Coping with colds Time plus rest, fluids and medicine help with recovery By Melody Brumble [email protected] January 7, 2010
Only time heals colds.
Nothing will shorten the low-level misery of your body's reaction to one of more than 200 common cold viruses. Rest, plenty of fluids and sparing use of over-the-counter remedies can help you manage symptoms until you recover. "Typically, you'll know you're improving by the end of the week," said Dr. Deirdre Barfield, an internal medicine specialist with Christus Schumpert Health System. "If it goes on longer, perhaps you should speak to a physician and make sure there's not something else." Studies published in the last two years show that zinc and Vitamin C, touted as cold-shortening remedies, don't have any effect on how long you're sick, Dr. Barfield said. And nothing will prevent you from catching a cold. Because so many viruses cause a cold, don't be surprised if you catch a cold, get better for a few days, then get sick again. "For adults, the average you catch a cold is two to four times a year. Children, especially preschoolers, may get as many as six or 10 a year," Dr. Barfield said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate people in the United States suffer 1 billion colds each year. Colds cause 22 million lost school days each year, and a study the University of Michigan Health System estimated colds cost $40 billion a year. Dr. Barfield believes minimal medication is best for colds. Over-the-counter decongestants offer short-term relief, but they cause you to dry out, making you more susceptible to other infections. Antihistamines help you sleep but don't affect your body's response to a cold virus, she said. Cold suffers may find faster relief in the future. Biota Holdings, an Australian company, has looked for a magic bullet that attacks human rhinoviruses. A potential treatment is in clinical trials.
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