Clearing Up Common Cold Myths With An Online Doctor

By Author: Andrew Brown
Total Articles: 3
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As the height of cold and flu season arrives, staying healthy amidst the increasing presence of germs and viruses has never been more important. As popular as common colds are this time of year, old wives’ tales about household cures for these ailments are equally popular. With such a focus on staying healthy, it can be hard to differentiate between fact and fiction when it comes to curing the common cold. An online medical consultations can help separate the meaningful tips from the myths.

Chicken Soup – Cure-All?
Perhaps the most commonly suggested cure for a cold is a big bowl of chicken soup. But does this age-old remedy really work? Chicken soup has to be proven to work on some levels, mainly because it will soothe inflammation and offer mucus-thinning effects as well. So while it may not eliminate cold symptoms completely, don’t feel bad about feeding your kids chicken soup whenever they are under the weather. It’s a solid first step to feeling ...
... better.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Liquids
When you are suffering from a cold, keeping hydrated is extremely important. Recent research suggests that warm liquids are one of the most effective ways to alleviate the symptoms of a cold, including fatigue, chilliness, and sore throats. As important as the right liquids are, however, ensuring your body is properly fed is also important. Your body can already be under enough duress when you are battling a cold, it is crucial to not deprive it the calories it needs to regain its strength.

Can You Catch a Cold…from the Cold?
You’ve heard it all before - going outside with a wet head of hair or without a coat will increase your chances of catching a cold. But will it really? As it turns out, no. Colds are actually circulated by viruses, which are more commonly found inside, rather than out. The germs that cause a cold are airborne, and you can only contract one through physical contract with the virus. These germs are often found in public places, on surfaces, such as the handrail of an escalator in the mall or a public restroom sink. This is why it is especially important to wash your hands frequently (especially this time of year) in order to rid yourselves of these cold-causing germs.

Consult a doctor on your time, in your home, and on your budget. Board-certified specialists and licensed doctors will give you peace of mind the next time you need a quick diagnosis and treatment for the flu or any other general medical advice.

About the Author
Ask-the-Dr is a company that specializes in connecting people to doctors, anytime of day, seven days a week. Ask-the-Dr offers convenient and affordable access to quality physician care. Ask-the-Dr provides its members with convenient access to telephonic and secure online consultations with a doctor using telemedicine solutions developed to manage medical conditions through telephone and internet-based applications. All of our physicians are independently contracted as participating providers in the AmeriDoc Physician Network℠. Call 888-448-7633 to speak to a physician anytime.