5 Mistakes People Make During Cold and Flu Season

Humans are creatures of habit even with a cold. We’ ve all made one of those mistakes, haven’t we? Here are those mistakes …

1. Reducing a slight fever

An elevated body temperature is no reason to panic – on the contrary: In this way the body tries to fight the infection in a sensible way, because higher temperatures accelerate the necessary defence reactions. Only when the body temperature rises above 38 degrees Celsius should we go to the doctor and try to lower the fever.

2. Constantly using a nasal spray

Nasal spray is a great emergency aid, but should not be used for more than ten days. The reason: if we spray our nose permanently with it, the decongestant effect is reversed and we run the risk of catching a drug-induced cold (drug rhinitis). Our nasal mucous membranes then swell even more than before and the nose is even more congested.

3. Blowing your nose too hard

A lot doesn’t always help a lot: If we trumpet into our handkerchief, the nasal secretion not only moves towards the exit, but also into the sinuses. This can even make the cold worse, because the viruses are not completely removed. If we are unlucky, we will end up with a sinusitis. It takes a bit of getting used to, but actually pulling up is healthier. If you feel uncomfortable doing this in the presence of others, you can alternatively hold one nostril closed and blow into the handkerchief with light pressure.

4. Going to the sauna

Yes, saunas strengthen our immune system – but only if we are healthy! If a cold is on the way or already there, we should not take a sauna. The high temperatures and the subsequent abrupt cooling down only weaken our immune system even more and thus slow down the regeneration.

5. Drinking a lot

Sure, water and herbal tea help us through the day. But that we have to drink more than normal when we have a cold is not scientifically proven.