What Happens During A Cold - Part 1

While the flu is caused by influenza virus the common cold is caused by another virus, the rhinovirus. Symptoms often include feeling bad, headache, stuffy nose, sore throat, itchy eyes, coughing and sometimes a low grade fever. The rhinovirus is spread in the same way that the flu virus is, through the nasal and respiratory secretions. This means that when an individual coughs into their hands, or sneezes on an object, the virus can be spread to the next person when it is transmitted to their hands and the person touches their nose, mouth or eyes. Sometimes the virus is spread directly when an individual sneezes in the area of another person’s face.

People become more susceptible to catching a cold, or the virus multiplying at such a rate inside the body that the immune system is not able to contain it before becoming sick, because of several different factors in their life. The first is an underlying medical condition which adversely affects the immune system, such as diabetes, asthma, HIV or AIDS. Another factor is rest. When we do not get enough sleep each night our immune system is depressed and we are no longer able to fight off the environmental toxins and waste products which cause illness. Sugar will depress the immune system as can inappropriate nutritional intake. We truly are what we eat and when we do not provide our body adequate nutritional factors such as vitamins and minerals, we suffer overall poor health.

The University of Calgary scientist from Canada confirmed in late 2008 that it is the response of our immune system to the rhinovirus that causes the cold symptoms and not the rhinovirus itself. There are over 100 different types of viruses that can cause the common cold, however, the human right of virus is a major cause. The research was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and was the first time that scientists comprehensively reviewed the gene changes in the rhinovirus.

And, while the rhinovirus is the major cause of common cold, it is also an important pathogen in other conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For instance, researchers have found that children who get recurrent rhinovirus wheezing early in life are 10 times more likely to develop asthma later in life.