What is a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on February 04, 2025
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Colds are classified as a type of disease, and clinically, they are mainly divided into common colds and influenza. They are among the most common respiratory infectious diseases in daily life, caused by viral infections. The common cold is mainly caused by rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and other viruses, while influenza is mostly caused by influenza viruses or parainfluenza viruses and other pathogens. Symptoms include drowsiness, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. The main treatments include drinking plenty of water, antiviral therapy, and symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Can you drink chicken soup when you have a cold?

Chicken soup is nutritious and delicious, and many people like to drink it. So, can you still drink chicken soup after catching a cold? If the symptoms of the cold are mild and there are no significant systemic symptoms such as fever, nausea, or loss of appetite, it is okay to drink chicken soup. However, it is generally advised to drink less and keep it light. Additionally, if the cold symptoms are severe, such as significant fever, reduced appetite, or if it is a gastrointestinal cold with clear abdominal discomfort, it is not recommended to drink chicken soup.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Quick treatment methods for colds with mild fever

The general method for quickly handling mild fever due to a cold primarily involves physical cooling. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, it's necessary to combine this with taking antipyretic and analgesic drugs. There are many common methods of physical cooling. For adults, approximately 30% concentration alcohol can be used to wipe areas such as the palms, soles, neck, and chest. For infants and young children, alcohol should not be used; instead, wipe the body with warm water around 30-40 degrees Celsius. Applying cool towels or ice packs to the forehead can also serve as a physical cooling method.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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What should I do if I feel miserable with a cold?

First, it is important to correctly understand the common cold and not to be overly stressed mentally or emotionally. The common cold is a respiratory infectious disease caused by viral infection, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, dry throat, cough, headache, dizziness, fever, and fatigue. Appropriate symptomatic treatment medications should be primarily used. For instance, antipyretic analgesics can be taken for fever, and it is also advisable to drink plenty of water, avoid staying up late, and eat more vegetables and fruits. If nasal congestion and runny nose are severe, medications that suppress gland secretion can be taken for symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
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Is it good for a baby to sweat when they have a cold?

Sweating in infants with a cold is not a matter of good or bad. It is a response and manifestation of the cold in infants, which is generally considered to be caused by respiratory or intestinal viral infections. Such pathogens attacking the child's body can lead to a relatively weakened constitution, making them prone to sweating. Moreover, if the child has varying degrees of fever, the body can also regulate itself and lower the body temperature back to normal through sweating. In such cases, it is only necessary to ensure that the child is adequately hydrated to prevent dehydration, treat the virus causing the cold, provide symptomatic supportive treatment, and manage the diet properly.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Can you exercise when you have a cold?

When you have a cold, it is appropriate to engage in some light exercise, such as walking or slow strolling, and avoid vigorous exercise. Vigorous exercise can easily lead to physical fatigue, decreased immunity, and the possibility of secondary bacterial infections. Additionally, intense exercise can cause the sweat pores to dilate, making it easy to catch external pathogens, leading to or exacerbating symptoms such as fever and chills. You should drink more ginger tea, rest well, avoid spicy foods, and drink plenty of water. If fever symptoms are present, physical measures to reduce the fever should be taken, or antipyretic analgesic medications should be taken orally.