Associated symptoms

The symptoms of a mild infection of the upper respiratory tract, also called a cold, are often accompanied by headaches. In addition, a slightly elevated temperature (up to 38°C) and aching limbs can cause a stressful feeling of illness. The snivelling oath of sobriety, which is subordinated to the so-called male rhinitis, underlines the diagnosis, according to the vernacular. There is probably no equivalent for the female sex in comparable symptomatology, which lets the insinuation feel vulnerable for many men.

Diagnosis of a cold

The diagnosis of a cold has already been made by almost everyone in their life. It is also a purely clinical diagnosis, which means that it is made purely on the basis of the symptoms and medical history and does not require any further diagnosis. The nose runs and itches, sneezing may be more frequent, the affected person often gets bad breath and is plagued by headaches, perhaps even a slight fever. According to the abstruse theory, the phenomenon of a man’s sniffles therefore attacks every man who suffers from a cold and apparently suffers more than a woman in the supposedly comparable situation. The above-mentioned data of the KKH do not say whether women suffer from a cold more frequently or not, but it does show that men with a mild cold do not stay in bed and take sick leave much more often.

TreatmentTherapy

The therapy of a so-called man cold, as now already mentioned several times as discriminating element of the vernacular, sees itself as a purely symptom-oriented therapy of a common cold. Usually the cold heals spontaneously after one week. In addition to physical protection, sufficient fluid intake should be ensured.

Inhalations with slightly salted hot water can also be helpful. If the nose is “blocked” and nasal breathing is impaired, nasal sprays can be used to provide relief. In the case of increased headaches, painkillers such as ibuprofen can be helpful, which are also effective for fever.