Common Cold

Question: What happens during a Common cold inside the body? I want to know what actually happens inside the body during a common cold. Like is there a membrane that is affected? What is cough and why and how is it produced during a cold? Also why do people tend to catch cold when exposed to temperature extremes? Why do we feel weak during the cold? Do the glucose reserves in the muscles get depleted or what is it?

Answer: The common cold is a rhinovirus that effects the cells in the upper respiratory tract. Once it affects the cells, it triggers the sneeze and cough reflexes. This is good for the virus, because not only does it mutate rapidly (by the time you sneeze, you are most likely sneezing a different genome strain than effected you to begin with), but it promotes the spread of the virus to other hapless souls! Unlike other respiratory viruses that kick off the interferon system to fight infection, rhinoviruses interfere with interferon production. Why is this important? Because as the result of this evasion strategy, you get a runny nose and fever, caused by the innate immune system's inflammatory reaction to the virus, rather than the flu-like symptoms you would get if you had the flu. Because rhinoviruses are cytolytic (e.g. they kills the cells they infect), the innate system is on the lookout for excess cell death. Once it sees this happening, the innate system is so powerful, that it can eradicate the virus within a couple /few days. The cough is from a natural process in the body called the "mucosal escalator". There are 2-version, the 'up' and 'down' versions. In the 'down' version, which is relevant here, the mucus from the nasal cavity is moved 'down' to be swallowed. Once in the stomach, it's destroyed. This sounds good, right? Well...not so. When getting moved down, the temperature cools. What does rhinoviruses look for so they can replicate? Cool temperatures. Hence, the escalator actually helps the virus spread. Fortunately, the virus is also a weakling and the immune system can handle it at this point. As for a cold causing a cold, that's just a old wives tale. If that was the case, then everybody in colder climates would have colds virtually all the time, which, obviously, does not happen. Your immune response, the ability for the virus to remain labile in an environment and exposure to others who are transmitting a cold play more importance than the cold temperatures itself. You feel weak because the immune system is fighting a battle. Generally though a cold will make you feel more miserable rather than weak. Glucose reserves will not be really be affected because it's not causing a major systemic infection that limits appetite. You might feel lousy, but it won't stop you from eating pizza!

Question: What are some of the common remedies for cold, flu and respiratory problems you grew up with? I currently have a presentation I am working on for my Pharmacy 1065 class covering “Over the Counter� medications (OTC). I am currently working on Cold, Flu, and Respiratory Products. One of the things my professor would like us to figure out is, “What are some of the common remedies you grew up with?� Maybe something your parents believed was the cure for the common cold, flu, or resolved allergies, and asthma. Some of the remedies I have heard about are “Drink a couple of hard shots of liquor to try and burn the cold or flu out of your system.� Another is the take a lot of Vitamin C, or Echinacea. Unfortunately the Echinacea has been proven not to work, and the vitamin C only helps a little bit according to some articles on Pharmacytime.com. One I heard about allergies is that if you eat a lot of foods that are grown locally to the area your currently living in will help you develop a tolerance to the pollens, and plant allergies of the area. Any thoughts would be help full.

Answer: I am from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,where there are many different cultures so i have many. but 'trinis' use alot of 'bush' medicine such as 'fever grass','chandiler'and a mixture of honey,lime and onion followed by a good beach bath

Question: How to make the common cold pass? Is there any tips/advice on how to make the common cold pass over? I've got a sore throat, one sure sign that the cold is on it's way and more symptoms will appear. My friends have had a cold so I know that I'm getting one. I want the common cold to pass ASAP. I've got an idea Norzo, how about YOU do it first and let me know how it feels since your dumb enough to suggest it.

Answer: There is nothing in the world that will make a cold pass any faster. It is a virus, and your own immune system had to deal with it. The over the counter medications can help control most of the symptoms, but really you do best if you rest, drink and eat well. If you insist on going on full steam and burn the candle at both ends, you will just overtax the system and make it take longer to fight off. If you have the sore throat, that's your clue to drink lots of fluids. The moister you keep the throat the less sore it is. If you happen to stumble on a cure, let the rest of the world know. The pharmaceutical companies will beat a path to your door, and you will be a shoo in for the Nobel Prize in several categories. Meantime, buy the tissues with lotion, lots of juice and lots of soup, rent some good movies,get out your ratty, comfy pajamas, and settle in for a few days.

Question: How do you fight a common cold? What is the quickest way to fight a common cold by using natural remedies?

Answer: I use Zicam. You need to use it at the first sign of a cold. Don't use the nasal spray because it can impair your sense of smell. They are currently taking that off the market. But it also comes in tablets. It works so well. I have told many friends and family about it and they all tell me that it works.

Question: What are effective ways to treat the common cold? Hi, I' sick with the common cold (sore throat, stuffy&runny nose) and I'm going to cuba soon, and being sick is the last thing I want! So does anyone have tips so I can feel bettter?

Answer: Sore throat - there is not much you can do, can take ibuprofen to releave pain associated with sore throat. Also you can dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle several times a day. For stuffy nose you can use a decongestant like pseudoephedrine or phenyleprine (but don't take them if you have heart diseases, high blood pressure, thyroid problems or diabetes) For runny nose you can take antihistamines such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), claritin or Zyrtec (cetrizine). Benadril is the strongest one, but it can make you sleepy. Also drinking hot liquids (tea, chicken soup) would help getting rid of your cold faster.

Question: What is the best medicine to use for the common cold? I have the common cold and have an extremely stuffy nose and sore throat. I tried tylenol but it didnt help.

Answer: Sudafed is behind the pharmacy counter and also comes in 12 and 24 hour. The 12 hour is strong enough and will help and keep you alert. You will need to show your driver's license to a pharmacist. For nighttime, Actifed knocks you out and you will feel better in the morning, but you might want to start with a half a pill because it makes you pretty drowsy. Feel better :)

Question: What is the average length of time a common cold may develop? For my Bio hwrk I have to construct a timeline showing the development of a common cold. Thanks!

Answer: Day 1- start to notice Day 2- notice more Day 3- Start cold Day 4- PEAK Day 5- PEAK Day 6- PEAK Day 7- starts to end Day 8- ending Day 9- USUALY GONE

Question: How can I get rid of my common cold in a week + prevent getting one? I have a common cold and have had one for two weeks. I have been to the doctor and he gave me antibiotics and said I had a nose infection. My cold isn't getting any better. I still have a cough, stuffy nose and I have had 8 blood noses in four days. I have a really bad immune system as I've already had seven colds this year. Vitamin C only gives me a cold. I wash my hands very frequently. I'm going to Italy in 7 days and would really like my cold to go before then so I can feel my best. How can I get rid of it? Also, everybody around me has colds, including my mum so I really need to prevent getting a cold when I get rid of it. How can I prevent getting another one? Thank-you for all your help. Molly.

Answer: You should not be given antibiotics for common cold, change your doctor if this is how he treats a cold! You can find some useful advice about cold treatment in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold

Question: What is the best remedy for curing the common cold without using any of the modern tablets? I hate taking tablets and drinking the typical lemsips. I normally stick it through and let it fade on its own but I'm tired of waiting for it to clear for almost 5 weeks and wondered if anyone out there had a faster way of clearing the common cold at all.

Answer: yes..good or you not taking these OTC drugs Schulze says his patient's tell him this is the cure for the common cold. http://herbdoc.com/p49.asp But you can make it yourself (but he uses 100% oprganic)..just take habero peppers (cautuin hot..may want to start with something not so hot first to see if it helps as these are the hottest peppers in the world..just astart with jalapenos or something first only going to habereros if it doesn't work, so mix these in a blendar hot peppers hot garlic hot onions (not heated just spicy hopt) fresh horseradish root (will need to chop it first if you don't have a vitamix like me as it will break the blender) and raw apple cider vinegar )or regular if you must)..blend and strain and take juice or eat it..maybe you could add some salsa for taste.. also juice fast using fresh squeezed/juiced produce, herb teas and potassium broth (see recipe here) http://curezone.com/schulze/herbal_5day_kidney_cleanse.asp once I had a cough for months and I went on a juice fast and it was gone in three days..I also did a lung mucus cleanse with it In this book http://www.healthyhealing.com/product.esiml?PID=539 is the lung - mucus cleanse

Question: How do I cure my common cold completely within 12 hours? Tommorow I have to go to hostel so I want to stay fresh but for my ill-luck i have common cold. How do I cure it within 12 hours maximum.

Answer: Sorry, but you can't cure a cold. A cold is caused by a virus and it has to run it's course. You can alleviate the symptoms by several means. Sleep plenty, keep warm, drink plenty of fluids, such as fruit juices and water. Take some vitamin c tablets. Rub some Vicks on your chest at night, it will help with unblocking your nose and throat. Drink plenty of hot thyme with honey and lemon juice in it. Thyme is a powerful decongestionant. You can do a steam treatment to help clear your head. Pour boiling water into a bowl and add several drops of an essential oil, such as thyme, or eucalyptus. Put a large towel over your head and bend down over the bowl and breathe in the steam for five minutes. do this three times per day. It works wonders. You could also take a couple of pieces of peeled, fresh garlic and put it in a saucepan of milk. Bring to the boil. Leave to infuse, then after five minutes take out the garlic and drink the milk. Don't worry, it's pleasant to drink, it has a sweet taste. The only problem is that the next day you will gas everyone around you, but your head will be clear. I have tried and tested this method and it worked. You can take paracetemol if you have a headache. Fresh chicken soup is supposed to be good if you have a cold as it makes you sweat out the toxins.

Question: common cold? what are some remedies for a common cold? I don't feel like visiting a doctor & being told i simply have a common cold. that would be a waste of a visit here are my symptoms: watery eyes sour, dry throat dry lips my ears hurt runny noses

Answer: NyQuil is my favorite for when I'm trying to get some rest. Drink tea for the throat, and use honey, I don't like lemon b/c it works against my dry throat b/c its so sour. Definitely chicken soup, and no the condensed kind, the $3 a can kind! Oh, and try to keep your nose lubricated, I usually use my Chapstic, b/c it really hurts after wiping it a thousand times. I hope you feel better!

Question: what causes a common cold and how many different kinds are there? I got the cold and the flem that comes up my throat hurts really bad. it only hurts one part of my throat though. i have no clue how i got it because i'm healthy and haven't been around anybody that's sick. No matter what medications i take i still keep coughing. i want to know more about the common cold, how you get it, how many different varieties there are, and what the difference between them is.

Answer: A virus causes the common cold. This is a fact, but why some people develop symptoms and others do not is unknown. There are only theories. No one knows why the common cold duration is longer in some people than in others. Again, there are theories, but no one really knows. Although a virus that causes the common cold cannot reproduce outside of the human body, it can live on the skin and other surfaces for as long as three hours. These viruses become airborne when an infected person sneezes and to a lesser extent when he or she coughs. The next person becomes infected when he or she inhales the airborne secretions or touches the face after touching an infected person or a surface that they touched. Common cold duration can be as short as two days or as long as two weeks. Researchers have made some attempts to understand the differences in common cold duration among otherwise healthy people, but there is still no clear understanding of why this occurs. The average adult has two to four colds per year, but some people have less and others have more, according to information provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. School age children may have as many as 12 colds per year and their caregivers typically have more colds than their fair share. Asthma sufferers have more colds than the average person and in these people the virus often leads to hospitalization by aggravating their chronic condition. A recent study showed that those people who have asthma produce fewer anti-viral proteins than the average person, possibly indicating that immune system function is a factor. Myths about what causes the common cold include getting overheated or chilled. Researchers have studied the affects of cold weather on common cold duration and frequency. Those people who live in colder climates do not appear to have more than the average number of colds per year, nor does common cold duration appear to be longer. If weather plays a role, it is believed that spending more time inside, where you can be exposed to more people who are infected (such as a school), is more relevant than the outdoor temperature. Studies of a virus that causes the common cold have shown that the virus is more “active� in lower humidity. But whether the weather is hot and humid or cold and dry, studies indicate that if a person is exposed to a virus that causes the common cold, he/she will become infected 95% of the time and develop symptoms 75% of the time. Hope I answered your question.

Question: What foods could i snack on when i have the common cold? I like to snack on chips and chocolates all the time.But when i have the common cold i know oily foods like chips and chocolates just irritates the throat. So i would like to know what foods could i snack on when i have a cold.

Answer: Soups(NOT Cream type), Tea,Sprite,Vanilla Wafers,Saltines,Jell-O, and Ice Pops.

Question: What Are Some Good Common Cold Remedies? I've been sick for the past two days with a nasty cold. I really don't want to miss school. I know there are no cures for the common cold. Duh. But does anyone know some good remedies to help ease my sneezing, watery eyes, and nose blowing? The reason i ask is because NyQuil and DayQuil have never really had any effect on me! I really want some relief!

Answer: There are quite few. Depends on what exactly bothers you...adequate sleep is crucial, garlic, honey ..added to your diet. Read in: God's Medicine Is Best (herbs, vitamins and minerals) by Linda Wise.

Question: How does chemistry play a part in the common cold? I'm writing a paper connecting chemistry to the common cold. I know that biology does, but how does chemistry?

Answer: yes

Question: How to cure a severe common cold? My snowman has a common cold. His throat is soar, he coughs, he is feverish. Unfortunately, all the treatments include drinking hot liquids, which is not acceptable, because he can melt. He suffers agonies. What should I do?

Answer: Oh no! Haha. Then get him Zicam... the gel that you can squirt up his nose. You will have to give it to him a few times a day but it will definitely help with the symptoms and he should be feeling better in no time. Ha. :)