Protect Your Health From Coughs and Common Colds

This is not a science fiction. It is the truth and it is happening these days. The sun now approaches the winter solstice. It starts on December 22, which is just few days away. The sun will lie at its farthest point south of the equator, and it would look to us here on earth as if it is low and standing still, hence, the term "solstice". Solstice means standing still. This signals the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere and summer in the northern. Our country, the Philippines, sits on the northern hemisphere, near the equator. If "summer" means hot climate to many, it should be important to know that as the sun approaches the winter solstice, the Philippines on the northern hemisphere will experience cooler and longer nights. The Philippines Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration says so.

We already feel, this early, the biting cold, that would end by around March. This long exposure to the harsh atmospheric condition almost always brings discomfort to people, no matter how cautious we would be. Since many of our countrymen recently lost their homes to typhoons that visited the country only few months ago and most probably are still living in what we call "tent cities", they are mercilessly exposed to the cool long nights. And the young children are more prone to common maladies from viruses that breed in the cold. They may or may not be our family, but we can show our love to them. We must help them protect themselves from ailments like colds and coughs. With their difficult situation, their health is their only wealth.

I have accessed the Philippines Health Guide, 1997 edition, for some valuable information that will give the people straight answers to the common questions they ask about common colds, coughs, and sneeze (sniff), their symptoms, and home remedies. This, hopefully, might contribute to their peace of mind, if they have good working knowledge about their ailment.

What is a Cold?

A cold is an infectious disease that causes an inflammation of the upper respiratory system. It is accompanied by runny nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat, or even fever and body ache.

Doctors have many names for cold depending on where the infection is taking place. It is called "rhinitis" (after "rhino", the Greek term for nose) if the infection is, of course, in the nose. If it appears in the throat area, usually accompanied by sore throat, it is called, "laryngitis". If it infects deeper in the system, it is called "bronchitis".

What are the symptoms of common colds?

The Reader's Digest Medical Encyclopedia gives the following:

The common cold is the most widespread of the contagious disease. Its symptoms usually appear from 18 to 48 hours after having been infected with the virus. The manifestations include:

a. runny nose, moderate headache and cough;

b. feeling of chilliness, less acute sensations of smell and taste, a slight fever;

c. general feeling of listlessness and discomfort (malaise);

d. sore throat, as the disorder develops, varying from mild to severe.

The typical cold may produce only some or all of the symptoms. Fortunately, a cold is a self-limiting disease. This means that the infection simply dies out of the system at a given time. It may lasts from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how bad the infection is.

Why do we cough and sniff when we have cold?

Our body reacts to many things in many different ways. In case of colds the body has its own defense mechanisms, such as, the production of mucus, sneezing, and coughing. Our body produces mucus to protect the inner lining of our body- as in the throat and the nose. When these areas are stimulated, (like when one cries), mucus is produced. When a cold virus attacks these areas, our body produces mucus and phlegm to protect itself.

In the same way, our body expels irritations from the nose and throat by coughing or sneezing (starts as sniffing). That's why you sneeze when a burst of dust enters your nose.The body tries to force out the foreign element (dust) in the nose with a sudden gust of air. Excess mucus is also dealt with by the body as foreign body- which it tries to expel through coughing and sneezing.

So, if we can't cure a cold, why take medicine at all?

We can't cure cold, but we can nurse it, meaning, we can make the sufferer feel more comfortable through medication while he waits for the cold infection to pass. But who wants to just sit and wait until it does? There are certain medicines that can help ease sufferings from a cold and cough. The world of science in medicine has discovered many drugs which can help alleviate the symptoms. They are classified as follows according to use.

a. Nasal decongestant - This type of medicine unclogs the stuffy nose by constricting the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa.

b. Antitussive -This category includes medicines that control our brain's cough center to tell our system to stop coughing. This is particularly if our throat is already sore from coughing.

c. Expectorant - The medicines under this type facilitate mucus removal from our system. They help our body thin out the mucus so that we can expel it more easily. This is especially helpful for productive coughs, or a marked abundant coughs.

d. Antihistamine - Under this type are medicines that help reduce sneezing and runny nose. They make our sensors less sensitive to allergens.

e. Aromatics - These medicines are probably the oldest form of cold medication. They possess certain strong aromas such as menthol, that have been proven to decongest stuffy noses, and provide rest and calm.

f. Antipyretics -These types help bring down the body's elevated temperature. They are used to control fevers.

g. Analgesics - These are pain-relievers. The ingredient found in analgesics helps soothe cold-related aches like body-aches and head aches.

There are a lot more ways we can do to nurse a cold, in order to help alleviate the sufferings of persons infected with it, especially when it affects the deeper part of their respiratory system. We don't just think of the infected person, but we would naturally do our best to prevent the virus from spreading since it is infectious.