Facts about Cold and Flu

Facts about Cold and Flu

1. Chicken soup helps relieve symptoms of cold and flu.

Fact. Mom’s chicken soup really does the trick, but (no offense to her) it’s not due to any medicinal genius. It’s simply that when you lean over a bowl of warm, steamy soup, the humidified air helps to break up nasal congestion, says Vanessa Maier, M.D., family medicine physician at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. Plus, downing liquids (chicken broth included) helps keep you hydrated, which is key in flushing mucus out of your system, she says. And of course it doesn’t hurt that the soup is packed with antioxidant- and nutrient-rich ingredients like chicken, carrots, and celery.

2. Going out in chilly weather with wet hair will give you a cold.

Fiction. Don’t consider this an invitation to run around in the snow with sopping locks (you could end up with symptoms of hypothermia!), but cold weather and wet heads aren’t what cause colds, says Maier. A virus is the only thing that can cause a cold. But in the winter, when we all spend more time indoors in close quarters with other people, the chances of germs passing to someone else via a sneeze or cough are much higher.

3. The stomach flu is not a form of influenza.

Fact. The flu has pretty much nothing to do with your tummy, says Susan Rehm, M.D., vice chairperson of the infectious disease department at the Cleveland Clinic. What’s been popularly dubbed the “stomach flu” is actually caused by gastrointestinal viruses such as rotavirus—not influenza. When it comes to seasonal flu, vomiting and diarrhea are actually rare in adults. But because they can both occur with H1N1, make a beeline for your doc if your stomach goes into purge mode.

4. Antibiotics can treat colds and flu.

Fiction. A three-day whammy of antibiotics would do the trick, colds and flu are caused by viruses, rather than bacterial infections, which is what these drugs fight off, says Maier. Because antibiotics contain anti-inflammatories, the only good they can do when you’re suffering from a cold or flu is help a headache or muscle aches. But ibuprofen gets you the same results without these nasty consequences: the more often you use antibiotics, the less likely they are to work. So when you really do need that Z-Pak, it might not do the job. Even worse, using an antibiotic can give you a yeast infection, and the last thin you want on top of a fever is a nasty itch down below.

5. Sneezes travel at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

Fiction. There are so many myths about sneezes that the hosts of Discovery Channel’s show Mythbusters set out to see just how fast (and far!) a sneeze can fly (and be flung!). The fastest they could get their sneezes to go? Thirty-nine miles per hour. Sneezes may not have lived up to the 100-miles-her-hour mark, but what they lacked in speed, they made up for in distance, landing a whopping 17 feet away! Ew! Now, there’s a reason to cover your mouth if you ever needed one.

6. You do not need to get the flu vaccine every year.

Fiction. The yearly flu vaccine isn’t an evil plot devised by the medical industry to torture your poor arm. If you want to stay protected, it really is an annual necessity. One flu vaccine offers protection for six to seven months, says epidemiologist Robert Harrison, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease consultant at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Plus, because different strains of flu become dominant each year, the researchers have to develop a brand-new vaccine to fight off the latest invaders. So unfortunately, if you want to avoid getting sick, it looks like you’re stuck with a yearly shot.

7. You can spread a cold or the flu even if you don’t have any symptoms.

Fact.  Twenty to 30 percent of people carrying the influenza virus have no symptoms, according to Harvard Health Publications. That means they can transmit the virus without so much as a sniffle. And during the two to three days it takes for symptoms to appear in most people, the virus is more than happy to bounce around Ping-Pong-style to anyone and everyone, says Maier.

8. You can catch the flu from a flu shot.

Fiction. ”It’s biologically impossible,” says Harrison, The flu shot contains the dead influenza virus, which is, well, dead, and therefore absolutely cannot infect you. Although side effects today are rare (you may experience some soreness, swelling, low-grade fever, or aches for a day or two as your immune system reacts to the injected virus), in the past they were a bit more severe and may have masqueraded as actual flu symptoms. Also, it takes several weeks to receive protection from the shot, so you are still susceptible and can contract the virus before the vaccine takes effect. Both of these reasons have led hordes of people to believe the flu shot can give you the flu. On a similar note, FluMist, the nasal-spray vaccine, does contain the live virus. While it won’t infect most people, children, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions like asthmas should avoid using it.

9. Recirculating air is to blame for the spread of colds and flu on airplanes.

Fiction. If the guy two rows over is hacking away, then you might end up hacking too, but chances are it will have nothing to do with recirculating air, says Maier. The vast majority of cold and flu infections come from hand-to-hand contact—touching something covered in the virus and then touching your eeys, nose, or mouth (viruses can live on your hand for up to two hours!). It is also possible, but incredibly rare, to catch a cold or the flu from viral particles floating in the air. But because plane air is constantly filtered to remove germs and other dangerous debris, odds are you’ll be fine. So keep you hands clean and away from your face, and it’ll be blue skies ahead.

10. You should never exercise when you have a cold.

Fiction. “If you normally exercise on a regular basis, getting in an workout even if you have a cold is probably a good idea,” says Harrison. However, if you haven’t been to the gym in a while, he suggests you wait until you’re better to start up again. Exercising can help keep your immune system pumped to fight off infections, so if you’re feeling up to it, a workout may be just the TLC your body needs to get on the road to recovery.

If you decide to hit the gym, be smart and don’t push it. Your body is already burning through a lot of energy, water, and calories to fight off your cold, so be sure to stay well-hydrated. And remember: some cold medications such as decongestants can increase your heart rate. Combine that with a cardio routine, and you may wear out much faster than usual.

Prevention Myths
11. Take antibiotics 
Fact: Antibiotics only act on bacterial infections,  and  they do not work against viruses, including cold and flu viruses. 


12 Starve a cold and feed a fever/flu 
Fact: There is no conclusive evidence for withholding or increasing food or 
drink intake to reduce the symptoms or duration of a cold. The body needs adequate nutrition and fluids, especially during stress, to maintain body functions. 


13.Vaccines prevent colds 
Fact: Vaccines only work against the specific type of influenza virus for which 
it was designed and there are no effective universal vaccines against the common cold viruses. 


14. Take Vitamin C to prevent or stop colds 
Fact: Vitamin C trials have shown encouraging results for reducing some cold symptoms and reducing the duration of illness; however, it hasn’t been proven to cure or prevent infection.  


15. Dress warmly or you’ll catch a cold. 
Fact: While it’s important to keep warm, colds are spread person-to-person or from contact with a contaminated surface.