Can you catch a cold from being cold?

Serendipity

Possible stupid question, but...

I have a cold. I was told by an aunt yesterday that when you are exposed to cold weather, you are more susceptible for catching colds. I'm like BS - I thought colds were viruses and that you have to be in contact with the virus in order to get the cold. Meaning you can't get a cold by just being in cold weather or with wet hair/clothing/etc. But that's not what some think.

So what is the definitive answer?

Demiurge

No.

Thread over.

bobman1235

What he said; no. The winter just happens to be cold season; I suppose it doesn't help that we're all cooped up inside so there's more opportunity to exchange the virus, but other than that there's no correlation.

ShinAce

Actually, yes.

Virii normally infect the respiratory system by means of the sinus and throat. Cold air passes over these areas and they are cooler than body temp.

Ever notice you get a fever(warmer) to fight the cold? Well, the virus likes colder body temps.

There is a tiny bit of truth. However, you can be hypothermic and won't catch anything if a virus does not enter your system.

Demiurge

Actually, no.

Demiurge, MD.

bobman1235

ShinAce wrote: »

Actually, yes.

Virii normally infect the respiratory system by means of the sinus and throat. Cold air passes over these areas and they are cooler than body temp.

Ever notice you get a fever(warmer) to fight the cold? Well, the virus likes colder body temps.

There is a tiny bit of truth. However, you can be hypothermic and won't catch anything if a virus does not enter your system.

Being in the cold doesn't lower your body temperature enough to make a difference, unless you are a lizard.

ShinAce

The air passing through your throat is cooler, and that's the temp that matters, not body temp.

Cold does not give you a cold, it just makes it easier.

Joe08867

The only thing the cold does is wear you out faster as your body has to regulate your temperature more. Although you have to be pretty much drained before it can do anything but, this can act as a doorway to catch a cold because your body is less able to fight off a cold.

But it doesn't cause a cold directly.

Shicks18

I live in Houston in the summer and Missouri in the fall/winter. Never have gotten a cold since being in Missouri with weeks of 5 degree temperature. Maybe I am Bruce Willis from Unbreakable... I don't know.

DollarDave

Except here in Houston, almost all air you breath is colder than your body temp, so that augument doesn't fly. Viruses die at a certain low tempurature, I can't remember what it is, but it is like 35 degrees - at least that was the explanation my brother-in-law (doctor of infectious deseases) gave me for why diet coke cans don't purvey sicknesses as the lid is obviously exposed to all sorts of things.

I have had more cold and flu in the 8 years living in the south than I ever had living in the north. Could be attributed to many things, but it sure seems correlated to me.

Demiurge

Cold weather has nothing to do with illness. It's a matter of how viruses are spread from one person to the next. Being "cold" doesn't expose you anymore to viruses than being "warm."

P.S. - If you haven't noticed, appadv, these are the types of questions you don't need Club Polk to answer. A simple search of Google (or your prefered search engine) would provide you a great deal of information proving this myth false by actual doctors who are far more qualified to answer these questions than anyone else. Y'know?

Early B.

Well, all I know is -- whenever I catch a cold (usually in the winter), warmer temperatures amelioate it and colder temperatures exacerbate it.

Some would argue that the reason people catch colds in the winter is because the viruses spread quicker since people are more likely to stay indoors. This is probably only partially true. The cold weather thing has some truth to it, as well.

Serendipity

Demiurge wrote: »

P.S. - If you haven't noticed, appadv, these are the types of questions you don't need Club Polk to answer. A simple search of Google (or your prefered search engine) would provide you a great deal of information proving this myth false by actual doctors who are far more qualified to answer these questions than anyone else. Y'know?

Yeah, I'm just too lazy most of the time.

Early B.

Actual doctors? They're clueless. Yopu're better off asking your fellow Polkies. We know everything.

NotaSuv

"P.S. - If you haven't noticed, appadv, these are the types of questions you don't need Club Polk to answer. A simple search of Google (or your prefered search engine) would provide you a great deal of information proving this myth false by actual doctors who are far more qualified to answer these questions than anyone else. Y'know?[/QUOT

Now thats some funny chit using "actual doctors" and "qualified" in the same sentance

thanks for my laugh of the day

AsSiMiLaTeD

Actually, No

bobman1235

Early B. wrote: »

Well, all I know is -- whenever I catch a cold (usually in the winter), warmer temperatures amelioate it and colder temperatures exacerbate it.

Some would argue that the reason people catch colds in the winter is because the viruses spread quicker since people are more likely to stay indoors. This is probably only partially true. The cold weather thing has some truth to it, as well.

Anecdotal evidence != science. Science - that is, you know, fact based on actual studies - shows pretty much without fail that outside temperature has nothing to do with the occurrence of the common cold. Staunchly insisting that research is false for no particular reason makes you like those morons at the Flat Earth society.

Shizelbs

Demiurge wrote: »

No.

Thread over.

This was the last post necessary.

Shizelbs, PharmD

suprafantx

Early B. wrote: »

Actual doctors? They're clueless. Yopu're better off asking your fellow Polkies. We know everything.

Yep, we Polkies will use woofer to make artificial heart. It is simple theory, bigger the woofer, the better blood flow.:):confused::D:)

AsSiMiLaTeD

Shizelbs wrote: »

This was the last post necessary.

Shizelbs, PharmD

I was wondering when you'd weigh in...

Shizelbs

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

I was wondering when you'd weigh in...

I'm just pissed Demi beat me. I thought I got to handle the medical BS.

Demiurge

Shizelbs wrote: »

I'm just pissed Demi beat me. I thought I got to handle the medical BS.

I haz gewgle!1!1

Shizelbs

Yeah well my degree I cited actually exists.

And don't type in lolspeak. You're better than that.

Demiurge

>_<

k.

Shizelbs

Glad we can agree on that.

kthxbai

Demiurge

lulz.

jakelm

Its funny how a cold is called a "cold" in the winter and a sinus infection in the summer.

We bundle up in the winter, thus generating more heat and litterally sweating, this could be the reason. So its not the cold, but the heat.


...hell I dont know. But we havent found a cure for it. And I just like to sneeze on people...:p

zombie boy 2000

(Ujh&((^)&*^&%^*&)(#$#&%)&_%$&#$*

Shizelbs

Colds and sinus infections are two different things, generally speaking.

steveinaz

Cold give you a cold?

Nah, old wives-tale. Though cold air can lower your resistance to illness.

Demiurge

zombie boy 2000 wrote: »

(Ujh&((^)&*^&%^*&)(#$#&%)&_%$&#$*

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