Surprising facts about the common cold

There is so much more to common cold than what meets the eye. While most of us are familiar with the symptoms of common cold there are many things that we aren’t aware of.

Here, we look at four more fascinating facts about the common cold.

It takes 48 hours for a cold to appear

Experts say that it takes only 2 days for you to pick up the cold virus. Only after this time will symptoms – such as coughing, sneezing and running nose – start to appear. The virus installs itself in the cells lining the nose and produces a new generation of viruses within just eight hours.

The virus is not the real cause of the cold

Even though the virus actually triggers the cold symptoms, the virus is not the real cause. Colds and flu are symptoms of immune system deficiencies. The only time the virus can take hold is when your immune system has been compromised. Strengthen your immune system and you’re less likely to catch a cold.

Antibiotics are rarely necessary

Because the common cold is a viral infection, it does not respond to antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic for a cold unnecessarily weakens your immune system by destroying all the bacteria (both good and bad) in your gut, which is where 80% of your immune system resides. If however you have a specific kind of sore throat, or there is a bacterial superinfection that can spread to your lungs, then antibiotics may be required.

Orange juice is no cure for common cold

On the initial signs of getting a cold we often pour ourselves a tall glass of orange juice, thinking it might boost up our orange Vitamin C levels instantly, wrong. Over 30 research studies conducted by Australian National University and University of Helsinki say that Vitamin C has got nothing to do with reducing the symptoms of common cold.

Colds are rarely spread by kissing.
That’s good news right? Sorry, but no! Being in the same space as your SO exposes you to catching it because the viruses that they disperse can easily get through your nose and eyes into your body. The point is that you are likely to catch a cold when one member of the family has one.

It’s OK for a child to have a cold per month

A child can have up to 12 colds in a year, while adults average 1-3 colds in total. So don’t be bothered when your little one seems to have a running nose every time! It probably happened to you while growing up. However, you should avoid giving cough syrup to children under 4 years old.