What should you not eat when you have a cold and nasal congestion?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on January 09, 2025
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Colds are very common in clinical settings, often due to a patient's lowered immune function. Patients may inadvertently come into contact with viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, fever, and cough. For patients experiencing nasal congestion from a cold, it is advised to avoid spicy and irritating foods such as chili peppers, raw onions, and raw garlic. Additionally, they should not consume cold or cooling foods and should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol to prevent exacerbating the symptoms of the cold. Therefore, during a cold, it is advisable to avoid seeking cool environments and to not set the air conditioning too low to prevent getting chilled again.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Symptoms of bacterial cold

Bacterial cold, commonly referred to as an upper respiratory tract infection, is just one of the more common types of colds. Generally, when bacteria infect the respiratory tract, it causes the patient to experience varying degrees of fever, headache, dizziness, and even chills, as well as symptoms such as sore throat, coughing, and even some nasal congestion. Therefore, patients with bacterial colds generally exhibit these symptoms. Of course, some patients with bacterial colds might have lighter infections and may not exhibit typical clinical symptoms of discomfort. Thus, the clinical symptoms presented by each patient with bacterial colds can vary. For patients with bacterial colds, a clear diagnosis can be made by combining some clinical presentations with related auxiliary examinations.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Methods to stop coughing from a cold

During a cold, if you have symptoms of a cough, then it is appropriate to drink some rock sugar and pear water at this time. Pears have the effect of moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and transforming phlegm, which can alleviate some symptoms of a cold cough. At the same time, it is also necessary to take some corresponding sensitive antibiotics to fight the infection for better treatment effects. Additionally, you can take some cough and phlegm relief medication to ease the symptoms. It is also important to note that the diet should include more fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C to supplement vitamins, which can enhance one’s resistance and also alleviate some symptoms of a cold. It is advised that during the coughing period, one should rest more, avoid over-exertion, and also refrain from heavy physical labor, engage in moderate exercise, and avoid intense physical activities. Intense exercise can potentially reduce resistance, worsening the symptoms of a cold, and this should be noted.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Is nasal congestion the same as having a cold?

Nasal congestion is not necessarily a cold. Cold medicine has many symptoms, with nasal congestion being one of them. However, there could be more reasons for nasal congestion. A cold is just one factor causing nasal congestion. Other reasons might include chronic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, and nasal polyps. Often, these conditions are primarily due to pathological changes in the nose itself. Therefore, it is recommended to visit an otolaryngology clinic, particularly for persistent nasal congestion, and consider undergoing a nasopharyngoscopy. If needed, a sinus CT may also be considered, along with symptom assessment and additional diagnostic tests, to make a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Sore throat without cold symptoms

If it is just a simple sore throat without any other cold symptoms, it could possibly be due to an early stage cold, acute pharyngitis, acute laryngitis, acute tonsillitis, or acute epiglottitis. Some patients may also experience neurogenic pain in the throat area. Overall, there are many possible causes, and it's hard to determine based solely on symptoms. Therefore, it is recommended to visit an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist, who can perform an indirect laryngoscopy or a fiber optic laryngoscopy to clearly observe the specific condition and location of the disease within the throat. Additionally, a complete blood count test can be helpful in determining whether there is an acute bacterial or viral infection causing inflammation. If there is an acute infection causing inflammation, antibiotic treatment may be considered, along with regular follow-ups.

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Written by Zhai Guo Dong
Gastroenterology
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Do you need an IV for a stomach flu?

When suffering from a stomach flu, symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloating. If the symptoms are mild, it is recommended that patients take some antispasmodic and pain relief medications orally. In terms of diet, it is best to avoid irritant foods and consume oral rehydration salts to prevent electrolyte imbalance and significant fluid loss. If the patient experiences severe diarrhea, it is advisable to appropriately supplement with sugar and electrolyte solutions or liquids. If the condition worsens, the use of antibiotics and antiviral medications may be considered.