Does drinking water help a cold go away?
You should drink more water when you have a cold, right?
Most people will drink more water during a cold, and the cold will get better faster, but some people say that drinking a lot of water during a cold can cause water poisoning.
Which statement is correct?
If the cold symptoms are mild, no treatment is needed. Just rest and drink water appropriately or drink more water than usual.
When you have a cold, you may experience fever, sweating, shortness of breath, and other signs of accelerated metabolism. You can drink more water to replenish your body's water. This is a sign of thirst. Drinking more water promotes sweating and urination helps regulate body temperature.
When a severe cold or a cold turns into pneumonia, the body will release a large amount of water-retaining substance - antidiuretic hormone. If you drink too much water at this time, it will cause overhydration, resulting in hyponatremia, fatigue weakness, and sometimes convulsions.
When you have a cold, you should also choose safe and beneficial ways to drink water. Don't drink several large glasses of water at once or in a short time, and then don't drink for several hours. You should choose to drink small amounts of water intermittently.
Common Cold, Influenza, COVID-19
Will a cold get better faster by taking medicine? Will a cold get better by drinking more water? There are still many misunderstandings about colds. Colds, flu, and COVID-19 are very different. Different symptoms cannot all be solved by drinking water.
First of all, "influenza" and "common cold" are not the same thing, don't be fooled by the name.
Influenza is much more dangerous than the common cold. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, about 290,000 to 650,000 people are "sent away" each year due to complications caused by influenza.
But the common cold, influenza, and COVID-19 do have similar symptoms. How can we distinguish them?
First of all -
Once you have symptoms such as high fever (body temperature over 38.5℃), diarrhea, chest tightness, etc., please do not hesitate, don't worry about "whether it is influenza or new crown", it is best to see a doctor immediately!
The Differences Between Common Cold, Influenza, and COVID-19
| Symptom | Common Cold | Influenza | COVID-19 |
| Pathogens | Rhinovirus and other | Influenza virus | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Sore throat, Cough, Runny nose | Mainly this symptom | You may have this symptom | You may have this symptom |
| Fatigue, Lack of energy, Loss of appetite | Generally no significant effect | This symptom is obvious | This symptom will occur |
| Fever | No fever or low fever | The fever may reach 38.5℃ or above | The fever may reach 38.5℃ or above |
| Chest tightness, Diarrhea, Loss of smell and taste | Basically no | Rare | Common |
| Duration of the cycle | Symptoms appear gradually and usually last about a week | The body temperature may rise above 38.5℃ within one or two days. | The condition of severe patients gradually worsens, with fever, cough, and fatigue in the first week, and then dyspnea develops into pneumonia |
| Danger level | It can heal on its own and is generally not dangerous. | It can heal itself, but complications may occur, such as pneumonia. | Asymptomatic and mild cases recover in about 1-2 weeks, but severe cases may lead to death |
Some people cannot drink more water when they have a cold
It is common sense to drink more water and rest more after catching a cold. What's wrong with this?
Indeed, for ordinary people, whether it is a cold or influenza, when the symptoms are mild, drinking more water can help you sweat more, urinate more, speed up metabolism, and help regulate body temperature.
But when influenza develops into severe pneumonia, the body may abnormally release a large amount of a water-retaining substance - antidiuretic hormone. Drinking too much water at this time will cause hyponatremia, which may be life-threatening.
You should also pay attention to the way you drink water. Replenish water in small amounts and multiple times. Don't drink several large cups at one time and then not drink water for several hours.
Tips to cure the common cold quickly:
1. Nasal congestion: Use hot steam fumigation (such as placing the nose over a cup of boiling water or a basin filled with hot water to breathe), or use saline to wash the nose;
2. Cough: Take half a spoon of honey, there no need to mix it with water, just use a spoon to directly put it into the throat;
3. Sore throat: Drink a lot of water and gargle with warm and light salt water;
4. Rehydrate in time: It is best to replenish water in a slightly larger amount than usual, and be careful not to drink strong tea, strong coffee, and other beverages;
5. Get enough rest and don't stay up late.