2008 Woodie Awards
Drinking lots of fluids, not sharing food helps prevent sickness
By Amber Wilhelm
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: Focus
A healthy immune system will also prevent a cold.
She said some ways to keep the immune system in tip-top shape are try to maintain a healthy diet, not smoke, sleep eight to 10 hours per night and get more exercise than just walking to class everyday.
Other simple ways to stop the spread of germs include coughing in a sleeve instead of in a hand, discarding used tissues and not sharing food, drinks or cigarettes. "And even if you are a damsel in distress, a cloth handkerchief is not sanitary," Chiprean said.
If all this extra effort fails, and the misery of a cold still interrupts life, Chiprean said self-treatment may be all that is needed.
Drinking lots of fluids loosens mucus in the nose and throat, making nose blowing and coughing easier. A decongestant cough syrup can ease symptoms, and Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen can reduce pain and bring down a fever. And of course, she said, get plenty of rest and sleep.
Students can also go to the McLachlan Student Health Center's "Cold Care Self Help Station," which is located around the corner to the right of the front desks.
Acetaminophen, disposable thermometer strips and saline salt for gargling are just a few of the many first aid items available for students to freely take after they sign in. Sudafed is also available, but must be signed out.
A common misconception of cold treatment is that antibiotics will help.
Chiprean said antibiotics can be dangerous for a cold because they can lower the function of a person's immune system and have side effects of their own.
Another misconception is that the color of a person's mucus, such as snot and phlegm, determines if the illness is a cold or full-blown infection.
But the truth is, if mucus is colored at all, there is an infection.
Some signs that the illness is more than just a cold are symptoms persisting for more than 10 days, a consistently high fever of more than 102 degrees, extreme difficulty swallowing or the worsening of a pre-existing condition, such as asthma.
Students can be seen for more serious treatment at the McLachlan Student Heath Center.
Remember that a cold is not fatal, and as long as no fever is present, classes don't have to be missed.
Chiprean recommends that students should isolate themselves from other students by sitting in the back of class, and be even more cautious about touching anything with mucus-tainted hands.
She said some ways to keep the immune system in tip-top shape are try to maintain a healthy diet, not smoke, sleep eight to 10 hours per night and get more exercise than just walking to class everyday.
Other simple ways to stop the spread of germs include coughing in a sleeve instead of in a hand, discarding used tissues and not sharing food, drinks or cigarettes. "And even if you are a damsel in distress, a cloth handkerchief is not sanitary," Chiprean said.
If all this extra effort fails, and the misery of a cold still interrupts life, Chiprean said self-treatment may be all that is needed.
Drinking lots of fluids loosens mucus in the nose and throat, making nose blowing and coughing easier. A decongestant cough syrup can ease symptoms, and Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen can reduce pain and bring down a fever. And of course, she said, get plenty of rest and sleep.
Students can also go to the McLachlan Student Health Center's "Cold Care Self Help Station," which is located around the corner to the right of the front desks.
Acetaminophen, disposable thermometer strips and saline salt for gargling are just a few of the many first aid items available for students to freely take after they sign in. Sudafed is also available, but must be signed out.
A common misconception of cold treatment is that antibiotics will help.
Chiprean said antibiotics can be dangerous for a cold because they can lower the function of a person's immune system and have side effects of their own.
Another misconception is that the color of a person's mucus, such as snot and phlegm, determines if the illness is a cold or full-blown infection.
But the truth is, if mucus is colored at all, there is an infection.
Some signs that the illness is more than just a cold are symptoms persisting for more than 10 days, a consistently high fever of more than 102 degrees, extreme difficulty swallowing or the worsening of a pre-existing condition, such as asthma.
Students can be seen for more serious treatment at the McLachlan Student Heath Center.
Remember that a cold is not fatal, and as long as no fever is present, classes don't have to be missed.
Chiprean recommends that students should isolate themselves from other students by sitting in the back of class, and be even more cautious about touching anything with mucus-tainted hands.
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