Symptoms of bacterial cold

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on November 05, 2024
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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 Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Precautions for Wind-Heat Colds

For individuals with wind-heat colds, it is important to avoid consuming overly hot or overly spicy foods, as well as overly cold foods. Care should also be taken not to overheat oneself; do not cover oneself with blankets to induce sweating, as this can exacerbate the condition. It is recommended that those suffering from wind-heat colds drink more plain water to help regulate the body, or consume honey water regularly, which can also effectively aid in regulation. Additionally, it is crucial to avoid eating overly hard foods, refrain from staying up late, and ensure ample sleep to aid in faster recovery and improvement.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can you drink alcohol when you have a cold?

A cold, also commonly referred to as an upper respiratory tract infection, can be classified based on the type of infecting virus into common cold and influenza. Regardless of the type, patients typically experience various symptoms following the virus infection such as fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, coughing, and an itchy throat. For patients exhibiting these symptoms, it is generally recommended in clinical practice to drink plenty of water and avoid overly greasy foods. Certainly, consumption of alcohol and spicy foods like chili peppers should be avoided. Similarly, it is advised not to consume cold-natured foods during a cold, hence drinking alcohol is discouraged while sick.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Physical cooling methods for colds

Fever symptoms caused by a cold can be treated with physical cooling methods. There are many commonly used methods in clinical practice. For adults, one can wipe the palms, soles, neck, and chest—areas where major blood vessels run—with warm water or alcohol. You can also use a cool towel or ice packs to compress the forehead. Drinking herbal concoctions like scallion water or ginger sugar water can also help reduce fever physically. Additionally, soaking feet in Sichuan peppercorn water can be effective. Regardless of the method used, it's important to drink plenty of water and recheck the temperature after two hours.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Differences between air conditioning cold and common cold

Using air conditioning set too low, or staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time, can easily cause a cold due to the lack of air circulation. When a person's immune function is low, it is easy for viruses or bacteria to invade the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, headache, and dizziness. In the case of a common cold, it might be a heat-type cold or it could be a cold-type cold. Common colds are usually caused by viral infections of the respiratory tract, leading to clinical symptoms of discomfort. On the other hand, air conditioning colds often occur due to the air conditioning being set too cold, leading to cold-induced symptoms. Thus, there is a distinct difference between air conditioning colds and common colds, with the systemic symptoms caused by air conditioning colds being relatively more severe.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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How to determine if a full moon baby has a cold

Generally, a one-month-old baby cannot express discomfort, so it is difficult to determine whether they have caught a cold. To judge if a baby has a cold, you need to observe if there are any changes in their usual behavior such as obvious spit-ups, decreased milk intake, increased sleep duration, deeper sleep, inconsolable crying or restlessness, labored breathing, nasal congestion, phlegm sounds in the throat, or frequent bubbles at the corners of the mouth. If the baby's breathing appears faster than usual, it likely indicates sickness. If parents notice their one-month-old is uncomfortable, it is imperative to promptly take the baby to a hospital for a thorough examination and treatment guidance from a specialist doctor.