What should you pay attention to when you have a cold with nasal congestion?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on December 22, 2024
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A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, typically manifests different clinical symptoms depending on its triggering factors. Generally, most patients with a cold exhibit symptoms like nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing due to a viral infection. Therefore, for such patients, personal hygiene is crucial. Additionally, it is important to ventilate rooms by opening windows and to avoid public places as much as possible to prevent spreading the infection to others with weaker immune systems. These cold sufferers are also advised to avoid spicy and irritating foods. Drinking plenty of water daily and consuming fresh vegetables and fruits high in vitamins is recommended. Consumables like apples, pears, water chestnuts, grapes, and kiwis, which are rich in vitamins and nutrients, should be eaten regularly to help enhance the immune function of these patients.

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Can you take cold medicine if you have nephrotic syndrome and catch a cold?

People with nephrotic syndrome have particularly weak immune systems, making them especially prone to infections and colds. Once a cold occurs in someone with nephrotic syndrome, the patient often experiences headaches, whole-body muscle soreness, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. In other words, patients with nephrotic syndrome feel very uncomfortable when they catch a cold. If kidney function is normal, it is still possible to take cold medicine. Of course, before using cold medicine, it is essential to follow the doctor's advice for medication treatment. Moreover, after catching a cold with nephrotic syndrome, in addition to taking medication, it is important to rest, consume fresh vegetables and fruits, drink plenty of water, and maintain a light diet. Additionally, it is important to rest, avoid overwork, and if there is a concurrent bacterial infection, sensitive antibiotics should be used for anti-infection treatment, to avoid the recurrence or aggravation of nephrotic syndrome due to infections or colds.

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Symptoms of a cold in a two-month-old baby

Common nasal symptoms of a cold in babies include a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. Other possible symptoms are tearing, mild coughing, or throat discomfort. If the infection involves the nasopharynx, there may be fever, sore throat, tonsillitis, pharyngeal disease, congestion and proliferation of lymphatic tissues, and sometimes slight swelling of the lymph nodes. The fever can last from two to three days to about a week. Infants and young children are prone to vomiting and diarrhea.

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What to eat during a cold in the lactation period?

If you have symptoms of a cold during the breastfeeding period, it is important to distinguish between different types. Colds can be categorized into types such as wind-heat cold and wind-cold cold. For wind-heat colds, symptoms usually include sore throat, pain, or dry and itchy throat. In such cases, it is advisable to take some medicine that clears heat and detoxifies, or medicine that provides cooling relief from exterior symptoms. You can also drink some herbal teas to alleviate the symptoms. When taking medicine, it is crucial to do so under the guidance of a doctor and to use medicine that specifically addresses your symptoms. This is especially important during the breastfeeding period, as indiscriminate use of medicine could potentially impact the baby's growth and development. For wind-cold colds, it is suggested to take some heat-clearing granules to treat and alleviate symptoms. It's also important to keep warm, avoid exposure to cold and drafts, and you might drink some brown sugar ginger tea to eliminate inner cold and alleviate symptoms. Additionally, soaking your feet in warm water at night can promote blood circulation and relieve fatigue from the day.

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Can you drink alcohol when you have a cold and a stuffy nose?

A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, causes patients to experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing due to the congestion and swelling of the nasal mucous membrane from viral or bacterial infection. Some patients may also experience fever and coughing. Therefore, for patients with upper respiratory tract infections, it is not advisable to consume alcohol. Alcohol, which is spicy and stimulating, could worsen cold symptoms. Alcohol promotes blood circulation and can exacerbate congestion and swelling of the nasal and pharyngeal mucous membranes. Consequently, drinking alcohol can intensify symptoms like nasal congestion. Thus, it is not recommended to drink alcohol when experiencing nasal congestion during a cold.

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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.