How to treat a cold during pregnancy

Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on November 05, 2024
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If you have symptoms of a cold while pregnant, it is advised not to self-medicate blindly. Always consult a physician and use medications that are relatively safer to treat the condition so as to prevent any potential impact on the fetus. This is particularly important during the first three months of pregnancy when the baby's development is still not complete, and indiscriminate use of some medications could possibly cause developmental abnormalities in the baby.

It is suggested that everyone should distinguish the type of cold they are experiencing, and then treat and alleviate symptoms through dietary therapy. For instance, for a cold caused by exposure to wind and chill, one might drink some brown sugar ginger tea or have a warm foot bath, both of which can expel the cold from the body, promote blood circulation, and relieve cold symptoms. If it's a cold caused by wind-heat, drinking herbal teas that clear heat and detoxify can be beneficial in alleviating the condition.

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How to reduce fever from a stomach flu?

Generally, physical cooling methods such as wiping with alcohol or applying ice packs to areas with large arteries like the armpits, groin, or neck can be used to dissipate heat, but it is important to prevent frostbite. Secondly, you can drink herbal teas that clear heat, such as chrysanthemum tea or honeysuckle tea. Massages can also help reduce fever, focusing on acupoints like Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Dazhui (GV 14), and Yongquan (KI 1). Additionally, antipyretic and analgesic medications can be taken to help reduce fever. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)

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How to distinguish between bacterial cold and viral cold?

Viral colds primarily affect the nasal area, with severe runny nose that is mostly clear and lacks pus-like discharge. When coughing, there is little phlegm. Symptoms of bacterial colds mainly occur in the tonsils and throat, showing redness and swelling of the throat, enlarged tonsils, and throat pain. The nasal discharge is generally thick, and the cough brings up thick phlegm. Viral colds do not show any abnormalities in routine blood tests, whereas bacterial colds often display an increase in white blood cells.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
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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 you eat shrimp with a cold?

When you have a cold, it is important to be cautious about what you eat. It is best to avoid eating shrimp as it is considered a stimulating food that can potentially worsen the symptoms of a cold. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid seafood like fish, shrimp, and crabs, which are also considered stimulating. Your diet should primarily be light, and you should consume foods rich in vitamins and fiber. Additionally, maintaining a positive mindset and not worrying too much are important. Furthermore, if the cold is severe, be sure to follow a doctor's guidance and cooperate with the medical treatment actively. Avoid spicy, greasy, raw, or irritant foods. Also, it is advisable not to consume items like chili peppers, black pepper, mustard, alcoholic beverages, strong tea, and coffee.

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Can you drink alcohol when you have a cold?

You should not drink alcohol when you have a cold. Drinking alcohol during a cold often exacerbates the clinical symptoms of the cold, worsening the condition, and may even increase complications in some patients. Cold sufferers often experience marked upper respiratory tract catarrhal symptoms, and some may also feel generally unwell. Drinking alcohol can exacerbate these respiratory symptoms and sometimes lead to bacterial infections due to lowered immune defenses, resulting in acute suppurative tonsillitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, and other conditions. Moreover, drinking alcohol when you have a cold can trigger gastrointestinal disturbances, especially in patients with gastrointestinal-type colds, noticeably worsening symptoms such as nausea, abdominal bloating, and diarrhea. In cases of severe colds, where patients take oral cold medications, drinking alcohol can increase the adverse reactions of these medications, causing significant discomfort. Some bacterial colds require antibiotic treatment, especially oral cephalosporin antibiotics, where drinking alcohol may induce a disulfiram-like reaction; therefore, it is prohibited for cold sufferers to drink alcohol.