The article will figure out whether it is possible to catch a cold.
Many people believe that a person with a cough and runny nose can transmit the disease to others. This is true, especially when it comes to diseases such as influenza or SARS, and the risk of infection is quite high.
But is a cold contagious? Does the patient need to be isolated for some time or can they be in contact with others?
Degree of infectivity
In the traditional interpretation of the common cold is a pathology provoked by the cooling of the body. That is, after freezing, a person has an indisposition, a sore throat, a runny nose, and possibly a temperature increase. The reason for this condition is a decrease in immune defense and activation of conditionally pathogenic microflora in the body, which every person has.
Many people wonder if a cold is contagious.
A patient for others is not dangerous only if the immunity of these people is high or they are not at risk.
Another question is that any ailment that occurs with a fever, runny nose and cough is commonly called a catarrhal disease. ARVI, herpes infection (colds on the lips), tonsillitis, and flu often fall into this category. All of these pathologies have a specific causative agent, and not conditionally pathogenic, but rather contagious. Some diseases are transmitted very quickly, and the immunity in front of them is almost powerless - for example, flu. Others can get sick only those people who have low immunity.
And is a cold contagious from hypothermia?
Everyone is contagious
If you delve into the reasoning, then every person is contagious. Scientists have proved that about 100 trillion different unicellular organisms live in the adult body, and about half of them are considered pathogenic. However, under normal conditions, these bacilli do no harm to humans. Moreover, without many bacteria, human life is impossible.
So, we will find out in more detail whether a cold is contagious.
Contagious period
Given that with a cold a person is only relatively contagious, he can transmit the disease only at first, when an intensive separation of pathological mucus develops, a cough is noted. At about 4-7 days, the immune system suppresses the functionality of pathogenic microorganisms. That is, after the cessation of acute symptoms, the common cold ceases to be contagious to others.
But is a cold from an air conditioner contagious? This issue is currently more relevant than ever.
Are residual effects dangerous?
The residual effects of the threat do not carry any. The patient can dry up, cough up to 5 times a day. So the process of restoration of the mucous membranes and their renewal proceeds, dead cells that have been infected are removed from the body. However, one should not forget that a simple cold can transform into SARS, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and other respiratory tract pathologies. Any infection clings to a weakened person. In this case, the infectious period will be much longer.
Is a cold contagious to others?
SARS: influenza, rhinoviruses, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, pertussis, reoviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses can be transmitted by air. There are certain patterns in the course of the diseases under consideration:
- the incubation process ranges in time from several hours to 14 days - the person is not contagious;
- at the first complaints - contagious;
- illness time (up to 14 days) - very contagious;
- after the cessation of pathological symptoms - (up to 3 weeks) - an infectious period.
The most dangerous cold is 1-2 days before the onset of symptoms and a few days after that. During this period, the virulence of the virus is highest.
Causes of the disease
The list of causes for the development of colds includes:
- Weakened immunity is the first, but not the only cause of the common cold.
- Hypothermia - for example, a person wet his feet during a snowfall or rain, or it blew out under air conditioning - these factors for a certain time greatly undermine even high immunity. In hot weather, hypothermia situations are most dangerous. Whether a cold from hypothermia is contagious is not an idle question.
- Severe stress. Many people do not take this reason for the common cold. Meanwhile, it is very common. Experience, emotional and nervous exhaustion are the reasons for a decrease in immunity. For example, if a patient was very worried before passing the exam, it is not surprising that in the morning he would wake up with a headache, runny nose and aching muscles. Therefore, doctors advise to avoid stress. Is a cold without a fever contagious?
- Exacerbation of chronic pathologies. For example, peptic ulcer, allergy, heart failure - any disease during the period of exacerbation sharply reduces the protective function of the body, because the immune system is difficult to cope with several diseases at the same time. There are frequent cases when the completion of an attack of a certain disease gradually flows into a cold.
- Gastritis, poisoning and any malfunctions in the digestive system. This reason for the common cold applies to those who like to sit in good company for a plentiful snack and a glass of alcohol. Overloading the digestive organs with alcohol, food, a person weakens it. And it is known that half of the immune cells are located in the intestine. Therefore, the statement that proper nutrition can protect the body from colds is very true.
- Intestinal dysbiosis. The state of microflora in this body largely determines the state of human health. Beneficial bacteria protect the body from the penetration of pathogens into the bloodstream and prevent colds.
There are many reasons for the development of a cold, but all of them lie in the characteristics of the body and lifestyle.
Is a cold contagious for an infant?
Colds in the baby
Disease in babies always begins acutely. The day before, the child was completely healthy, and already in the morning he had severe symptoms of SARS. The insidiousness of the pathology manifests itself in repeated infections and possible complications. Infants up to 6 months old are at risk for colds, since their immunity is not yet sufficiently formed. Doctors recommend isolating sick people from a child, limit contact with them in public transport, and not visit crowded places during periods of outbreaks of colds.
Serious difficulties are caused by infection of the child from the nursing mother. Especially when you consider that a sick person does not immediately find out about his condition, but only with the first symptoms, when he is already critically contagious. Viruses from the mother can enter the baby through the nasopharynx or breast milk.
With a cold in children, a strong cough occurs, increased salivation, mucus from the nose. The baby may have a fever. Moreover, he behaves very restlessly, constantly crying, experiencing sleep disturbances.
First of all, parents should call a pediatrician at home who will examine the baby and prescribe adequate therapy using the most harmless medications.
Is a cold on the lips contagious?
Herpes
A cold on the lips in medicine is called a herpes infection. This virus in most cases provokes the appearance of characteristic vesicles on the lips, seizure, stomatitis. Bubbles a few days after the appearance begin to burst and turn into sores. The herpes virus can live in the human body for many years, but does not show any symptoms. However, in the presence of negative factors, for example, hypothermia, it is activated and affects the lips, wings of the nose, inguinal region and genitals. However, the most common place for rashes is the edges of the lips.
The disease takes about two weeks to complete. Prodromal or anterior degree, which is characterized by itching, lasts, as a rule, up to two days. After this, the vials with the contents inside the transparent liquid are poured. In a few days, the liquid becomes cloudy, and the formations begin to burst. Small ulcers form in their place. In the absence of therapy, they can heal in 7 days.
When do the bubbles burst?
The most contagious is a cold on the lips at the stage when the bubbles burst, and fluid is released from them - lymph. It contains the virus in a very concentrated form. If you do not use antiviral drugs, lymph can affect areas of the skin adjacent to the ulcer, that is, a rapid spread of herpes will occur, which is extremely contagious to those around the sick person.
Is it possible to get a cold from another on my lips?
The virus can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with body fluids or damaged tissue. In addition, it can be infected during childbirth - it is transmitted to the child from the mother. Herpes is quite tenacious and can persist for a long time on household items - dishes, towels, etc. It can penetrate into the body through mucous membranes or areas of damaged skin. A cold on the lips is very contagious, and about 90% of people are infected with herpes, which is built into the cells, making it very difficult to get rid of. Visual symptoms, the same vesicles on the lips, appear with a decrease in immune defense, namely:
- with a cold;
- hypothermia;
- frequent stress;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- in the premenstrual period;
- with a seasonal lack of vitamins.
Preventative methods
Prevention of colds is of great importance, especially in the offseason. To prevent infection of loved ones, as well as not to get sick yourself, you must adhere to some rules:
- personal hygiene;
- proper nutrition;
- wear a special gauze dressing or mask from a pharmacy when in contact with a sick person;
- take antiviral medications used to prevent acute respiratory viral infections and influenza-like diseases.
Cold treatment
Is a cold caused by hypothermia without temperature? We answered this question.
Many people believe that a cold can not be treated, and it will pass on its own in a few days. However, this is not always the case. Colds can cause a variety of complications that will require serious medical attention. For example, an untreated runny nose with a cold can provoke the development of sinusitis, and a light cough often turns into bronchitis, and it will be impossible to cope with such diseases without the use of antibiotics. Therefore, you need to treat a cold, and for this there is a huge variety of medications and alternative medicine.
More fluid
The first rule for successful treatment of such diseases is an increased amount of fluid consumed. With colds, it is recommended that you drink plenty of fluids, which can be a variety of teas, decoctions from medicinal herbs, compotes, dried fruit, rose hips, etc. Liquid helps to remove pathogenic viruses and bacteria from the body, as a result of which recovery is much faster.
If the nose is stuffy
If the nose is stuffed up, experts recommend that you first remove the accumulation of mucus from it, and only then drip vasoconstrictor drugs. These funds well eliminate nasal congestion, but they can not be used for a long time, because they can be addictive.
A cold is often accompanied by a cough, and in order to stop this unpleasant symptom, you need to take various cough syrups based on herbs. If such remedies do not help, and the patient suffers from an obsessive night cough, you can try medications based on chemicals. However, such drugs are resorted to, as a rule, if herbal remedies do not give a positive result.
With severe chills and an increase in temperature of more than 38 degrees, it is recommended to use antipyretic drugs, wiping with vinegar.
It is important to often ventilate the room, drink plenty of fluids and adhere to the doctor's recommendations, then a cold will pass quickly and will not entail unpleasant complications.
We examined whether a cold is contagious.