False myths and Hamletic doubts: does a low temperature cause a cold?

By Cristiano Antonino On Nov 10, 2022

Colds are often associated with the cold, with a so-called ‘cold snap’, but in reality it is a viral infection and therefore its onset is linked to the presence of a virus

The link with the cold does exist, however: as temperatures drop, the activity of our immune system decreases and we are more exposed to the action of viruses.

What are the causes of a cold?

A cold is a viral pathology affecting the first respiratory tract, particularly the nose and throat, caused by more than 200 different viruses, the most common of which are the rhinoviruses, and which is transmitted through contact with a cold person.

The infection is mainly transmitted by air; the virus is spread through tiny droplets of nasal secretion or saliva emitted through coughing and sneezing or by talking.

Many cold viruses resist up to 18 hours outside an organism, so an environment can remain infected for a long time; however, on average, a person with a cold is most contagious in the first three days in which they develop symptoms.

They run an increased risk of contracting a cold:

children under the age of six, especially if they attend nurseries and kindergartens;
people with a fragile immune system, e.g. due to a chronic illness or even a mild immune system deficiency;
people who smoke.

What are the symptoms of a cold?

Usually, cold symptoms occur a few days after infection.

Among the most common are

nasal respiratory obstruction
sore throat;
sneezing;
presence of mucus;
coughing;
hoarse voice;
feeling of malaise;
fatigue.

In some cases, fever, headache and muscle pain, reduced or loss of smell and taste may be added to the symptoms.

Irritation of the eyes and ears is not uncommon.

This symptom picture tends to be more intense in the first two or three days, then fades and resolves completely within 7-10 days.

The cough may persist for two to three weeks.

In children under the age of five, cold-related complaints may persist for up to 14 days.

Influenza and colds have similar symptoms, however there are some differences

First of all, they are caused by different viral agents that can cause nasal symptoms associated with headache and fever in both cases, and in the case of influenza also widespread symptoms such as muscle aches and asthenia so intense that they can hinder normal activities.

Complications of the cold

A cold usually resolves on its own without any particular after-effects.

Sometimes, however, the infection can spread to the lower airways, ears or paranasal sinuses and cause complications, such as:

sinusitis due to bacterial overinfection with the characteristic presence of yellow-green discharge, lasting more than 10 days and also associated with facial pain
otitis media: particularly frequent in children under the age of five, it is a middle ear infection whose symptoms include earache, high fever above 38 °C and reduced hearing;
lower airway infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia with persistent coughing and shortness of breath.

Colds: greater risk indoors

During the colder months, it is important to be careful about the quality of the air you breathe.

People often spend a lot of time indoors, in rooms shared with other people, and this increases the risk of contracting respiratory diseases.

The cold air that enters from outside is in fact less harmful to the health of the respiratory tract than the stale air inside.

Adenoviruses and rhinoviruses, which need lower temperatures than inside the human body (between 36 and 37 °C) in order to reproduce, spread through the air and can resist outside the human body for up to 18 hours.

To prevent contagion, it is important to wash hands often and use a mask in particularly crowded places, such as public transport.

How is it cured?

Colds generally resolve spontaneously in 5-10 days, so it is possible to manage the symptoms on one’s own, resorting if necessary to drugs such as painkillers and antipyretics to lower the fever where present and decongestants to reduce nasal obstruction.

Since it is caused by a virus, and not a bacterium, antibiotics have no effect on colds but are indispensable in cases of complications with bacterial overinfection.

Rest and isolation are the best ways to help the body heal, preventing the virus from affecting other people.

Those with a cold should therefore work from home, ventilate their rooms often, avoid crowded places such as public transport, cough and sneeze into their elbow joints, and, if it is necessary to go outside, wear a mask to cover the nose and mouth.

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