Good Lifestyle

Having a cold is a miserable experience - no doubt about it. Saturate, sneezing, coughing and feeling exhausted - we have all been there. Cold, however, are not only unpleasant - they have a very real Public health problem. Here's how to stop a virus before it starts, with everything you need to know about them.

A cold is an infection of your upper respiratory tract caused by a virus. About 50% are caused by human rhinovirus (HRV). The HRV belongs to the Picornaviridae family. It is an RNA virus whose genetic makeup has been widely studied. The remaining colds are caused by other viruses such as the syncytial respiratory virus (RSV), parainflueenza and corona virus (yes, like the one you hear about the new).

Nope. These viruses have been identified for the first time in the 1950s, but despite 60 years of research, there is still no healing! At that time, we sent a group of people on the moon and designed an instantaneous pot and I understood a way to get it delivered to our house in a day.

The coating of the wall of viral cells - the capside-contains several specific capsid proteins. These have a strong propensity for genetic mutation, which is why new infections are common and the production of a vaccine has so far not been possible.

Once the HRV virus lands on the surface of the cell, such as the skin of the skin inside your nose, it attaches to the host cell, wins the capture and reproduces inside the cell to produce more viral particles. The host cell then breaks to allow the new viral particles to escape and these are ready to attack other host cells.

Catching a cold has nothing to do with feeling cold!

You catch the virus by breathing, by the skin in contact with the skin or by touching an object hosting viral particles on its surface.

The virus can live outside the body for several days in the correct environmental conditions and up to two hours on a surface of the skin. It usually penetrates into the body through the nasal passages, not through the mouth.

Viral transmission takes place very easily.

• In an experiment, 18 artificially infected topics with card games interpreted by the HRV for 12 hours with their uninfected opponents. At the end of the study period, 56% of the 18 opponents were now infected.
• In another study, subjects have been artificially infected with HRV. The virus was then detected on 40% of their hands and 6% of the items found at home.

The mind that the cards to play for 12 consecutive hours can cause problems of worse than capturing the HRV. We recommend spending this time cooking the stew in an instantaneous pot.

The incubation period of the HRV virus is less than 2 days. The symptoms are at their worst days 1-3, often from 7 to 10 days and can last 3 weeks.

The most common symptoms are a sore throat, a flowing nose, flowing eyes and feel lethargic and sick. Children often have a fever, but it is not as common in adults. Children under 2 years old have 4-6 colds a year, while adults have only one year per year.

Most colds are light but debilitating. They most often infect your upper respiratory tract, although sometimes HRVs can have more serious consequences, causing exacerbations of asthma, bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

Doctors may have trouble be sure of diagnosis, as many other conditions may have similar symptoms.

Allergic rhinitis (fever) causes a nose that flows forward with sneeze, but a sore throat is unusual. If the throat is very painful, it increases the possibility of a Streptococcus (bacterial) pharyngitis. Facial pain and nasal discharges occur when sinuses became infected. Similarly, the tympanine infection produces severe ear pain, which can follow from a cold with an episode of otitite media.

A common difficulty is how to distinguish a common cold of an influenza influenza attack caused by the flu virus. As a general rule, people suffering from flu feel weaker and look more sick. They usually have other symptoms such as headaches, headaches of headaches and muscle pain, fever with chills and sweats.

An influenza attack can be very serious for the elderly or for people who have a reduced immune system. It is important to a serious systemic illness not to miss a potentially fatal disease such as meningitis or sepsis.

The body has a complex immune system. Cells called macrophages circulate all the time in your blood. These recognize foreign particles and destroy them. However, if the virus is multiplying rapidly, the numbers are rapidly submerged macrophages. The other white blood cells called B-lymphocytes and t-lymphocytes are convened.

B-lymphocytes attach virus and produce antibodies that kill the virus. T-lymphocytes kill cells infected with the virus. The small numbers of B and T lymphocytes persist who remember the virus and are fast to attack the virus next time if you are reinfected.

The symptoms of the disease process reflect what is happening inside the body. The presence of the virus leads to an increase in body temperature. The virus can not survive unless conditions are favorable, the rise in temperature is therefore part of the body's response to conquer it.

The immune system works by signaling different cells and cell processes using chemical messengers called cytokines. The defense process is called inflammation. The symptoms of inflammation are heat, redness, swelling and pain.

When you get a cold, there is a lot of inflammation in your nasal passages and upper respiratory tract. The blood vessels in your nasal passages dilate and excess mucus is produced. That's why you are sneezing, your short nose, your eyes run and you touch.

However, if you have a light dose of infection, you may not even know you have been sick. This is called a subclinical infection.

Smokers seem to be more susceptible cold. This is because their respiratory tract are already inflamed of the irritating effects of cigarette smoke. When the HRV appears on the stage, this extra threat is too much to face and the virus can take charge.

Lack of sleep can increase the susceptibility to colds. In a 2015 studyreported in the newspaperTo sleep, a group of volunteers has been artificially infected with a virus causing cold and monitored for cold symptoms in the coming days. The topics that slept less than 5 hours per night were 4 hours and half more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 7 hours per night.

The colds are much more frequent in babies and small children. Being in the company Other small children is a risk factor because it is a breeding ground for infections. Breastfeeding, if possible, offers a separate advantage because there are antibodies in breast milk. It has been shown that washing of regular hands has helped to reduce viral transmission. Wash and dry your child's hands regularly throughout the day and before meals. The germs collect mannequins, door handles, work surfaces and phones, for example, so keep all these clean surfaces. Wash your baby's toys regularly using a mild detergent. Do not smoke around your baby.

The vitamin D deficiency seems to be associated with an increased frequency of catching a cold. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is also surprisingly common. About 1 British adult and 1 out of 5 are deficient of vitamin D. Vitamin D is made in the body after sun exposure. In winter, when days are short, vitamin D levels can be exhausted.

In a 2018 study reported in the British medical newspaper(BMJ), the data of 25 randomized controlled trials, of which 11,321 participants, concluded that the taking of daily vitamin D supplements, weekly, reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infections. The results were the most pronounced in people who had the lowest vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D is in fat fish, red meat, liver, eggs and fortified cereals.

Vitamin D supplementsare recommended in babies and small children. Also in adults who are at risk, for example, seniors or people living in institutions.

The lack of exercise is linked to an increased risk of catching a cold. In a 2011 studyin theBritish newspaper of sports medicine, the people who exercised five times or more per week had a 50% reduction in the frequency of colds. The physical form keeps your immune system in good shape. Inactivity is the opposite.

Overweight obeseAlso increases your susceptibility to many types of infections. Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome. This is a complex condition in which your body resists hormonal insulin. As a result, blood sugars remain not naturally high. Your body is in a state of chronic inflammation. Your immune system is continuously activated and overall, your cell defense mechanisms are weakened.

Stresshas been proven to increase the susceptibility to colds. People with stricter stress exposure have been shown to have higher levels of resistance to the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR). This translates into an inability to extinguish the inflammation process.

In addition, stressed people have higher cytokine levels, which are directly responsible for many cold symptoms. Chronic stressCan make people more susceptible to colds.

It is certainly true that all parameters that increase the probability of getting a cold need to be reversed. This means: Stop smoking, have enough sleep, avoid vitamin D deficiency, lose weight and maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercises.

Despite considerable research, there is little evidence that most attempts are trying to prevent the propagation of cold-causing viruses.

Medical studiesHave examined the effectiveness of control measures such as screening in ports of entry, isolation, quarantine, social distance, barriers, personal protection and hand hygiene. The only measure that reduces the transmission is the steady washing of the hands.

Not clear. A 2012The randomized controlled study reported that the echinacea plug (3 x 0.9 ml), four times daily for 4 months, reduced the number and length of a cold, 26% compared to placebo. However, researchHas not confirmed that echinacea is effective in treating a cold when there is acute disease.

Have a cold makes you feel ugly. However, unfortunately, there is still no quick fixation remedies. A cold is caused by a virus and antibiotic will not be effective. Antibiotics kill only bacteria.

Antiviral drugs exist, but these are not necessary for most people most of the time. Because the mute virus regularly, many antivirals are also unlikely to shorten the disease.

When you have a cold, you must be nice with yourself and treat your symptoms.

• Rest - You may not feel good enough to go to work. Put your feet and get a lot of sleep if you can.
• Drink a lot of fluids - Keep hydrated well. All fluids are good but avoid alcohol.
• Take acetaminophen - the adult dose is 2 2 x 500 mg tablets four times in a 24 hour period.

Take the ibuprofen (assuming that you are medically appropriate and, for example, you have had no indigestion / gastritis or peptic ulcer to take ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).) The adult dose is 2 x 200 mg of tablets, three times a day. This will help reduce your temperature and relieve pain.

This will also relieve pain: you can take acetaminophen and ibuprofen at the same time.

• Try steam inhalations for blocked nose and sinus. You do this by pouring boiling water into a bowl, covering the head with a towel and breathe deep steam from your nose. Be careful not to escape with hot water.
• Use a Vicks inhaler and / or steam friction on your chest. Menthol soothes irritated nasal passages.
• Have hot baths and showers - again the steam and the heat is soothing.
• If your throat is painful, try gargling with salt water. Just mix a salt coffee half-spoon in a cup of water, gargarze it and spit it. Do it several times and repeat during the day.
• Approach yourself with extra pillows.

Consider taking a decongestionary. Most of them contain antihistamines that can make you feel sleepy. It's not a bad thing if you have trouble sleeping because of your cold. Take care because some may contain paracetamol and you do not want to overdose. Talk to your pharmacist in case of doubt. Decongestants are not desirable for example for children under 6 years old, diabetics and people on various other drugs.

• Do not smoke. This will make your symptoms worse.
• Do not take cough medicines. Your cough is an indispensable reflex to stop mucus and debris entering your lungs. Cough medicationsare not likely to be effective. The best advice is to drink honey and lemon, squeeze half a lemon in a cup. Add 2 teaspoons of honey and recharge it with boiling water. Mix well. Repeat if necessary.

There is no evidence that taking vitamin C while you have a cold is therapeutic. In a study, researchers found daily vitamin C during an episode, shortened the duration of the disease in adults about a day. Foods naturally rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, cabbages, greens and potatoes.

Yeah. Mom is always right. The chicken soup is really good for colds. A study in the newspaperChestLooked the movement of white blood cells called neutrophils when combined with soup. The cells exposed to chicken soup have shown significantly less movement, which suggested anti-inflammatory properties. "Chicken soup contains some chemicals that can refuse the level of inflammation of your cold nasal passages," says Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FIDSA, Senior Storar in Johns Hopkins Center for the safety of health. Beyond that, the chicken soup is packed with nutrients and feels good about a throat.

Garlic, honey, impellents and probiotics help too.

RELATED: 20 cold and influenza remedies, according to medical experts

Efforts continue to find a cure for colds, but these have so far been elusive.

SearchesImperial collegeLondon announced promising results on a new chemical compound, IMP-1088, which stops reproducing rhinovirus. It inhibits an enzyme called N-myristoyltransferase, which all rhinoviruses must survive. So far, this has only been tested in a laboratory framework and not on man, but it seems that it can provide effective recourse.

Dr. Deborah Lee is a medical writer Dr. Fox Online Pharmacy.

And to avoid being sick at all, do not miss this essential list of the50 unhealthy things you touch every day