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.
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 immunocompromised
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 a 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.