Cold is a common disease that can affect anyone due to viruses in the nose and throat. Although it is a mild illness, it can cause fatigue and discomfort if it lasts for a long time. However, when infected, many people often make mistakes that can prolong the duration of a cold. Let’s find out now!
1 Ignoring symptoms and not resting enough
When you have a cold, you will often experience symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, fatigue, and headache, especially at night, especially in cold weather. In severe cases, there may be prolonged fever.
When you have these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor and take medication to recover from the illness. If the condition worsens and you continue to have a fever even after taking fever-reducing medication, it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Ignoring symptoms and not resting enough
Many people only do a few exercises hoping to sweat and “excrete the virus” through sweat, but this belief is a mistake. Experts recommend that we rest fully by sleeping to give our bodies time to recover and regain strength.
According to WebMD, sleeping less than 6 hours per night can increase the risk of catching a cold by 4 times compared to those who get enough sleep. If you have trouble sleeping due to cold symptoms, you can take some non-prescription medications to reduce fatigue. In addition, you should try to go to bed early and take naps in the afternoon.
2 Abusing antibiotics
Cold is caused by viruses, so taking antibiotics will not be effective in treating this disease. If you abuse antibiotics, it will not only be ineffective but also increase the risk of antibiotic resistance in the future.
Abusing antibiotics
3 Not drinking enough water
People with a cold often feel pain in the throat, making eating and drinking difficult. Therefore, it is important to drink enough water when you have a cold to thin the phlegm and reduce congestion in the mouth.
In addition to filtered water, you can choose to drink warm herbal tea or warm water to soothe the throat, relieve cough, and reduce pain.
Not drinking enough water
4 Consuming caffeine, alcohol, and stimulants
According to experts’ advice, people with a cold should avoid consuming caffeine or other stimulants for their health. Caffeine may make you feel better and give you the illusion of being healthier, but it actually prolongs the recovery time.
Consuming caffeine, alcohol, and stimulants
5 Skipping meals
Although you may feel tired and lose your appetite due to a bitter taste in your mouth and a sore throat, you should try to diversify your diet to provide energy and nutrients to boost your immune cells’ ability to fight infection and disease.
Skipping meals
6 Stress
According to WebMD, stress can be harmful to the immune system. When you have a cold, a strong immune system is necessary for a quick recovery and to fight off infections.
Therefore, you should try to keep a relaxed and calm state of mind when you have a cold by taking deep breaths and resting adequately to speed up the recovery process.
Stress
7 Spreading the cold virus to others
A cold will be transmitted within 2-3 days, and sometimes even after 1 week, there may still be initial symptoms of the disease. Therefore, in the first 2-3 days, a cold can easily be transmitted to others.
In addition, the cold virus can still exist in the body for up to 3 weeks, during which you can still have a cough and be able to transmit the disease. To prevent spreading the disease to others, you should cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and wash your hands regularly.
Washing hands regularly
This is information about common mistakes in people with colds, which can worsen the condition and prolong the recovery time. Hopefully, this information will help you avoid these mistakes and recover from the illness quickly!
Source: Phu Nu Viet Nam Newspaper
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