About the small popular science of colds-do you know if you need to download a patch?

Do you catch a cold? Are you infected with the common cold or the flu? Is it any use to take cold medicine? Do you want to take antibiotics to prevent aggravation? If the above you are not sure, your cold knowledge base may need to download a patch bag Oh ...

Most of the time, we are infected with the common cold, more professional medical name is "nonspecific upper respiratory tract Infection", by the nasal virus, influenza virus, coronavirus, adenovirus and other viruses caused. The main symptom is the acute, mild nasal mucosa of the card he (sneezing, runny nose, cough, etc.) symptoms.

But the more common, some misunderstandings may be less easy to detect. For example: "Beware of catching cold," when expressing concern for family or friends don't catch a cold. "A cold is very uncomfortable, always feel to eat some medicine to cure a cure, so that the cold quickly good, or directly to a plate of antibiotics, both kill the virus, and prevent bacteria, is efficient treatment ... Let's see if your knowledge base needs to download a patch.

The study of the relationship between cold and colds has been ongoing. Based on most studies, many modern viral textbooks say there is no causal relationship between cold and cold. As for why the cold will show the season-related, the most common explanation is that under low temperature environment, people will be more concentrated in the indoor, ventilation conditions are very poor, so that the virus more easily spread. In addition, winter humidity is lower than in summer, and many cold viruses live longer in low humidity environments.

However, there are also studies that the cold is not the cause of colds, but may reduce the body's immune system, so that no symptoms of the infected patients worse. But in this study, cold symptoms do not immediately appear, so also do not support the "winter wet hair out, come back cold", or "at night do not cover the quilt, get up in the morning will catch cold" such folk point of view.

Runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, all the pain, the "cold" always have such a bad experience, but this symptom is a common cold or a possible death of influenza, the following table can help you understand:

In addition, the common cold is usually distributed, and influenza is often a large-scale outbreak. But due to the common cold and flu in the symptoms of similarity, light symptoms of the accurate distinction between the two is still difficult for ordinary people, suspected of the flu or go to the hospital to do a check more assured.

There are more than 200 pathogens in the common cold, all are viruses, there is no "bacterial flu", and only 0.5%-2% of the common cold may secondary bacterial infection, so if a cold, in the vast majority of cases, antibiotics against bacteria is not useful. If the secondary bacterial infection, and then follow the doctor's advice to take antibiotics, not only to treat the cold is not good, but also have the extra burden of the risk of side effects of antibiotics.

Some people worry that if you do not eat antibiotics early, the common cold can easily progress to more serious diseases (such as pneumonia, encephalitis, etc.), in fact, there is no reason.

The common cold has self-limiting, course 7-12 days after natural will be good, for the common cold drugs can alleviate symptoms, but does not shorten the course of disease. Therefore, after the common cold, generally do not need special treatment, pay attention to rest, nutrition, when necessary use symptomatic drugs to alleviate nasal congestion/fever/pain and other symptoms so that you can be.

Common cold is mostly caused by nasal viruses, coronavirus, and pneumonia pathogen is the head of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, mycoplasma, chlamydia and so on, encephalitis there are many species, pathogens in the bacterial virus have. In most cases, the pathogen of different, the common cold self-limiting and the body's own immune system role, the common cold will not be accompanied by pneumonia, encephalitis and other serious diseases. This is not related to the timely eating of antibiotic prophylaxis.

However, pathogens have to break through the defenses of the immune system in the final analysis. The weaker groups, such as young children and the elderly, or the common cold is very serious/infected with the flu, the body's immune system against the ability to resist infection, if it is also exposed to pneumonia and other diseases of pathogenic bacteria, it is true that the lungs and even the brain secondary infection infection (encephalitis more in children), This is why pneumonia has become a common complication in the fight against heavier influenza in humans. Under these circumstances, it is necessary to receive treatment under the guidance of a physician.

Common cold myrrh can be cured (also basically unnecessary), although the flu has antiviral drugs available but menacing, treat these two or prevention comes more effective.

Wash your hands frequently. The common cold and flu virus are mostly spread through contact: The patient's nose and other secretions containing the virus particles, contact the telephone, keyboard, door handle and other places, the virus can remain active for several hours. If contact with contaminated things and did not wash their hands, it may inadvertently through eating, rubbing eyes, digging nasal feces and other actions to send the virus into their bodies, and then recruit. The means to break this chain of communication, in addition to keeping the patient clean and even isolated, clearly cleans his hands and eliminates possible pollution. If there is no condition to flush the hands, alcohol-free disinfection gel is a good substitute.

Quit smoking, drinking and exercising. Cigarettes can hurt the respiratory system directly, excessive alcohol can reduce the function of the immune systems, will increase the probability of infection and the severity of the disease. Moderate aerobic exercise can not only enhance the body's motor function, but also improve the ability of natural immunity-in the final analysis, the healthier, the less susceptible to the pathogen down.

Improve the effectiveness of the immune system. This is not the "cold water face/bath improve immunity can prevent colds" This roadside tips, the immune system is to identify the characteristics of the virus, the production of antibodies to fight against the virus. Not only does a basin of cold water not lead to substantial ascension, but it can also increase blood pressure, adding unnecessary risk to hypertension and cardiovascular patients. What really strengthens the immune system against influenza is the flu vaccine, which sends a sample of inactivated or attenuated flu virus to the body, which the immune system recognizes as a target, remembers the characteristics of the virus and produces antibodies. In this way, the immune system can make rapid and powerful attacks when the influenza virus invades, and can effectively mitigate the consequences of the flu even if it cannot completely avoid the virus infection.

Incidentally, because the common cold has more than 200 kinds of viruses, and cause mild symptoms, no vaccine, no vaccine, but do not because of the vaccine, believe that vitamin C can prevent the rumors of colds, this way is not reliable.