Is it possible to “sweat out” a cold through sport?
Often one hears the sentence that one can simply “sweat out” a cold. Many people have tried it themselves with probably different courses. First of all, you have to differentiate here what kind of illness it is.
If you have a mild cold, a light sports program with moderate sweating cannot cure the disease. However, the increased blood circulation of the mucous membranes supports the recovery process. If the disease is a severe cold with a feverish course, then one should definitely avoid sports and cure the disease completely. Afterwards you should allow your body to recover for a few days before you can slowly continue with your sports program.
Heart muscle inflammation as a complication
Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) can pose a danger if, for example, the viruses of a flu-like infection spread through the body as a result of sport or other efforts. Theoretically, the viruses can spread in the body with every cold, but sport increases the likelihood that a simple cold will turn into a potentially life-threatening myocarditis. Younger people and athletes in particular, who do not recover properly after a supposedly banal cold, are often affected by heart muscle inflammation.
When the pathogens of a cold spread through the body, they can attack a variety of other organs in addition to the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat area. It is particularly dangerous when an inflammation of the heart muscles occurs, as it can be fatal.In most cases, heart muscle inflammation recedes harmlessly and remains undetected. However, cardiac arrhythmia or even organ failure with a fatal outcome can be triggered, especially by increased stress on the heart caused by sports.
In some cases, it may be advisable to seek medical advice as to whether training can be continued in a weaker form. With the help of an electrocardiogram (ECG), possible cardiac dysrhythmia can be detected early on. A blood analysis can also provide information on whether there is an increased number of pathogens in the blood.
A break from sports is then absolutely necessary to give the body time to fight off the pathogens. Inflammation of the heart muscle is not only manifested by cardiac arrhythmia or organ failure. Other symptoms such as tiredness, loss of performance, fever, shortness of breath, weakness, water retention in the legs (edema) or prolonged chest pain can also indicate an inflammation of the heart muscle.
If these more unspecific symptoms occur, a doctor should be consulted immediately. As a rule, the disease is treated with medication (for example antibiotics). In addition to drug therapy, it is very important to take it easy on the body over a longer period of time, otherwise there is a risk of serious relapses. In most cases, a properly treated heart muscle inflammation will negotiate without permanent damage.