Why did I catch a cold again just after recovering from one?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on April 25, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Tao
Pulmonology
55sec home-news-image

What should I do if I have a cold and fever but no medicine?

A cold refers to what we commonly call an acute upper respiratory tract infection. It is mostly caused by viruses and bacteria infecting the upper respiratory tract, resulting in symptoms like coughing up phlegm. For example, symptoms may include sore throat, hoarseness, runny nose, teary eyes, fever, and other symptoms. All of these are referred to as a cold. After a cold, a fever may occur. Generally, if the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, fever reduction treatment is necessary. If there are no medications available and the body temperature is quite high, drinking warm water, alcohol rubs, or warm water bathing can be used to reduce the temperature. If the body temperature is below 38.5°C, we can try to lower it to normal by drinking water and monitoring the body temperature frequently.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
44sec home-news-image

Can I eat cherries if I have a cold and cough?

Cough caused by a cold is very common in clinical practice. Most are due to viral invasion of the respiratory tract, causing inflammatory lesions that lead to varying degrees of coughing. Patients with a cough caused by a cold can eat cherries. This is because cherries have a high nutritional value, containing large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B, and other micronutrients needed by the body. A cold itself occurs because of low immune function in the body and can lead to upper respiratory tract infection symptoms after exposure to cold. Eating some cherries can also be beneficial for such patients, aiding in a quicker recovery from the illness.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
39sec home-news-image

Can a cold caused by wind-cold result in a fever?

In cases of mild wind-cold common cold, fever usually does not occur. However, severe conditions can lead to symptoms of fever, so it is crucial to treat it promptly to effectively avoid fever symptoms. Treatment can be administered through medication for effective and rapid relief, as well as through regular diet or drinking more warm water, which can effectively expel some of the internal heat from the body through urine, resulting in effective improvement. Dietarily, it is mainly important to avoid stimulating, raw, and cold foods, and it is also necessary to keep warm and avoid getting chilled.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
1min 8sec home-news-image

What should I do if the baby has a cold and is vomiting milk?

Baby colds accompanied by vomiting of milk indicate that the child has an upper respiratory infection along with gastrointestinal symptoms. A cold can cause poor digestion or stomach discomfort, which might lead to vomiting of milk. First, ensure the child's diet is light and easy to digest. For babies who are formula-fed, you can give them probiotics or gastric protease granules, which can help alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort and are also beneficial for reducing vomiting. Additionally, after each feeding, it's important to hold the baby upright and pat their back to burp them, then hold them a bit longer. When sleeping, place the baby in a right-side lying position with the head of the cot elevated at a 15-degree angle. By managing this way, the vomiting in most children can be alleviated. (Note: The answer is for reference only. For medication, please consult a doctor under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min 4sec home-news-image

Do you still need to take cold medicine for a cough in the later stages of a cold?

Patients with colds are generally caused by viral infections and are often self-limiting diseases, usually recovering completely within about a week. In a minority of patients, different degrees of cough may occur later on. For such cases, where there is throat itchiness and varying degrees of dryness in the throat, or even cough symptoms, it is generally not necessary to continue with cold medicine. Instead, antiviral medications and throat-clearing drugs can be used for symptomatic treatment to relieve the cough that appears later. As for the later cough, if it is a dry cough, use some cough suppressants. If there is phlegm with the cough, appropriate cough suppressants should also be used, along with antibiotics for symptomatic treatment, to provide relief. However, the use of cold medicines that relieve nasal congestion and runny nose is generally not advised at this stage.