12 Common Myths about Colds and the Flu
When
we, or someone close to us, happen to catch a cold or the flu, a common
first instinct is to start overreacting and applying all the advice we
ever got on the topic. In a fit of panic, we tend to forget that not all
of this advice is good advice. A famous example is the vitamin
C craze during the flu season, with people taking high doses of the
vitamin to either prevent or treat their cold and flu despite there
being plenty of scientific evidence that vitamin C isn't effective at improving or preventing colds and the flu.
In this article, we’ll dispel 12 similarly common and often harmful myths about the common cold and the flu.
1. You can prevent colds and the flu by washing your hands more often
There
is no one universal habit that will help you prevent colds and the flu,
and washing your hands is no exception. This isn't to say that washing
your hands often won’t help you cut down on your risk of getting the
flu, however. In fact, if you happen to spend time with people who have
the flu, washing your hands often and cleaning the shared surfaces are
among the best ways of minimizing your risks.
If
you’re sharing space or appliances with the person who has the flu,
make sure to wash your hands with soap as often as you can and avoid
touching your face with your hands, as the influenza virus can survive
on a surface for up to 8 hours.
You should also keep a distance of at least 6 feet
(1.8 m) from a person with the flu or cold, as when they sneeze, the
little droplets of saliva contaminated with viruses can travel through
the air and land on you, significantly increasing your risk of
contracting the disease.
2. ‘Feed a cold, starve a fever’
This
popular saying has no medical truth behind it, so the best thing you
can do with it is to forget about its existence completely. The fact of
the matter is that starving is the last thing to consider when having a
cold or the flu, as you really need to support your body with as many
nutrients as you can to help it fight the virus.
So, don’t starve and eat a healthy diet when you’re sick, and while you’re at it, also stay hydrated and drink your way to health and a swift recovery.
3. You can’t catch the flu in summer
Like
most germs, the influenza virus is here to keep us company all year
round, so there is no reason why you couldn’t catch the flu in summer if
you happen to encounter it. But the thing is, you’re a lot more likely
to be bombarded by the virus during the cold months, and there are
several reasons why that is the case.
For
one, people tend to congregate in closed, poorly ventilated spaces more
in the cold months, so you’re more likely to meet someone with the flu
during the fall and winter. Apart from that, the influenza virus itself
is a bit more resilient in cold weather than it is in warm weather, as
exposure to warm humid temperatures destroys the protective coating of
the virus more quickly, cutting down the time it can survive on surfaces
dramatically.
All
this makes the cold months optimal for the spread of the flu virus,
which is exactly why we typically refer to this time as the flu season.
Still, the virus can technically lurk somewhere near you year-round, and
people do get it in the summer as well.
4. Chicken soup will make you recover from the cold and flu faster
In
terms of its ability to speed up your recovery, chicken soup is
comparable to any other hot drinks, such as tea or warm cocoa. All these
drinks can do is soothe your sore throat and hydrate your body. Both of
these reasons make chicken soup and any other hot drink an excellent choice for people experiencing cold and flu symptoms, but don’t expect a miracle.
One
advantage of chicken soup may be that it’s more nutritious than water
or tea, so if you’re experiencing a loss of appetite, it may be a good
way to get at least some nutrients into your body. That being said,
smoothies and juices have a very similar effect as well, so chicken soup
is by far not a necessity for people suffering from a cold or the flu.
5. If your symptoms persist for more than a few days or you have a high fever, you should take antibiotics
If
you feel like your flu or cold symptoms persist for more than a week or
you’re experiencing a high fever that isn’t responsive to OTC drugs, a
good idea is to visit or call a doctor, as you may be experiencing some
complications.
What
you shouldn’t do is take antibiotics right away, as these are useless
for viral infections like the flu or colds. Antibiotics can only kill
bacteria, and if it’s a virus causing your symptoms, they will do more
harm than good for your recovery. Taking antibiotics unnecessarily can
be dangerous, as it promotes antibiotic resistance and can cause side effects like diarrhea, digestive issues, nausea, and fungal infections.
6. Sweating out a fever will help you recover faster
The
theory is that raising your body’s temperature will help you kill the
viruses infecting your body, so you should exercise, or breathe in warm
steam or go to the sauna to raise your body’s temperature.
Unfortunately, there is no scientific proof of that theory, and sweating
profusely may actually cause dehydration, so you may end up slowing
down your recovery by engaging in any of these practices.
If you’d like to learn more on this topic, we have a dedicated article on the topic, which you can access by clicking here:
7. You won't spread the flu if you're not feeling ill
This
might come as a surprise, but even healthy-looking people can be
carrying the influenza virus or the rhinovirus. In fact, 20-30% of
people with the influenza virus exhibit no symptoms, but you can still
get the virus from them and become sick.
Apart
from that, some people infected with the influenza virus can exhibit no
symptoms during the first day, but they will spread the disease
nevertheless.
8. The flu is just a stronger cold
It’s
understandable how these two conditions may be confused, as both colds
and the flu cause symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, fever,
sneezing, and coughing. However, the two conditions are caused by two
distinct strains of viruses - the rhinovirus causes a cold, whereas the influenza virus produces the flu.
Of
the two conditions, the flu is a lot more dangerous, and sometimes even
life-threatening. In the United States alone, 36 thousand people die as
a result of the flu each year, and around 200 thousand are
hospitalized. Risks are especially high for immuno-compromised
individuals, children, seniors and persons with some preexisting
conditions.
9. It cannot be the flu if you don’t have digestive issues
The
presence or lack of digestive symptoms is not a way to distinguish
between a cold and the flu. As a matter of fact, the influenza virus
rarely ever causes nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
The
confusion likely stems from a group of viruses not related to influenza
that cause a condition commonly referred to as ‘the stomach flu’. But
don’t be confused, digestive issues are a poor identifier of the flu.
Also, digestive symptoms alone are more likely than not a different germ
altogether and should not be confused with influenza.
10. Drinking milk will worsen your cold
Despite
popular belief, drinking milk while you’re suffering from a cold or the
flu will not worsen your symptoms. What it will do is make your phlegm
slightly thicker, which can cause some discomfort, but it is a myth that
milk makes you produce more phlegm.
Overall, it’s completely safe to drink milk and reap all of its nutritional and hydrating properties even if you’re suffering from a cold or the flu, so drink away.
11. If you get your flu shot too early, it won’t last
At this point, we’re more than sure that you’re aware of the importance of getting flu shot
in preventing influenza infection, so we won’t focus on that topic. One
of the common concerns with the vaccination is that people are afraid
to get the shot too early, as they think it won’t last throughout the
flu season.
If
that is one of your concerns, rest assured that the vaccination will
protect you from the virus for much longer than the flu season. Even if
you get vaccinated in late August, you’ll be protected for at least 6 months, or at least until the end of February.
12. Not dressing warm or going out with wet hair is guaranteed to cause a cold
You've
surely heard this one from your mother and maybe even repeated it to
your kids and grandkids, but you’d be surprised at how little being cold
and wet actually has to do with a cold and the flu. We already
explained why people are more likely to suffer from colds and the flu in
the winter months earlier, but let’s also add that viral infections
don’t magically appear when you feel cold, you have to be exposed to the
virus in order to get infected, so being cold won't cause a cold or the
flu.
What
is true, however, is that sudden jumps in temperatures can make your
immune system more susceptible to infections, so you probably should try
to maintain a steady temperature and adjust your clothing accordingly
anyway.