How to quickly alleviate the discomfort of a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on January 25, 2025
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In treating a cold, it is important to select symptomatic medications. If symptoms such as discomfort, body ache, or fatigue are caused by a fever, appropriate fever-reducing measures should be taken based on the severity of the fever. If the body temperature does not exceed 38°C, physical cooling methods such as wiping the palms, soles, neck, and chest with warm water can be used. If the fever is high, antipyretic analgesic medications should be chosen. In addition, symptomatic treatment with vitamin supplements and medications that suppress gland secretion can help alleviate discomfort.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Can you eat durian when you have a cold?

Wind-heat colds are not recommended for consumption. Traditional Chinese Medicine classifies colds into wind-heat colds and wind-cold colds based on the different external pathogenic factors patients experience. Wind-heat colds are primarily caused by exposure to external heat pathogens. Patients mainly exhibit symptoms including dry mouth, thirst, sweating, and coughing up phlegm, typically presenting with yellow phlegm. Durian is a food that tends to be warming; thus, consuming durian during a wind-heat cold could potentially worsen the condition or prolong the duration of the illness. Therefore, if the patient's symptoms match those described above for wind-heat colds, it is generally not recommended to eat durian. Of course, if the symptoms mentioned above are not present, eating durian is not a problem. Durian is a very nutritious food that can also aid in digestion. It is quite a good fruit.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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Can children take a bath when they have a cold?

Children with colds can take baths, but care should be strengthened during the bath to avoid catching cold, thus preventing the symptoms of the cold from worsening. Since a cold in children is an infectious disease, bathing can keep the child's skin clean and make the child feel comfortable. Appropriate water temperature is beneficial for promoting blood circulation in babies and speeding up metabolism, which is conducive to the recovery of the baby's condition. However, if warming is not promptly ensured during the bath, or if the water temperature is too low or too high, it can cause repeated or even worsened symptoms of the cold in babies. Therefore, parents must pay attention to some nursing details during the bath.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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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.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Why did I catch a cold again just after recovering from one?

Colds primarily occur among populations with diminished immune functions, such as infants and the elderly. Since infants do not develop their own resistance until the age of six, they tend to catch colds more frequently. It's also common for someone to catch a cold again soon after recovering if they get chilled. Thus, this group typically has particularly low immune function, leading to frequent colds. Therefore, we recommend that such patients should exercise regularly and consume foods high in vitamins. It is also advisable for them to engage in physical activities within their capacity. With long-term exercise, their immune strength can be significantly enhanced, thereby greatly reducing the frequency of colds. It's also wise to avoid going out to public places during the peak cold season whenever possible.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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What fruits to eat when having a cold?

When you have a cold, you can eat some fruits, such as neutral fruits like peaches, grapes, kiwis, strawberries, and bananas. It is also advised that you eat a reasonable amount of vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins; vegetables such as cucumbers, loofah, small spinach, and lettuce are suitable too. It is also recommended to drink more water to enhance metabolism, improve your immunity, and meet the body's demands for various nutrients through the rich nutritional content in fruits. This helps strengthen the body and speed up recovery from illness. It is also suggested to exercise moderately to enhance physical fitness and immunity, thereby aiding faster recovery from illness. Furthermore, avoid staying up late, assure adequate sleep to enhance immunity.