The Common Cold, What You Need to Know
It is the start of the cold and flu season.........upper respiratory infections (URI’s) or colds are infections of the airways and lungs. They can hinder training, competition, and everyday activities. Here is what you need to know.
WHAT CAUSES A COLD?
Colds are caused by any one of hundreds of viruses, called rhinoviruses. Colds involve the upper airways of the body including nose, throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (wind pipe), and bronchii (large airways of the lungs). Many factors thought to cause colds, such as cold weather, nutrition, and general health, have not been proven by researchers. However, excessive fatigue or emotional upset may lead to increased susceptibility. After exposure to a rhinovirus, there is an incubation period of 24-72 hours. A cold generally starts with non-specific throat discomfort followed by sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, and fatigue. Fevers are not common in children, but often times not in adults. Symptoms are most prominent the first 2-4 days and decrease over the course of the course of the illness, usually 7-10 days. Some persons, however, may be symptomatic for up to 6 weeks. It is important to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial infection when the symptoms of a common cold start up. A general rule of thumb to follow when trying to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial nasal infection is the color of the discharge. Green discharge typically is viral, and yellow or brown discharge is typically bacterial. The treatment for these conditions is completely different.
Viruses are shed by an infected person in nasal discharges and hand-to-hand contact. To minimize the risks of catching a cold, you should keep your hands away from your face. It is important to wash your hands frequently, and use hand sanitizers often, especially prior to eating. If you have a cold, limit the spread of the virus by using paper tissues, disposing of them immediately, and washing your hands after blowing your nose. Limit your contact with uninfected individuals. When someone is exposed to a rhinovirus, he or she will develop immunity to that particular virus. However, since there are so many viruses causing colds, athletes can be re-infected by a different virus.
HOW DO I GET RID OF MY COLD?
Treatment of colds is limited to symptomatic relief. For a viral infection, antibiotics have no role in treatment. Resting at home helps prevent the spread of the virus to others, but does not affect the amount of time it takes for a virus to run its course. Resting, however, will help the body to take advantage of natural immunity mechanisms to fight off further complications from the virus if fatigue is a factor. Many over the counter (OTC) medications offer relief of symptoms. Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine and phenyephrine HCL help with runny nose and nasal obstruction. Brand names of some of these include Excedrine Sinus, Advil Cold & Sinus, Tylenol Cold, and others. Keep in mind, these mediations are not curing the virus, they just reduce the symptoms to make the virus’s symptoms tolerable.
Athletes should be aware that many oral decongestants are banned by the NCAA and the USOC/IOC doping control regulations. If they are in a sport where USOC drug testing is concerned, they cannot use these medications. Some topical nasal sprays are permitted, but caution must be used with these sprays, as some can be addictive. The use of nasal sprays other than saline by the ISU Athletic Health Care Staff has been discontinued. Athletes with any concerns regarding the legalities of the use of particular cold medications can contact the Resource Exchange Center at the Center for Drug Free sport (www.drugfreesport.com/rec), call the USOC Drug Hotline (800) 233-0393, or check with their athletic trainer or team physician before starting use of these medications. Aspirin is not recommended for fever reduction in viral illnesses, especially in children. In adults, the use of aspirin increases shedding of the viruses, making it easier to pass the cold to others. Children and adolescents under 18 have an increased chance of Reye’s syndrome, a complication that may cause brain and nervous system damage, when viral illnesses are treated with aspirin. For these reasons, acetaminophen (Aspirin free Excedrin, Tylenol, etc) is the preferred medication for fever reduction.
DID YOU KNOW?
Linus Pauling popularized megadoses of Vitamin C for the treatment of colds. Although no one has duplicated his results, recent literature suggests Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants do have some effect on the immune system. Some people have suggested that one gram of Vitamin C taken daily may shorten the course of a cold and usually does not have the gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea and nausea) of higher doses. This has not been scientifically proven at this point, however.
