QUESTION: If you get caught in the cold, you get a cold, right? Help me win two tickets to the ball game on this one.
ANSWER: Sorry, no tickets; you are wrong.
There is no medical evidence to show that cold or wet weather either causes a cold or aggravates one you already have.
If that idea were correct, Alaskans would have constant colds and Floridians wouldn't get them at all (well, almost never!). Colds are caused by tiny organisms called viruses and they have nothing to do with the weather.
You catch a cold by either coming into contact with someone who has a cold or by touching a surface that is infected with cold viruses.
Cold viruses can survive for several hours on hands, objects, or in cloth handkerchiefs, and are probably spread most often by direct contact, such as touching a contaminated surface.
Many people think sneezing and coughing spreads the virus, but since the mucus spray they produce carries little virus, this is unlikely. The best way to prevent the spread of colds is to wash your hands frequently if you've been exposed to someone with a cold.
If you catch a cold, then all those simple rules become quite useful.
Get plenty of rest and stay comfortable, and drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
