Common Cold and Clınıcal Approaches

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Common Cold and Clınıcal Approaches

Journal Title: UNKNOWN - Year 2018, Vol 4, Issue 1

Abstract

The common cold is what we call “upper respiratory tract infection”, “acute nasopharyngitis”, or “acute rhinopharyngitis” in medicine. There is a chapter titled “Common Cold” in Ebers papyrus (16th century B.C.). Şaban Şifai of Ayaş (18th century B.C.) proposed bloodletting and cold application in children with common cold. İshak bin Murad of Gerede used the term “tumagu” for the common cold with fever, coughing, and expectoration in 1390. According to Hildegard von Bingen (12th century B.C.), rhinitis arises from accumulation of cold and damp substances and their transformation to a toxin in the brain. Benjamin Franklin (18th century B.C.) has observed that common cold spreads more easily when people stay closer to each other. Rhinovirus is the most frequent pathogen of the common cold. Common cold spreads with direct contact rather than with droplets. Adenovirus and influenza viruses almost completely destruct respiratory epithelium whereas rhinovirus and coronavirus cause less cellular damage. The symptomatology of common cold is a hyperinflammation syndrome, and therefore the treatment of common cold should be carried out with an antipyretic/analgesic agent with anti-inflammatory properties. Children less than six years of age experience an average of six to eight bouts of the common cold in a year. Complications include acute otitis media, acute bacterial rhinosinüsitis, asthma exacerbations, and lower respiratory infections. Nasal irrigation with isotonic saline, gargling, honey, and zinc preparations have been shown to have some benefit. Excessive fluid intake, over-the-counter common cold preparations, vitamin C, echinacea, and Chinese herbal medicine are not advisable for treatment. Hand hygiene and some probiotics may be useful for prophylaxis.

Authors and Affiliations

Selim Öncel

Keywords

EP ID EP574062
DOI 10.30934/kusbed.348505
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