Cold is the cooling of individual parts or the entire body, which is considered the cause of various diseases. In Dahl's dictionary, to catch a cold means to cause illness with a cold. The common cold contributes to the emergence of various pathologies. Even Hippocrates wrote that everything cold is very unhe althy. In the event of diseases caused by viruses, along with infections, hypothermia is also crucial, which reduces the body's resistance to resistance to microorganisms. A cold is not an independent disease, but provokes other ailments, most often SARS, and the temperature during a cold is one of its symptoms.
What is a cold?
Cold means several diseases (influenza, SARS, pharyngitis, laryngitis, herpes simplex), which are caused by various viruses. The idea that a cold is necessarily associated with a cold is erroneous. The cause of the disease is viruses, and in cold weather favorable conditions develop for them: poorly ventilated rooms, hypothermiaorganism, drying of the mucous membranes associated with the inclusion of the heating system.
The main causative agents of the disease are reoviruses, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses and many other microorganisms, of which there are about three hundred. Getting into the body of an individual through the upper respiratory tract, they cause various diseases. All of them are characterized by the same symptoms: chills, sore throat, runny nose, aches and, of course, fever with a cold. Viruses use the human body as an incubator for reproduction. Feeding on the contents of the cells of the body, they weaken them, reducing the protection of the immune system.
As a result, colds are often complicated by bacterial infections. Mild nausea during illness appears as a result of intoxication from the decay products of dying cells damaged by viruses. And a severe runny nose occurs due to the abundant secretion of mucus, with which the body tries to get rid of the infection.
What is the difference between ARVI and ARI and influenza?
All individuals are susceptible to colds, only some are rarely infected, while others are often. According to medical statistics, each person is ill with these ailments about three times a year. In fact, as already mentioned, a cold is not a disease, but a strong cooling of the body, which contributes to the rapid reproduction of microorganisms. The common cold is one of the causes of acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections. Everyone is used to the fact that in the autumn-spring season the doctor often makes one of these diagnoses. ARVI is a fairly large group of ailments that are caused by different viruses. They all have the samesymptoms. Patients complain of a cold for a runny nose, fever, cough, sore throat.
In acute respiratory infections, the temperature rarely rises above 38 degrees, catarrhal phenomena predominate. The doctor, as a rule, does not specify the virus that provoked the disease, and makes a general diagnosis of SARS. It should be noted that the treatment for all viruses is the same. Medicines help strengthen the immune system and act to eliminate existing symptoms. Since there are a lot of viruses that cause the disease, a person is able to get sick several times a year. In addition, long-term immunity is often not developed after the disease, so the same virus can be infected more than once a year.
ARI is diagnosed by a doctor when he is unable to determine what causes the symptoms of a cold: cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat and other phenomena. Acute respiratory diseases mean exacerbation of chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, viral infections, bacterial complications that have arisen after SARS. Therefore, ARI is just a special medical term, not the name of a disease.
One of the most severe colds is the flu. This ailment, like SARS, causes a virus, but the course of the disease is different, and dangerous complications often occur after it. Therefore, with the flu, bed rest must be observed. A distinctive feature of this cold is high fever, sudden onsetillness and poor he alth. Catarrhal symptoms are mild.
Factors affecting the occurrence of a cold
There are many different factors that affect the occurrence of colds, but the following are considered the main ones:
- Malnutrition is one of the main causes of disease. SARS and influenza are seasonal ailments when the diet is poor in vitamins and minerals. It is necessary to pay special attention to food, include more plant foods in the menu, and constantly eat vegetables and fruits.
- Hypothermia - you need to dress according to the weather so that there is no sudden change in temperature and to feel comfortable in clothes.
- Stress - any stressful situation weakens the immune system and contributes to the disease.
- Lack of fresh air - in unventilated areas where sick people can be, the infection quickly spreads by airborne droplets.
- Exacerbation of chronic diseases - undermines the immune system and a weakened body, interferes with the fight against infection.
All these factors predispose to disease but do not cause it.
Cold symptoms
Each individual almost every year is faced with colds several times. Therefore, it is necessary to know how ARVI and flu proceed, and how much the temperature lasts with a cold. The manifestation of symptoms always depends on the individual characteristics of the body, its immune system, chronic diseases, age, type of virus. Influenza has similar symptoms to SARS, but it also hasits own characteristics. The most common signs of a cold are:
- General weakness - when the body is intoxicated, intolerance to bright light, pungent odors occurs, efficiency decreases, drowsiness appears, sleep disturbance occurs, mood deteriorates, irritability appears.
- Increased body temperature - it signals the body's fight against infection. With SARS, it ranges from 37 to 38.5 degrees, with influenza, the main symptom of a cold is a temperature that often rises to 40 degrees. Intoxication of the body lasts about six days. A longer period of elevated temperature indicates an onset complication.
- Headache - observed in the forehead, often moderate. In severe cases, the pain may increase, convulsions, fainting and loss of consciousness are possible.
- Changes in the mucosa - there are redness, dryness in the throat and perspiration. With SARS, a runny nose appears immediately, and with influenza on the second or third day of illness, in an adult, discharge from the nose continues for two weeks.
- Changes in the respiratory system - a dry cough appears, chest pains are possible.
Causes of a cold
There are only two causes of colds, these are:
- Viruses - most often ARVI is caused by parainfluenza, influenza viruses, rhino-syncytial, adenovirus. These ailments have an acute course, significant contagiousness and seasonality. A few days after the onset of the disease, complications caused by bacteria are possible whenthe temperature during a cold lasts a long period.
- Bacteria - ARI can provoke staphylococci, streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, opportunistic bacteria, pneumococci. All bacterial colds, if not properly treated or not treated, become chronic.
Cure colds
The cold is an insidious disease and always starts unexpectedly. The invasion of viruses does not depend much on the state of he alth, season and weather.
When signs of a cold appear, the following recommendations should be followed:
Bed rest. Treatment will be ineffective if the patient continues an active lifestyle during malaise. During this period, the body directs all its forces to fight the virus, and if they are not enough, then the disease proceeds for a long time and complications are possible. In the early days of treating a cold with a high temperature, bed rest is mandatory. With the improvement of well-being, doctors are allowed to walk and even take short walks in the fresh air. Until full recovery, it is necessary to give up heavy loads, sports, and avoid stress
- Plentiful drink. It is very important to drink more fluids, about two liters a day. This will help remove toxins, decay products and infection from the body. You can use just pure drinking water or take drinks with medicinal herbs, berries and fruits. Chamomile tea will reduce pain in the throat, rosehip broth will help strengthen immunity,infusions of ginger and cinnamon destroy viruses and bacteria. In the absence of an allergy to honey, it is useful to add it to any drink.
- Breathe fresh air. The dry and stagnant atmosphere in the room keeps viruses viable for up to two days. It is recommended to ventilate the room more often, opening the windows for a quarter of an hour, and leave the room for this time. When the high temperature subsides after the treatment of a cold and the state of he alth becomes better, short walks away from the carriageway are allowed.
- Rinse the nose. The procedure cleans the nasal passages, freeing them from mucus, helps to reduce swelling, and facilitates breathing. It is recommended to use weak saline solutions.
- Gargling. It is carried out to disinfect and soften the nasopharyngeal mucosa, relieves sore throat and dry cough.
- Taking vitamin complexes. It has a beneficial effect on the body and helps it cope with viruses.
Drugs for colds with fever
It is difficult to treat the disease, because often its causative agent is unknown and only symptomatic treatment is used. To do this, use the following drugs:
- Antiviral - prevent the development of microorganisms, which contributes to recovery, use: "Remantadin", "Cycloferon", "Arbidol", "Amiksin".
- Vasoconstrictor - make breathing easier: Farmazolin, Naphthyzinum, Knoxprey.
- Antipyretic. The temperature associated with a cold in an adult does not go astray if it does not exceed 39 degrees for five days and provided that the patientfeels satisfactory, otherwise he is given Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
- Antitussives - to thin sputum and remove it from the respiratory tract - ACC, Ascoril, Tussin syrup.
- Painkillers - relieve headaches - Aspirin, Askofen.
- Sedatives - help with insomnia: "Luminal", "Barbamil".
- Antibiotics - they are prescribed only by a doctor, in the event of a complication or acute respiratory infections of a bacterial nature, they use a group of cephalosporins, penicillins, macrolides.
Subfebrile temperature
There is still no vaccine for the common cold in the world, except for the flu. But even this vaccine does not give a 100% guarantee. What to do if you get sick? If symptoms of SARS or flu occur, you should consult a doctor, but if there is no such possibility to do it right away, then you should go to bed. Everyone wants to take a pill and bring down the temperature. But if the temperature on the thermometer is 37 with a cold, then this indicates that the body's defenses have begun to work. He fights viruses himself and does not need to interfere with him. A temperature of 37 is the average. Some people tolerate it normally and do not experience any discomfort, while others, on the contrary, feel uncomfortable. Lowering the temperature using pills does not mean getting rid of a cold. Some medical professionals argue that with a cold, the temperature of 38.5 should also not be knocked down if the patient feels well. But, if the fever increases, it is necessary to alleviate the conditionuse medications - Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
Treatment of colds in a child
Pediatricians always recommend to seek help from a clinic for colds. Very similar symptoms of diseases cause confusion in parents, and only a doctor is able to prescribe the necessary drugs to eliminate colds.
Therapy is primarily aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease - sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever. If during a cold a child has a temperature of 38 degrees and he feels satisfactory, it should not be knocked down. His body itself fights viruses, as soon as they die at a high temperature. Some children do not tolerate temperature well, or in cases where it becomes above 38.5, antipyretics are required. Nasal congestion is relieved by rinsing with s alt water and vasoconstrictor drops.
Sprays and rinses with antiseptic solutions are used to treat sore throats. Cough, depending on whether it is dry or wet, is treated with antitussive drugs of various effects. It depends on whether the bed rest and all the doctor's prescriptions are observed correctly, which temperature will rise in the child during a cold. It is very important to feed a child with light and he althy foods during an illness so that extra energy is not wasted on digesting heavy food. And be sure to follow the drinking regimen. The child should receive plenty of fluids so that it does not comedehydration and urine excreted viruses and their waste products. To do this, use berry fruit drinks, fruit compotes, herbal infusions.
When to call an ambulance for a child?
Often, colds in a child are treated at home under the supervision of a doctor. But there are situations when medical assistance is needed immediately:
- The baby suffers from severe headaches, besides they are accompanied by vomiting. Perhaps he had a complication - meningitis.
- The rapid development of a cold, the temperature of 39 lasts for several hours and "Paracetamol" does not go astray. Most likely, the child has the flu.
- A dry barking cough appeared, the child can hardly breathe. This is a sign of false croup, if not urgently helped, he may suffocate.
- When breathing there is not enough air, in the sputum released when coughing, impurities of blood are noticeable. Symptoms point to pulmonary edema.
Parents need to be very attentive to the he alth of the child, so as not to miss an emergency and help him in time.
The manifestation of a cold during pregnancy
One of the first symptoms of a cold in pregnant women is constant fatigue, malaise and headaches. The condition can quickly worsen: appetite disappears, snot begins to flow, pain and sore throat are felt, and a cough appears. And of course, a cold in pregnant women is accompanied by a temperature. The first three days are the hardest. With timely treatment, symptoms begin on the fourth dayretreat. Most importantly, do not self-medicate, it is dangerous for both the mother herself and the unborn child.
Cure colds during pregnancy
As mentioned earlier, some diseases have similar symptoms, therefore, feeling unwell, a pregnant woman should immediately call a doctor and after visiting him, clearly follow all his instructions:
- Comply with bed rest. For several days it is undesirable to do any housework and go out into the street. If the condition worsens, call the doctor again.
- Proper balanced nutrition. Eat foods that are easy to digest: stewed vegetables, broths, cereals, dairy products, fruits.
- Maintain water-drinking balance. Drinking water, compotes, fruit drinks help cleanse the body of viruses and their toxins, and also reduce the temperature during a cold. But at the same time, liquids should not be abused, so as not to cause swelling.
- Fresh air. The room should be ventilated frequently, but drafts should be avoided.
- Rinse the nose and gargle. To do this, use a weak saline solution and perform the procedure several times a day.
- Vitamin complexes. To maintain the body, take vitamins, after consulting with your doctor.
If the condition worsens, the attending physician will prescribe medicines in addition to this treatment, taking into account the duration of pregnancy and the individual characteristics of the woman.
What to do with high fever during pregnancy?
What temperaturewith a cold can rise in a pregnant woman? As a rule, all colds are accompanied by body temperature up to 38.5 degrees. The most dangerous cold in pregnant women in the first trimester, when the formation of the baby's organs. The main threat is high fever and the use of drugs. In the second trimester, the formation of the placenta ends and the fetus is under better protection, but even during this period it is necessary to be extremely careful when taking medications. It should be remembered that the temperature up to 38, 5 is not knocked down. They fight the disease using bed rest and drinking plenty of water. All symptomatic treatment is under medical supervision.
But if during a cold the temperature is 39, then it must be reduced. The most harmless antipyretic for pregnant women is Paracetamol. It is allowed to take it only as prescribed by a doctor. Elevated temperature poses a threat in the third trimester, it can provoke placental abruption. Therefore, when the first signs of a cold appear: runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and cough, you should consult a doctor. Let in this case there is only a slight temperature of 37. In case of a cold, all actions will be coordinated with the attending doctor.
Weakness after a cold
After being ill with a cold, people feel weakness, which manifests itself as:
- Physical - there is a constant feeling of fatigue and even rest and long sleep do not restore strength.
- Psychological – disruption of the nervous system. Appearsapathy, negative thoughts arise, a desire to retire.
Often, weakness provokes absent-mindedness and inattention. It is difficult for an individual to concentrate attention, it is difficult to perform mental tasks and at the same time there is not enough strength to engage in physical labor for a long time. Often the appetite disappears, the skin becomes pale, dizziness appears. With a cold, the body temperature rises, but even after recovery, it can take low-grade values for two weeks, and muscle aches are not excluded.
Feeling weak after an illness is normal. It will take no more than two weeks to restore strength and all body systems.
How to recover from a cold?
To restore he alth after an illness, it is necessary to strengthen the condition:
- Physical - do exercises to give vigor and activate the body. Water procedures relieve tension, stimulate blood circulation, strengthen the immune system; massage restores weakened muscles.
- Mental - use herbal medicine by using various teas and herbal infusions. Sunbathing, which produces melanin and serotonin to improve mood. Fresh air saturates the body with oxygen and restores the nervous system.
In addition, it is recommended to pay special attention to the diet. It should include foods containing vitamins and minerals. Eat lean meat and fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, legumes, spinach, liver, greens, sour milkproducts. Be sure to use vitamin complexes and do not forget about sufficient fluid intake in the form of water, decoctions, fruit drinks, herbal teas, compotes. These recommendations in a short time will help restore he alth and cope with malaise and weakness.
Conclusion
For the prevention of colds, the most effective remedy is to strengthen the body's defenses. All activities that contribute to an increase in the immune status, increase the body's resistance to infections. It is necessary to lead a proper lifestyle: eat well, exercise your body daily with physical work or sports, be outdoors more often, devote time to outdoor activities. All this will help to maintain your he alth during the attacks of seasonal viruses, and not lie in bed with a fever with a cold.
