Which department should I visit for a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on February 03, 2025
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A cold is a common self-limiting disease in daily life, and it is also somewhat contagious. For treatment and examination, one can visit the general internal medicine department or the respiratory department at a hospital. If it is a severe contagious cold, such as an epidemic influenza, it is advisable to go to the infectious disease department of the hospital for examination. The main principle is symptomatic treatment and antiviral management, while avoiding stress. Mild cases may recover on their own within three to seven days without medication or treatment, simply by resting and drinking plenty of water. However, if the symptoms are severe, timely examination should be sought to prevent complications.

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Is an air conditioning cold a wind-heat cold?

The so-called air conditioning cold refers to a cold phenomenon caused by setting the air conditioning temperature too low, which makes patients overchilled. The clinical symptoms of such patients are mainly those of a cold caused by wind-cold, primarily characterized by a runny nose, nasal congestion, and clear watery nasal discharge, along with an itchy throat and coughing. Of course, these patients may also experience varying degrees of fever. Therefore, air conditioning-induced colds typically occur in the summer, and it is necessary to combine the patient’s clinical symptoms to determine the specific type of cold, which is generally dominated by wind-cold colds.

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Symptoms of a baby's cold and fever

Infant colds and fevers are categorized as respiratory infections, typically caused by pathogens such as respiratory viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, and chlamydia. The initial symptoms usually manifest as varying degrees of fever. Subsequent general symptoms include appearing slightly less lively than usual, possibly accompanied by a reduced appetite, nausea, and even abdominal discomfort. The third category of symptoms affects the upper respiratory tract, commonly presenting as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and in some cases, coughing and excessive phlegm.

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Can you not eat seafood when you have a cold?

Cold patients can generally eat seafood unless they are allergic to it. The common cold is the most frequently seen acute upper respiratory tract infection in clinical settings, and it is a contagious disease. It can cause a variety of clinical symptoms such as fever, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. Therefore, patients with a cold will experience certain consumption, including nutritional and fluid loss. Seafood is the most common marine product food, and it does not affect the common cold. This means that eating seafood does not worsen the clinical symptoms of a cold. Moreover, seafood contains rich nutrients, which can beneficially supplement the losses caused by the cold. Of course, a very small number of cold patients may have an allergic constitution and be allergic to seafood, in which case it is not suitable for them, but this situation is very rare.

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Does drinking alcohol cure a cold?

Drinking alcohol definitely cannot cure a cold, and everyone should be aware of this. Moreover, contrary to that, drinking alcohol can potentially make the symptoms of a cold worse. During a cold, the body's resistance is already weakened, and drinking alcohol at this time might irritate the stomach lining and affect various organs in the body. Therefore, it is best not to drink alcohol when you have a cold, especially not as a treatment for it. It is advised that everyone take care to avoid this misconception. Also, when you have a cold, keep warm, eat light foods, and avoid drinks like carbonated beverages, alcoholic drinks, strong tea, and coffee. Additionally, it is important to maintain a relaxed mood and avoid excessive stress. During the period when taking cold medicine, you should be careful not to drink alcohol to prevent any toxic reactions, which are very harmful to health.

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Can scraping (gua sha) treat a cold?

Gua Sha is one of the methods used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for treating and preventing diseases. It is often performed on the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang, which is located on the back of the human body. The Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang is superficial and acts as the first line of defense when external pathogens invade the body. By scraping the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang, it stimulates the meridians and channels, enhances the body's immunity, and promotes the expulsion of pathogenic factors by strengthening the body’s vital energy. According to TCM, "when the vital energy is preserved within, pathogens cannot interfere." Therefore, scraping the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang can help in treating and preventing the common cold.