Colds
colds; viruses; infections; nose; sinusitis; asthma; school; travel; air; flying;
Contents
How do you catch colds?
Over 200 different viruses cause colds. They can be lurking anywhere people have been. The virus hangs around the classroom or home. It hangs around the bus, tram or train in tiny droplets that are sneezed and coughed by people into the air. The passenger to your left coughs, you quickly turn away, skilfully dodging those airborne droplets, but you're foiled as the woman on your right sneezes in your direction! At that moment, you know you're done for, the virus has got you.
They can even be more sneaky than that. Those little drops that someone sneezed out can fall onto your desk, or the telephone, then wait there for you to touch them. You lift your hand to your nose or eyes… and they move on board.
Although they are called 'colds', getting cold doesn't cause colds, viruses do. You can get a cold at any time of the year – even the middle of summer – although it seems we get them more often in winter, probably because people are shut together in classrooms and offices - sneezing and coughing!
Another reason they are called colds might be that when you first get sick, you can have a fever, and having a fever makes a person feel like she is cold. You feel shivery and want to rug up tight.
Because there are so many different viruses that can cause a cold, having one cold does not protect you from getting another cold. (This is different to other infections, say like measles. Once you have had measles, you won't get it again). This also means that you can get immunised against measles, but not against colds.
Some people can have 6 or more colds each year, while others get maybe only one. It is not clear why this happens.
What does a cold do to you?
Some colds last a bit longer than others, and some make you feel sicker, but usually they have the same sorts of effects.
- Colds affect your nose. You get a blocked nose and runny mucous drips out. Your nose might be itchy, causing you to sneeze. The mucous usually starts off clear, but often becomes white and yellow, and sometimes green!
- Some colds cause sore throats, coughs and laryngitis (the infection affects the voice box, and you might lose your voice).
- Some colds cause your eyes to get sore, itchy and watery.
- Some people get sinusitis or ear infections due to their cold.
- Many people who get asthma find that they have an asthma attack triggered by a cold.
As if this was not enough, at the beginning of the cold you might have a fever, headache and feel unwell.
Treatment for colds
Colds are caused by virus infections, so there are no treatments that can cure a cold. Antibiotics do not kill viruses, and do not help people who have a cold get better more quickly. Your own body’s immune system will destroy the viruses in a few days.
Things to help you feel better
- If you feel like crawling into a warm bed and sleeping, do it. Rest helps your body fight infections.
- If you have a headache or fever, ask your parents whether some paracetamol or ibuprofen might help you feel better (the instructions on the packets will tell you how much to take).
- Have plenty to drink. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel like eating much for a day or so.
- Nose drops or sprays may help you feel more comfortable, but only use them for a day or so, because they can irritate the lining of the nose after a while – and cause your nose to be blocked, which is not much help!
- Cough mixtures and medicines to unblock noses and stop coughs help some people, but they can have side effects, like making it hard to sleep.
- Taking echinacea preparations early (before you feel any signs of a cold) or right at the beginning of the symptoms, might be useful in preventing the cold getting a hold on you.
- Some research has suggested that zinc tablets help prevent colds, and help people recover faster too.
- There is no evidence that extra vitamin C makes a difference.
Things to avoid
- Do not exercise hard if you are unwell. It can slow down your recovery, and occasionally it can make a person much sicker for much longer.
- Avoid smoking and being around cigarette smoke.
- Don’t spread your cold around! Stay at home. You might feel that you should go to school because it is ‘only a cold’, but your friends and your teacher will not be impressed if they catch a cold from you.
What if you get sicker?
Sometimes people who have a cold develop ear infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma or pneumonia. If this is happening to you, you may find that you start to feel more ill, and you may have pain in your ears or face or chest. You may start coughing much more than before.
Usually your body will be able to overcome these infections too, but it would be a good idea to see a doctor, because some other treatment might help you recover more quickly. If you have developed an ear, sinus or chest infection caused by bacteria, your doctor may give you antibiotics to help you get rid of the infection quicker.
How to avoid spreading colds around
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Use a disposable paper tissue if possible and put it in a bin (so others don’t have to handle it).
- Use your hands if you don’t have a tissue, then wash your hands so that you don’t spread those germs to places where other people can pick them up.
- Stay home! I know this was said earlier, but it is an important message. If you ‘soldier on’ you can cause a lot of other people to become ill, and you probably won’t work as well as usual, because you are sick!
- If you have to be around someone who has a cold, make sure that you wash your hands often so that you don’t carry germs to your nose or throat.
School assignments, tests and exams
If you are not well, you cannot do your best work. However, if you want to get extra time to hand work in, or you miss a test or exam, you are likely to need a certificate from a doctor. Your doctor cannot give you a certificate if he or she did not see you when you were sick. So talk to your class teacher, and ask your parents to make an appointment for you to see your doctor if you need a certificate.
Air travel
If at all possible, try to avoid travelling by plane while you have a cold.
- At take off and landing the pressure changes can lead to damage of the ear drum and middle ear because of fluid in the ear or blocked tubes to the middle ears (Eustachian tubes).
- If you must travel, use decongestant nose spray or drops 15 to 20 minutes before take off and landing. Chewing gum which has a decongestant in it may also help.
Bec says:
“My gran always says, “Feed a cold and starve a fever”. She reckons that you should eat well when you’ve got a cold unless you get all shivery with it. Then you should just drink heaps. I don’t know about you, but when I have a cold I don’t feel like eating much, I usually can’t taste anything. The one thing we agree on is to get plenty of sleep and you get better quickly”.
Resources in
South Australia
- Your family doctor
- Community Health Centres (look in the phone book for your nearest centre)
- The Second Story Youth Health Service (TSS):
Central: 57 Hyde Street, Adelaide
South: 50a Beach Road, Christies Beach
North: 6 Gillingham Road, Elizabeth
Contact TSS via the Youth Healthline: 1300 13 17 19
mobile phone callers: (08) 8303 1691 - normal rates apply
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Youth Healthline on 1300 13 17 19 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).