Cold - A frame of mind?

Heart To Heart

By Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah

At the outset, let me make it absolutely clear, I do not consider 'cold' as a valid excuse to miss a day's work.

I do not even want to include it among bona-fide ailments. It may be termed as something like 'not been perfectly well' but to actually categorise it as a disease is perhaps ‘over estimation’.

‘Cold’ may be a state of feeling, a state of mind or more correctly a state of nose! A red nose stands out like a 'warning sign' declaring the 'ill health' of the person. A runny nose, with its associated 'hue and cry' and inappropriate extravagant use of tissues, paints a pitiable picture. In a normal person afflicted with cold, arms, legs and tongue are working to full capacity and brain is rarely if ever required in daily routine work any way. So the daily routine work should not suffer, even if nose declares to go on strike.

There are many of our colleagues who personify cold with their perennial red runny noses. The voice is husky and they cannot complete a sentence without blowing nose. I do not mind people blowing their noses; after all it is their birthright to empty whatever accumulates in that compartment. But to blow right in your face and so vociferously that all neighbours be informed about it, is highly objectionable! The shower of droplets that accompanies this exercise is most unwelcome!

Different people have different ways of letting out the nasal secretions. Highly civilised people and ladies perform the job discreetly and quietly.

They will either leave the room or find a corner, and after offering profuse apologies, will turn away and perform the task. Our lay men try to make an ordeal out of it and this they do shamelessly - rather proudly.

They produce strange noises before they start the blowing act, perhaps to accumulate enough air and energy in them and then apply all the stored energy to exit only a few millilitres of sticky fluid. The effort put into it is, definitely, not cost effective.

Two loud letting offs like this can drive anyone in neighbourhood crazy. Some people blow with such regular routine that one can almost predict the next with accuracy to seconds. You can actually hear these characters on the way and can guess that after six blows they would have covered one hundred and thirty yards.

I am perhaps one of those lucky one who do not fall prey to this modern ailment so easily. But once I catch cold, the life does not remain the same. Queer looks of patients bother me the most. Most patients, very solemnly believe, that doctors have no right to fall ill.

And if a doctor becomes ill, his credentials are viewed with suspicion. Imagine a doctor examining a patient and being regularly interrupted by loud blowing of nose or cough.

All efforts to suppress cough and blowing remain unrewarded. Many patients may relate such stories to their relatives on return, "I went to the doctor for blood pressure and though he could not control my blood pressure, instead I got cold from him - of course free of cost."

One of my friends hates cold, as his mind goes woozy and he finds it difficult to concentrate. He gets terrible headaches and feels like hitting his head against the wall.

He gets severe body aches and feels feverish. He avoids food and has to retire to bed - some times for two to three days. He looks pale and on average loses a couple of pounds during one episode. When someone asks him about the ailment, he finds it very difficult to convince the other party that this too is cold!

Cold is essentially a viral infection and usually it is confined to nose's inner linings. That results in excessive secretion of fluid which requires regular mopping up. There are some physical features like body aches but for most it passes off in a day or two without any sequel.

The problem arises when it spreads to adjoining 'territory' - upwards like sinuses or downwards like throat and chest. Sinuses are enclosed spaces in bones of skull, their involvement can be very painful, especially if their inlet and outlet gets blocked and pressure builds up inside.

Of course as it travels down, it manifests itself in the form of throat infection, when it hurts to swallow and drink. If it descends to chest, it results in cough with production of sputum accompanied by fever.

Classical cold, which remains confined to nose, may not attract much attention and passes of in a couple of days but a complicated cold with foreign intrusion needs proper assessment and treatment.

Certain people have been blessed with nose which has continuous problems with blockages and continual exacerbations on a regular basis with cold.

They catch cold on entering an air conditioned room or car. Their noses start pouring out (as if in protest) when cool breeze blows in summer. In winter, they have to cover their face with a handkerchief all the time.

The moment the ambient cool air hits their noses, there starts torrential outburst. Many of them have to emigrate from areas where snow covers the streets in winter and cool breeze blows in summer.

The information, that cold bug is periodically spread by companies, those produce paper tissue, may not be totally incorrect. An enthusiast may consume a whole box in a couple of hours.

Whereas gentlemen and ladies used to carry handkerchiefs in the past; now it's obligatory to have tissue papers at hand in the office, bed room, dining room, drawing room, lounge and car. Ladies purses and gentlemen's suits pockets are filled with used and unused tissue papers.

Gradually these pieces of paper have made such inroads in our modern life, that the life in itself seems incomplete without tissue papers with or without cold.

Doctors hate cold but grannies and herbal companies thrive on it. As it is a viral infection, there is no real immediate cure for it.

It normally passes off in two to three days - with or without drugs. Anti-allergic drugs have little if any effect and antibiotics are not required by and large. Doctors are uncomfortable treating cold, as they have yet not been able to find a cure for it. Most research concentrates on heart problems and cancers and of course not on poor cold!

Visit any supermarket and there will be aisles full of 'sure shot' and 'guaranteed' recipes for cold. These are essentially combinations of anti-allergic and paracetamol in different dosages.

Some may include hefty doses of vitamin C, still to have proven effects on cold.  Others offer lozenges to quieten the irritating throat - with little if any benefit. Nasal drops of anti-allergic are of no proven advantage; as there is hardly anytime for the drops to be absorbed through the runny nose.

This is the time when grannies swing into action and try all time tested (and failed) recipes on the poor patient. Boasting about their skills and knowledge, their first suggestion is warm chicken soup.

Any hot drink is helpful and has a soothing effect on inflamed internal lining. Soup is an added source of nourishment. 'Joshanda' is the next prescription up in their sleeves. Does it work? Only God knows as there have been no trials on it! But it is definitely soothing and has a placating effect on throat and nose.

Honey is always at hand, and mixed with black spices is regarded as an ultimate cure for hacking cough and cold. Steam inhalation is very helpful, whether it is advised by a doctor or a granny.

It has a wonderful effect on sinuses where the thickened secretions are eased off from enclosed spaces and relieve the headache. Plenty of rest (and sleep) is the ultimate remedy - give body a chance to recover on its own. For computer whiz kids, it is like putting body on 'hibernation mode' and let it recuperate its energy.

Cold and its afflicters thrive on ambiguity! Whereas most go around working at normal place while spreading the virus, some take to bed on the first sign of cold -like altered colour of nose.

The presentation of cold is varied and the response is different as well. There is no sure recipe for it therefore a whole industry is reaping the benefit of it. Because of 'no definite treatment' grannies pose to be the real experts in tormenting the poor patient.