Your mother may have told you many times to “put on your coat before going outside or you will get sick.” Can you get sick from being cold? Well, that depends on what you mean by “sick.” You would not be able to get sick from the common cold with a cold environment alone. You would be able to get hypothermia from a cold environment. Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat more quickly than it can produce enough heat with body temperatures below 95 F. However, I believe your question is about the “common cold.” The common cold is medically referred to as a viral upper respiratory tract infection.
“You need a cold virus, flu virus, or bacteria present causing an infection to cause the common cold, not simply a cold environment alone. You won’t get a common cold from the ice bucket challenge!”
You need a cold virus, flu virus, or bacteria present causing an infection to cause the common cold, not simply a cold environment alone. You won’t get a common cold from the ice bucket challenge! The common cold is a contagious illness that can be caused by about 100 different types of known viruses with the most common being the rhinovirus, but others include adenovirus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and many others. The only way how to get rid of a head cold is for the body’s own immune system to send out T- and B-lymphocytes against the virus. These special white blood cells produce antibodies to bind the virus and prevent it from replicating. These cells also tag viruses for other white blood cells to attack them. Because many different viruses can cause a cold and because new cold viruses constantly develop, the body never builds up immunity to all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring household and societal problem.
Difference Between Cold and Flu Symptoms
Symptoms of the common cold may include cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing but influenza infections are generally more severe with body aches, high fever and possible viral pneumonia which can lead to bacterial super—infection resulting in bacterial pneumonia. Over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may help ease symptoms in adults and older children, but do not reduce the duration of the illness.
Colds are more likely in the Fall and Winter. How can you get sick from being cold? Read to find out why and learn how to prepare.
Here is what we know from research:
1. The body’s immune response becomes impaired with cooler temperatures. Foxmann, EF et al (1) found that different strains of rhinovirus were able to replicate better in those with a cooler nasal cavity compared to warmer conditions. This appears to partially explain why an increase in the incidence of colds occur in the fall and winter. Shawl (3) explained in a research review that as cold temperatures fall, the number and severity of colds and flu related illnesses increase. Davis RE et al found that an increase in influenza and mortality from pneumonia occurred after periods of cold air.
2. People are more likely to gather together indoors. Bang, et al (2) found that The varieties of cold viruses were fewer an isolated communities compared to urban. Also, crowds in an urban location had more severe, intense cold illnesses.
3. Upper respiratory passages become more dry due to cold air. Davis RE et al (4) found that influenza illnesses increased after periods of dry air. Tano L et al (5) found that a daily saline nasal spray may prevent common cold symptoms in healthy adults.
4. Vitamin D levels begin to drop following summer sun exposure in the fall to insufficient range. Urashima et al (6) found that children who took 1200 IUs of vitamin D3 daily had 7.8% less flu episodes than those who took a placebo. The kids with asthma in this study who took the vitamin D3 had 2 episodes of asthma attackes vs. 12 in the group who took the placebo.
I have a cold. Now what do I do?
- Consider supplementing with vitamin D3:
- children < 1 y: 400-1,000 IU/d
- children 1-18 years old: 600-1,000 IU/d
- adults: 1,500-2,000 IU/d
- According to the Centers of Disease Control, prevention of the flu starts with vaccination for anyone 6 months and older at the start of each flu season in October (7).
- If there is any suspicion of the common cold or flu, prevent the spread to others by washing hands after touching the face nose or eyes and use hand sanitizer when hand washing is not available.
- To help prevent colds and flu whether others are known to be sick or not, wash hands frequently, and avoid touching ones face, nose, eyes, or mouth and use hand sanitizer when hand washing is not available. When using doors, a paper towel may be used to open and close doors. Reaching up high onto doors to open and close them where others infrequently touch may also reduce risk.
- Cough should be contained into a tissue or into the sleeve at the elbow since viruses may be transmitted by air droplet exposure. Do not share utensils and drinking cups. A surgical mask or any simple mask which covers the mouth and nose will help prevent exposure to others.
- Spreading the flu virus to others is of greatest concern in patients younger than age 2 or over 65 years old, patients in a nursing home, pregnancy, or those with chronic diseases of the lungs, heart, kidneys, cancer patients (especially those on chemotherapy), and patients with diabetes.
- Within 24 hours of onset of symptoms, the physician may prescribe anti-viral medication which may reduce the duration of the illness but in mild cases it is not needed.
- Researchers found that individuals who reported sleeping less than 7 hours a night were 2.94 times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept 8 hours or more, and those who had sleep efficiency of 92% or less were 5.5 times more likely to develop a common cold than those with an efficiency of 98% or better (8).
- Exercise during colds is not recommended until symptoms begin to taper off, otherwise recovery from a cold may be prolonged.
- It is important to stay hydrated by consuming adequate amounts of fluids.
- Many over the counter medications for the common cold increase blood pressure and heart rate.
- Several natural supplements may reduce the symptoms or duration of the cold or flu. The Clinic Boxes Cold and Flu Box is a program known to improve cold and flu symptoms fast, and may significantly reduce the duration of the illness especially if started on the onset of the cold or flu. The box includes 3 evidence based supplements and instructions for going to combat with and preventing colds and flu.
References for: Can you get sick from being cold?
1.Foxman EF, Storer JA, Vanaja K, Levchenko A, Iwasaki A. Two interferon-independent double-stranded RNA-induced host defense strategies suppress the common cold virus at warm temperature. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jul 26;113(30):8496-501. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27402752
2.Bang FB, Bang MG, Bang BG. Ecology of respiratory virus transmission: a comparison of three communities in West Bengal. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1975 Mar;24(2):326-46. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/164134
3.Shaw Stewart PD. Seasonality and selective trends in viral acute respiratory tract infections. Med Hypotheses. 2016 Jan;86:104-19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26608252
4.Davis RE, Dougherty E, McArthur C, Huang QS, Baker MG.Cold, dry air is associated with influenza and pneumonia mortality in Auckland, New Zealand. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2016 Jul;10(4):310-3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26681638
5.Tano L, Tano K. A daily nasal spray with saline prevents symptoms of rhinitis. Acta Otolaryngol. 2004 Nov;124(9):1059-62. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15513550
6.Urashima M, Segawa T, Okazaki M, Kurihara M, Wada Y, Ida H. Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren.Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1255-60. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20219962
7.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA?800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 – Contact CDC–INFO
8.Cohen S, Doyle WJ, Alper CM, Janicki-Deverts D, Turner RB. Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Jan 12;169(1):62-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19139325
9.Schwalfenberg, G. Vitamin D for influenza. Can Fam Physician. 2015 Jun;61(6):507. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26071153