As soon as winter comes, colds will follow. Cold is the most common disease in our life. On average, it is normal to catch a cold two or three times a year.
However, have you ever wondered why a cold will break out in winter?
Some people will definitely say, "It's needless to ask. It must be too cold.".
So, is the cold really caused by too cold?
Strictly speaking, there is no concept of "cold" in medicine. The cold we call "upper respiratory tract infection" in medicine.
Upper respiratory tract infection is like a mafia gang, which includes different factions, including colds, tonsillitis and laryngitis. Although they all have sneezing, runny nose and other symptoms, the viruses and bacteria they cause are different.
There are many viruses and bacteria that can cause upper respiratory tract infection, compared with more than 200 viruses. One of them is called rhinovirus, which accounts for half of the cold world.
It is these viruses and bacteria floating in the air that are the "real culprits" that make you catch a cold. Cold weather is just a back burner.
Seeing this, someone will surely ask why it is easier to catch a cold in winter since the cold is not frozen out?
This is related to immunity.
Generally speaking, the lower the temperature, the lower the innate immune response of the body to the virus. Under the stimulation of low temperature, the capillaries in the nasal mucosa contract, the blood supply decreases, and the number of immune cells will also decrease. The virus entering the nasal cavity has a greater probability of infecting cells.
And winter is not only cold, but also dry, which is more conducive to the survival of the virus. So, although the cold will not directly lead to colds, you should still listen to your mother's words, "wear more, don't freeze".
Do you need to wear a mask to keep your nose warm when you go out in winter?
It is not recommended to wear masks in winter if it is not for disease, haze and other reasons, but only for warmth.
Because the excessive protection of the nasal cavity will lead to a decline in its ability to cope with cold air, and the capillaries will shrink strongly when cold, making it easier to catch a cold. It is also a big problem to keep cotton masks clean in winter.
In addition, social factors also have an impact on colds. In cold winter, people prefer to concentrate indoors and do not like to open windows for ventilation, so the virus is more likely to spread among people.
Although the leprechaun cold is very annoying, the common cold has its own limitations. Even if you don't take medicine, you can generally recover by yourself in one to two weeks (taking medicine only relieves symptoms, and does not speed up the recovery time).
However, it should be noted that it is wrong to take anti-inflammatory drugs as soon as you have a cold, because most colds are caused by simple viruses, and it is useless to take anti-inflammatory drugs.
But if you have influenza, you need to see a doctor in time. Influenza is highly infectious and spreads quickly. Moreover, it may cause complications such as pneumonia, which may even endanger life.
Finally, I hope everyone can stay away from colds this winter.
