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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What should a pregnant woman eat when she has a cold?

During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman accidentally catches a cold, she can use some dietary therapy methods to recuperate. She can drink some ginger tea with sugar, which can alleviate headaches, nasal congestion, runny nose, and joint pains caused by the cold. Additionally, she can drink honey, which contains various bioactive substances that can stimulate the body's immune function and have a beneficial effect on the body's recovery from a cold. Furthermore, she can eat radishes, which are rich in nutrients and trace elements such as calcium, iron, and zinc, to enhance the body's resistance and speed up the recovery from the cold.

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What should pregnant women not eat when they have a cold?

During pregnancy, due to the general decline in the physical condition of pregnant women, it is easy to catch a cold. At this time, relief can be provided through daily care. However, in daily life, there are some foods that should be avoided. First, crabs should not be eaten, as eating crabs during pregnancy can potentially cause miscarriage, due to their effect of invigorating blood circulation and resolving stasis. Additionally, chives should not be eaten when having a cold, as although chives have a moistening effect on the intestines, eating too many can also easily cause uterine contractions leading to miscarriage. Also, spicy and stimulating foods, such as chili peppers, black pepper, onions, and ginger, should be avoided as they can exacerbate gastrointestinal disorder. Instead, it is important to drink plenty of water, ensure adequate sleep, and strengthen personal hygiene care.

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Which recovers faster, a cold caused by wind-heat or a cold caused by wind-cold?

Whether colds caused by wind-cold or wind-heat recover quickly varies from person to person, as the severity of illness and individual resistance differ, so the recovery time can also vary. Generally, whether it's a wind-heat or wind-cold cold, it usually takes about 3 to 7 days to see significant improvement. In severe cases, it may take about 10 days to recover effectively. During the recovery period, attention should also be paid to diet, such as consuming more digestible foods, or undergoing medication treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician.

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Cold symptoms include swelling of the face and eyes.

Swelling of the eyes caused by a cold may be due to increased mucosal edema and secretions in the eyes, or it might be due to a secondary bacterial infection causing conditions such as eyelid inflammation or conjunctivitis. If there is eye swelling accompanied by purulent secretions, it is considered to be caused by inflammatory irritation. Topical use of rifampin eye drops or erythromycin ointment can be applied for anti-inflammatory treatment. If there is simply swelling and tearing without redness of the eyes, it may be due to increased glandular secretions caused by the cold, and medications that suppress glandular secretion along with vitamin supplements can be taken for symptomatic treatment. Drink plenty of water, rest more, and promote metabolism. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Is sweating effective for a cold?

Heat colds are divided into heat colds and cold colds from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine. Heat colds generally occur more frequently in the hot summer. Patients with heat colds typically experience different degrees of fever, chills, as well as headache, dizziness, sore throat, and coughing. When coughing, there is often yellow phlegm, and there may also be varying degrees of nasal congestion. Therefore, for patients with heat colds in summer, we generally recommend using some heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines appropriately based on their body temperature. Typically, these patients will sweat to different extents after the fever subsides. In clinical practice, it is generally not recommended for patients with heat colds to use blankets or wear more clothes to induce sweating. This method should not be taken. It is generally advised to use some physical methods to reduce fever, or appropriate antipyretic drugs if the body temperature is quite high. This approach is relatively more scientific and safer.