It is fall which means it is a respiratory infection time of year. Colds, flu, COVID, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are a few breathing viruses that abound. Bacteria and viruses are around all year long. However, they are more prevalent as illnesses in the fall and winter. They can thrive in the spring and summer, but cooler months are peak times.
There are many reasons why bacteria and viruses seem to thrive in cooler weather. Cold and flu pathogens like cooler and drier weather multiply at peak ability. However, the increase in the numbers of colds and flu has a lot to do with how our bodies work during the cooler weather. When it is cold, we stay indoors. Even though rooms are ventilated, it is not the same as a summer breeze blowing through, which can blow bacteria and viruses away. Indoor heating makes the air dryer which dries out mucous membranes in the nose and mouth. This allows the pathogens to stick to the inside of the body and slip into your cells, where viruses can multiply. As we are closer to people inside, there is a shorter trip for the pathogens to travel from one person to another.
We have been inside for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was entirely necessary. As a result, we have not been exposed to the usual number of bacteria and viruses that confront us every day as we mix and mingle with other people. This strategy saved many individuals from death, but we need to rebuild our immunities.
A cold or flu seems like one is a worse version of the other, but they are very different due to their origins. Both are caused by a virus entering the body, but many different viruses exist. Colds typically affect the upper respiratory system (nose and throat), whereas flu is more in the lungs and gut. According to the American Lung Association, rhinovirus is the most common cold source. Colds are transmitted by coughing, which causes droplets to spread, which are picked up by inhaling or touching something contaminated with the virus. When you touch something with a cold virus on it and then touch a mucous membrane, such as your eyes, nose, or mouth, you can transfer the virus into your own body. Mucous membranes also include your urethra and rectum, which are not usually a way of entering your body unless you perform personal care with dirty hands. Performing catheterization or a bowel program, especially without cleaning your hands, is another way for any viruses and bacteria to enter the body.
A cold typically lasts about a week, but symptoms can last longer. It may spread to your sinuses, creating a sinus infection, to your throat or lungs. Children and individuals with healthcare issues such as neurological issues may have more severe cases, especially if the ability to cough and move fluid around in the lungs is affected or if your immune system is affected, such as with autonomic nervous system injury.