It's Cold and Flu Season....Part I The Common Cold

As I am sitting on my sofa sniffling this evening, thought I would share some information I learned on a podcast of NPR's Fresh Air.  It was an interview with science writer Jennifer Ackerman, the author of  Ah-Choo!  The Uncommon Life of You Common Cold. 

I know advice like "wash your hands" and "don't touch your face" (easier said than done, and, that is based on scientific study) has been heard over and over again but there is more information that I wasn't aware of.

1.  There are places one might not think about where germs hang out.....I have been conscious about door knobs and phone receivers, but never thought about elevator buttons, copiers, office refrigerator and microwave handles, or hotel remotes.

2.  There are 200+ viruses that can cause the common cold.  This is why some colds last longer than others.  The most common is the Rhinovirus.

3.  Colds start typically start in the throat which is where the receptors are the viruses inhabit to do their work.  The body responds with inflammatory agents, which inflame the body's tissues, causing  runny nose and cough.  So, it's the immune system that cause the symptoms that make us feel so awful.

4.   Sleep deprivation increases risk of getting a cold.  Sleep deprivation is caused by less than 7 hours of sleep a night. Also, chronic stress can make one susceptible.

5.  Here are some of the conclusions from the many studies she researched on various remedies:

Vitmin C--can shorten colds but only minimally for the common person, can dry secretions.
Zinc--no real benefits--side effects of gels and sprays can cause permanent damage to sense of smell in some people
Chicken Soup--may have some medicinal benefit--lung special Nebraska whose wife made soup members of her family when they were sick.  He put some in a petrie dish and found the chicken soup had some anti-inflammatory effects.  Chicken soup has never been tested on humans so the extent of its medicinal benefits it not known.
Empathy--There have been studies done that empathy can cut a cold by a full day.

6.  Jack Waltney studied common cold for 40 years- He recommends two single drugs. 
At earliest sign of cold, one should take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like naproxin or ibuprofen, or other pain reliever to ease cough and sore throat and first generation antihistamines, like Benedryl (the ones that make you drowsy) to relieve runny nose and sneezing.  The antihistamine limits build up of nasal fluid which can lead to secondary infection like sinusitis. 

If you find this useful, please feel free to pass it along.