Common cold

A cold refers to an acute upper respiratory tract infection caused by viruses, with influenza caused by the influenza virus being termed epidemic influenza. The virus resides in the respiratory tract of patients and is transmitted to others through droplets when patients cough or sneeze. Influenza is highly contagious, and because the virus is prone to mutation, even those who have had influenza before can still be infected when encountering another influenza outbreak, making influenza prone to explosive epidemics. Influenza tends to occur more frequently in winter and spring, with 20-40% of the population potentially infected each time. Colds caused by other viruses (most commonly rhinoviruses and coronaviruses) are termed common colds, of which 30%-50% are caused by certain serotypes of rhinoviruses. Although common colds occur more frequently in early winter, they can also occur in any season, such as spring or summer. The clinical manifestations are characterized by nasal congestion, cough, headache, chills and fever, and general malaise. Due to differences in the pathogenic factors of colds and variations in individual constitution, the manifestations may correspond to upper respiratory tract infection in Western medicine, falling within the category of colds in traditional Chinese medicine. Because viruses survive within human cells, no medication in the world can directly kill cold viruses; the effective approach is to rely on the human immune system. Therefore, colds should primarily be managed with supportive therapy, with particular attention to rest, adequate fluid intake, and a light diet. This provides the immune system with sufficient physical support. Colds may trigger bacterial infections, but medications should never be used casually. After the human immune system kills the virus, the vast majority of infections will resolve spontaneously. Blind medication use can enhance bacterial drug resistance and is also detrimental to the normal functioning of the human immune system.