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By Jeffrey Peebles, M.D. – Southlake MedicalbrDirector, CompletebrCare
While most people obviouslybrassociate a cold with wintertime, many people suffer summer colds that can bebrjust as miserable. A summer cold can actually be worse when you consider thebrfact that you will need to stay inside when it's nice outdoors. Here are somebrtips that could help you start feeling better quickly if you have to deal with this issue.
A More Common Problem Than You May Think
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, rhinoviruses cause up to 50 percent of colds, andbrrhinoviruses are at their most active in the spring, fall and – yes – summer.brSummer colds typically do not feel much worse than their wintertimebrcounterparts; they both feature a lot of nasal congestion and discharge,brheadaches, sneezing, coughing, fever and other issues. Cold symptoms usuallybrare at their worst during the third and fourth days and clear up within a weekbror so.
Potential Complications of Summer Colds
Since people tend to be morebractive during the summer than the winter, summer colds can be significantlybrharder to get over. Activity leads to fatigue and stress, which can make itbrmore difficult for your immune system to fight the virus. In addition,brincreased activity can lead to dehydration, which can increase the risk ofbrpossible complications. A summer cold can be harder to fight even if you staybrindoors. Air conditioning takes moisture from the air and can dry your mucusbrlining, increasing the risk of infection.
Getting Relief
The best course of actionbrfor fighting summer colds is the same as any other time of the year – gettingbrplenty of rest. You also want to drink plenty of fluids. Just make sure to keepbralcohol, coffee and sodas to a minimum because they can make it harder to staybrhydrated. You may also want to consider taking zinc lozenges at the first signbrof a cold, because they may help you get over it quicker. Installing abrhumidifier in your bedroom could also help keep your body hydrated so you canbrget back to normal faster.
If you come down with a summer cold or you everbrexperience any kind of medical emergency, get in touch with the experts atbrComplete Care. Contact us online to learnbrmore.
Dr. Jeffrey Peebles, M.D. has an extensive amount ofbrexperience in delivering advanced emergency care. He is board certified withbrthe American Board of Emergency Medicine, and a member of the American Collegebrof Emergency Physicians/Texas College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Peebles isbrcommitted to providing timely, affordable and high-quality medical care to thebrSouthlake community.