Common Misconceptions About Colds
A survey of 3,962 people found that 90.46% catch a cold at least once a year. Among them, 61.74% have 1-3 colds, 18.73% have 3-5 colds, and only 9.54% never catch a cold. Nearly 70% choose to buy their own medicine, while as many as 46.31% occasionally receive intravenous drips. Although colds are common knowledge, it doesn't mean people handle them correctly. Experts believe there are three major misconceptions about dealing with colds.
1. Taking antibiotics indiscriminately
There's nothing wrong with nearly 70% of people buying their own medicine, but it's wrong to take antibiotics at every turn. "In fact, at least 70% of people have abused antimicrobial drugs unnecessarily, mostly cephalosporins, penicillins, and macrolides," he explained. Antimicrobial drugs are effective for bacterial colds but have little effect on viral ones. Since the vast majority of colds are caused by viruses, taking antimicrobial drugs is not only useless for viral colds but can also lead to drug resistance.
2. Toughing it out without seeing a doctor
Since a cold is a self-limiting disease, for young people, if they can endure symptoms like headaches, fever, and a runny nose that are indeed caused by a cold, "toughing it out" for a few days can indeed lead to self-healing. However, delaying treatment can worsen the condition and even lead to complications like myocarditis or nephritis. For the elderly, however, a cold is absolutely not something to "tough out." They are generally in poorer health, with a higher likelihood of organ damage and weakened bodily functions. If symptoms are not treated promptly, complications can easily be triggered, and in severe cases, it can even be life-threatening.
3. Receiving intravenous drips indiscriminately
There is no data to show that receiving an IV drip helps a cold get better faster. The risk of drugs entering the bloodstream directly is greater than with oral medication, increasing the incidence of adverse drug reactions. However, if a cold sufferer has severe symptoms, such as persistent high fever, frequent vomiting, or a secondary bacterial infection (such as pneumonia), they should be diagnosed by a specialist to determine if an IV drip is necessary.
Experts remind that if possible, it's best to get a blood test after catching a cold to determine what type it is. If you are self-medicating, you should go to the hospital immediately if any of the following three situations occur: first, symptoms persist for more than a week without relief; second, symptoms do not improve after taking symptomatic medicine, for example, a high fever that doesn't subside after taking fever reducers; third, organ problems appear, such as coughing up yellow phlegm.