advisable to consult with the gastroenterology department as it is more appropriate.