with its trademark sore throat, runny nose, coughing and sneezing, headache and body aches, is the No. 1 rea- son why ki
Your Good Health
Surviving cold & flu season Doctors dispel myths, discuss proper remedies By JoAnne Viviano More Content Now
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he common cold, with its trademark sore throat, runny nose, coughing and sneezing, headache and body aches, is the No. 1 reason why kids miss school and adults miss work. Expert say adults get two to three colds a year and children even more. Flu is more serious, causing sore throat, congestion, cough, headaches, body aches, fatigue and often chills and high fever. In 2014, it killed more than 4,600 Americans. So just what should you do to prevent the crud? And, if it hits, what are the best ways to manage symptoms? We asked a few doctors to help sort out the myths from the facts.
Is washing your hands really such a big deal? Absolutely. Health care professionals say it is the best way to prevent spreading these contagious illnesses. “It’s so simple, but it’s so true,” said Dr. Roger Wilt of Central Ohio Primary Care Northwest Family Physicians. If you can’t find soap, alcohol-based sanitizer is a good backup, he said. Others ways to prevent spreading cold and flu include disinfecting keyboards and phones, and cleaning your cellphone, especially if a child plays on it, said Dr. Maria Waizmann of the Mount Carmel Health System.
Can you get sick with influenza from a flu shot? Nope. Dr. Alissa Ackelson said that’s one of the most common misconceptions. “The flu vaccine, it’s killed-protein product. It’s impossible ... to actually create a virus,” said Ackelson, who works at Fairfield Medical Center’s Fairfield Healthcare Professionals
Infectious Disease and Wound Care in Lancaster, Ohio. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated. Skipping it, Ackelson said, is “playing Russian roulette.”
Should you push the fluids? Definitely. Staying hydrated also decreases headaches and body aches, Ackeslon said. When you have a fever, your body needs three times more water, said Dr. Peng Wang, who works at Licking Memorial Internal Medicine in Newark, Ohio. He suggested drinking liquids with electrolytes, such as Gatorade. People with diabetes should stick with Propel, Smart Water or G2.
What about “sweating it out” through exercise? Exercise stimulates the immune system, even if you’re mildly sick, Wilt said. “Light exercise is good for you, but not if your fever is high or you’ve got a lot of chest congestion,” he said. “You don’t want to push yourself too hard and use the energy your immune system needs.” Ackelson said sweating does not rid the body of cold or flu viruses. But moderate activity could make you feel a bit better.
Does chicken soup help? Soups, of all kinds, “are fantastic when you have a cold,” Wilt said. He said the salt works much like a saline spray to soothe the throat, and the extra fluids are a plus. Warm fluids also help open up passages and release secretions, Ackelson said. And chicken soup has needed electolytes as well. Just watch the salt, Waizmann added. Some canned soups have more sodium than others.
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Ackelson said to make sure humidifiers are clean and that you consider using antibacterial products.
Should you demand antibiotics from your doctor?
No. Colds and flus are viruses that don’t respond to antibiotics. But your doctor might prescribe an antiviral to help shorten your illness, especially if you start taking it within two days of symptoms. Some doctors won’t prescribe it after two days, but Wilt said it still can give some benefit even if taken late. If you have any complicating medical conditions, get to the doctor. “We do have many deaths a year from influenza,” Ackelson added. “It should be taken seriously.”
Do multi-symptom cold remedies work best? Not necessarily. You might end up taking something that you don’t need, Wilt said, and the fewer medications going into your system, the better. “Why take cough suppressant if your nose is dripping?” he said. “Isolate the symptoms, then decide if you want something for cough.”
Can you get a cold from going outside with wet hair?
Do humidifiers help?
No. It’s all about the viruses. “The reason we get colds more often in the winter is because we all go inside and get around each other and the virus spreads quickly,” Waizmann said. “It has nothing to do with the weather or whether you’re wet outside.” But you could get frostbite or hypothermia, so dry off before you head outside.
You bet. Warm, moist air can act as a decongestant, Wang said.
— JoAnne Viviano writes for The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch.
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