2019 update 6 KEY facts to handle common cold in a better way

KEY 1: Vitamin C reduces the duration of the common cold when used prophylactically but is no better than placebo when initiated after the onset of cold symptoms

Vitamin C use after onset of common cold are not beneficial.

source: Hemilä H et al: Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 1:CD000980, 2013

KEY 2: Frequency of colds diminishes with age until late in life, when the trend reverses

Age determine how often one can experience common cold in a year

-Preschool children (1- 5 years) experience 8 or more colds per year

-School children aged (6- 12 years) experience 5 to 6 or more colds per year

-Adolescents experience 4 to 5 colds per year

-Adults experience 2 to 3 colds per year

source: Monto AS: Epidemiology of viral respiratory infections. Am J Med. 112 Suppl 6A:4S-12S, 2002

KEY3 : Chronic stress has been associated with increased severity of symptoms; short sleep duration (less than 6 hours per night) increases susceptibility

Stress and Poor Sleep: Hidden Terror

source:

1. Cohen S et al: Types of stressors that increase susceptibility to the common cold in healthy adults. Health Psychol. 17(3):214-23, 1998

2. Prather AA et al: Behaviorally assessed sleep and susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep. 38(9):1353-9, 2015

KEY4 : Antibiotic or antiviral has no benefit nor prevention benefit. They are to be used with certain indications.

say "No to Antibiotic without Medical CheckUp"

source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: Respiratory Tract Infections (Self-limiting): Prescribing Antibiotics. Clinical guideline CG69. NICE website. Updated July 23, 2008. Accessed May 7, 2018.

Best practice Recommendations

KEY5 : WHAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED

! Ibuprofen is not recommended in children younger than 6 months

! Aspirin is not recommended for use in infants and children because it may induce Reye syndrome

! Oral decongestants (eg, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine) Not recommended in children

KEY6: ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES

- Buckwheat honey may reduce the frequency and severity of cough and improve sleep quality

- Saline nasal irrigation (eg, neti pot) may improve nasal symptoms

- Vitamin C may reduce the duration and severity of symptoms

- Inhalation of heated humidified air (rhinothermy) may reduce nasal obstruction

- Herbal remedies (eg, Echinacea preparations, garlic) are of equivocal value

Well, hope 2019 become a better year in handling the most common illness of human lifespan .. the common cold . Wish you good luck always ..

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