Show ' ? j f "i ' Returning to your neighborhood: ' ' ' 1' cold and flu' Here are the facts about the chilly season’s most common ailments— and some myths that die hard ' herfs the BarroM une up front: toere i By Drt Isadora Rosenfeld is still no cure for die common cold and die flu will r V - '$ t v j return this winter just as it always has But let me toms But zinc lozenges can inhate your mouth leave clear up some myths about these respiratory infec- - an unpleasant taste and sometimes cause nausea Still '" since tions and review die best ways to treat them they can't harm you tiy diem anyway but at the chicken soup Hoe’s my take on other add therapies: Antihistamines In my opinion they have no effect the cokl vims and I do not prescribe thent— espe: on y ' dally because they can lead to urinaiy problems in men with entaged prostates (also tree for decongestants) Antibiotics They do not helps viral infection— and caused troublesome side effects including dianhea For other steps you can take when have below a see cold box you Don’t fall! for the folklore We all get cold- sluds more often than adults because their immune systems have not yet built up the protective antibod time-honor- V ed don’t like needles Expectorants Some doctors now believe diem to be a waste of money Echinacea This venerable herb has been shown in some studies to be no more effective than a placebo Yet others claim that it enhances the immune system I'm leaving this one up to you Aspirin Never give it to a child with any respiratory infection You can induce adangerous neurological disorder called Reye’s syndrome Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead r: yOU ROW CcLXl rGCGiVG ' SllOt tArOligil P8S81 Spifly At A onset of symptoms take ainc lozenges regglarfyi stuffed up (and don’t have prostate brtnklotSbf fluids heart-rhyth-m problems) V&mmnC It probably will re--: main controversial forever No one will convince its detractors that it works or sway believers that it doesn't work Zinc lounges The only new and possibly effective intervention ? Gargle wrthwarra salt water lubricate wwoose with otntmen acetaminophen (Tylenol) for against the common cold is the zinc lozenge— and that also is controversial Some studies reported no effect of zinc lozenges on cold symptoms In others they reduced by 42 the duration and severity of symp- - & - j ‘ incidence of colds rises in late August or early September— beonr central heating kicks in " Getting chilled won’t give you a cold either although causc S i I Decongestants OK if you’re or the flu - ' ies However when adults catch a cold it’s not be- - I it cause of a weakened immune system Their immune 1 system simply has been overwhelmed by a particu- - £ lar viral challenge The low humidity caused by heating your home in cold weather may make you moire vulnerable to viral infection by drying out die nasal passages It’s prob- ably a good ideato' use a home humidifier However J £' last put not least-remerob- er chiclen eoupf the Wash your hands frequently Avoid exposure as bestyou can to someone with a otd (not always possible on a subway art a htheategat work or m an airplane) £ Do pot touch your iose or epi after being in eontact with someone whohas a cold or with an object (doorknobphone keyboard) touched someone with a ootd Do not pickup anyone's cold-soile- d tissues! PMC 12 OCTOBER 24 2001 PARADE MAGAZINE |