"Put on a jacket, don't go cold." We have heard the phrase so many times that we take it for granted: the cold is to blame for the discomfort and the diseases we face in winter, especially the cold. Actually, this is not true., not in the way we think, at least. Although cold has its role in this disease, it is no more important than hygiene or the fact of spending a lot of time surrounded by other people.
What is the cold?
The cold, the cold, the flu, the constipation ... all expressions refer (inadequately) to a compendium of discomforts that we relate to the cold. In our cultural heritage, going cold means endangering our defenses and, therefore, our body. This is not like this.
The common cold is an infection usually caused by a virus (usually a rhinovirus). This virus causes an upper respiratory infection., that is, nose and throat, malaise, mucus, pain and even fever. It usually lasts between seven days and three weeks, during which time our body ends it.
3D image of a human rhinovirus On the other hand, the flu is not the same as the cold. They differ in several issues: the cold virus is different from the flu virus (which is an influenzavirus). The latter causes symptoms similar to the cold but stronger, with fever and major generalized pain or other symptoms: nausea, vomiting, muscle aches ...
In Babies and more Why do parents leave their babies in the strollers at the door of stores in the Nordic countries?The causes of this whole picture, we insist, They are viruses and the physiological response to fight them. It is a natural reaction of the body, which has a very complex defense process. But then, what role does the cold play in this whole affair?
The cold does not cause the cold
It is common to think that the cold "lowers the defenses", but this is not true. Our immune system is no less effective due to external cold. This is due, among other things, to our body being protected from external conditions. In addition, there is also no evidence that this occurs.
In fact, if the cold were directly related to the decrease in defenses and the increase in these diseases, the colder countries would suffer more. However, this is not true. World data does not show that there is a higher rate of flu or cold in colder countries.
In Babies and more, the 2018-19 flu season begins: we tell you everything you need to know about the vaccine in children and pregnant womenYes it is related to vaccination and the population at risk. It is also related to age and risk factors: that is, it occurs more often in older populations or with fewer resources, but not in a direct way with the cold, at least in the way we usually relate it.
Why are there more colds when it's cold?
Despite what has been said above, it is true that cold and flu are two seasonal diseases, that is, they appear associated with certain times of the year. Specifically, autumn and winter, the times when the cold appears. For what reason?
There are several explanations that do relate cold to cold, but more or less indirectly. The first and most obvious is that we spend more time together, at short distances. The cold causes us to stay longer for shelter, near the heat sources that give us comfort. This situation is perfect for the transmission of viruses such as rhinovirus or influenza and promotes the epidemic.
Second is the incidence: we spend more time indoors where other people have been Viruses are able to resist inanimate objects for some time. Especially the ones we play the most: keyboards, mice, door knobs, knobs ... The time they resist depends a lot on the temperature and humidity conditions. Coincidentally, winter and autumn conditions promote its resistance due to higher absolute humidity that is produced by the condensation of water vapor due to cold.
In Magnet, then why do we catch the flu more in autumn and winter if the fault is not the cold?An interesting study analyzed this variable with the incidence rate of the disease, proving that there is a relationship, although we do not know its reason at all. This affects both the conditions inside and outside the places where we live, but especially in the places we share with other people, where this absolute humidity and the possibility of transmission increases greatly. Although viruses do not last more than a few minutes on these surfaces, it is enough for another human being to touch them.
He is not the culprit, but that helps the cold to have more colds
Although we can not blame the cold cold, at least not in the way we usually do, the truth is that yes it has a role in the disease. Also from a medical and health point of view. There are numerous studies that try to relate the incidence of the cold to low temperatures.
In Babies and more How to take care of the skin of babies and children in cold weatherAs we said before, there is no evidence that cold negatively affects our immune system in humans. But there are indications that the low temperature could help the virus to penetrate more easily due to the dryness of the mucous membranes.
This is especially relevant if we relate it to the fact that absolute humidity helps the survival of the virus, since the wetter air, in contact with the drier mucosa, helps infection. However, the evidence shows that there is no difference in symptoms between people who are colder and those who are more warm, which supports the hypothesis that cold is not the determining factor.
In short, we know much less than we believe about the relationship between cold and cold. But it is clear that a jacket will rather help you to protect yourself from constipation. More effective is to cover your mouth and nose, but not because of the cold, but to prevent the entry of viruses. Although it is no use either. At this time of the year it is best to get the idea: it is quite easy for us to end up with colds.
