How can you prevent a cold?

In contrast to the flu (influenza), there is no vaccination against a cold (flu-like infection). In order to prevent one from catching a cold, however, the body’s own immune system can be strengthened in another way. A strong immune system fights the cause of a cold, i.e. mostly viruses, more effectively when in contact with these pathogens than a weakened immune system, thus making a disease less likely.

In addition to regular physical exercise and a reduction in stress, which certainly has a general preventive effect on disease, a balanced diet is also part of this. Vitamins and minerals, which are found in all fresh foods, are of particular importance here. Fruit and vegetables should therefore be on the menu in sufficient quantities, especially in the cold season.

Those who eat a balanced diet generally do not need any food supplements. If this is not always successful, vitamin C and zinc preparations can be used, which are available to the body in depot form over a longer period of time and are supposed to help it fight against an impending cold. It is just as important as a balanced diet to take in plenty of fluids.

This keeps the mucous membranes moist and enables them to maintain their barrier function against pathogens. Water and unsweetened teas are particularly suitable. Ginger, elderberry or lime blossom in particular are said to have a stimulating effect on the immune system.

Another tip to stimulate the immune system are warm-cold alternating showers. Regular walks in the fresh air are also advisable to accustom the body to the cool temperatures. Of course, you should make sure that you wear warm clothes and that you do not go outside with wet hair after a fresh shower.

Dry heating air is to be avoided, however, regular short airing is advantageous here. However, a draught should be avoided at all costs. Also sauna visits or regular warming foot baths can help to prevent colds.

An equally obvious and effective tip is to stay as far away as possible from pathogens, which are usually viruses. These can be transmitted either by droplet infection, i.e. by speaking, coughing or sneezing, or by smear and contact infection, i.e. mainly via the hands or contaminated objects such as handkerchiefs or door handles.

For example, it is advisable to wear gloves outside and to wash your hands thoroughly on a regular basis. Common places of infection are those where people come close to each other, such as on public transport. If possible, it is therefore advisable to take a walk in the fresh air instead of riding the crowded buses and trains.

In the vast majority of cases, colds heal with or without treatment after a few days (maximum 1-2 weeks) without consequences. It should be noted that medication only relieves symptoms such as headaches or fever, but does not accelerate the recovery process. In some cases, a superinfection must be expected, which builds on the viral infection as a bacterial infection and extends the recovery process accordingly.

In this case the use of antibiotic therapy must also be considered. If the patient has no previous immunodeficient diseases, the prognosis of a cold is very good even with a bacterial superinfection. The duration of a cold varies greatly and depends on many factors.

As a rule of thumb, however, it can be said that every cold usually lasts one to two weeks and this is usually independent of whether measures are taken to treat the symptoms of a cold or not.One factor that prolongs a cold is certainly the physical and general health condition that prevails at the time of the illness. If the immune system is limited and weakened in its possibilities by a serious underlying disease or immunosuppressive therapy, it may take the body a little longer to fight off a cold than if you get sick out of pure health. This is also called a chronic cold.

The duration can also be prolonged in very old people or premature babies, because here either the immune defence has already been slowly broken down or is still in the learning process. A bacterial superinfection of the pharyngeal tonsils or the paranasal sinuses, for example, can also prolong the duration. However, the duration of the cold itself is not affected, but the symptoms of the infection prolong the duration of the disease itself.

Of course, a cold lasts longer, even if only to a small extent, if you do not allow yourself to rest and do not drink enough fluids. A big difference between the treatment and duration of a viral and a bacterial infection is that the use of drugs that work specifically against the pathogen does not bring immediate improvement or shorten the duration of the viral infection. Treating a cold with antiviral drugs is therefore not the rule, partly because these drugs are more suitable for the treatment of influenza.

The only remedies that are beneficial are drugs for the symptoms of a cold, such as cough syrup, decongestant nasal drops and painkillers for headaches. Thus, after a short time, an improvement of the condition can be noticed and this in turn has a positive effect on the duration of the cold. A lot of sleep and drinking also have a positive effect on the duration of the illness, as the immune system can concentrate fully on fighting the viral infection.

Even if you still have slight symptoms of a cold after more than two weeks, this is no cause for concern. The exception to this is when the symptoms have become progressively worse over the course of the illness, the general condition is increasingly reduced and a high fever develops. In this case a doctor should be consulted for clarification.

Some studies want to show that regular sauna-goers fall ill with colds less frequently than other people. The principle is that the high temperatures during the sauna stimulate the blood circulation of the mucous membranes and thus protect them more effectively with their defense cells against pathogens. The alternating hot sauna bath followed by a rapid cooling down is intended to serve as a heat regulation training, so that the body can adjust more easily to changing temperatures.

The blood vessels in the skin are to be trained to reduce heat loss in a cooler environment and make it harder for pathogens to penetrate. However, sauna bathing is only effective if it is used regularly (i.e. once or twice a week) and is experienced as relaxation. A sauna bath should not last longer than 15 minutes and then the body should be cooled down briefly (e.g. under a cold shower), but not cool down.

It is rather questionable whether a sauna visit can “sweat out” an already existing cold. Especially when the cold is already advanced, the sauna is too much strain on the cardiovascular system and can aggravate symptoms like exhaustion and weakness. Even if you have a fever, a visit to the sauna will hardly be experienced as pleasant and relaxing.