BEING cold does not GIVE you a cold....

[ckay87]

Or does it? Either I'm a rare medical genius or I'm mistaken. Because lately it seems that I'm the only person who understands how disease works. I swear, every time someone catches me venturing outdoors in the cold without a coat, I'm warned that I'm going to "catch a cold," "catch my death," "catch pneuomonia," etc. NO I'm not. I may catch hypothermia or frostbite, but probably not. At worst I'll just be a little cold for a while. But how exactly do people think that cold air conducts viruses?

Just venting, I guess. How many generations need to pass before old wives tales fade out?

 

[krcit]

Try telling my MIL that

 

[shirleyb]

Or does it? Either I'm a rare medical genius or I'm mistaken. Because lately it seems that I'm the only person who understands how disease works. I swear, every time someone catches me venturing outdoors in the cold without a coat, I'm warned that I'm going to "catch a cold," "catch my death," "catch pneuomonia," etc. NO I'm not. I may catch hypothermia or frostbite, but probably not. At worst I'll just be a little cold for a while. But how exactly do people think that cold air conducts viruses?

Just venting, I guess. How many generations need to pass before old wives tales fade out?

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This weekend the boy scouts will be camping out. It's always freezing - one year it was -23 and they camped out in tents. My sister in law has a fit - not that they'll get frostbite - but that they'll catch a cold!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Or does it? Either I'm a rare medical genius or I'm mistaken. Because lately it seems that I'm the only person who understands how disease works. I swear, every time someone catches me venturing outdoors in the cold without a coat, I'm warned that I'm going to "catch a cold," "catch my death," "catch pneuomonia," etc. NO I'm not. I may catch hypothermia or frostbite, but probably not. At worst I'll just be a little cold for a while. But how exactly do people think that cold air conducts viruses?

Just venting, I guess. How many generations need to pass before old wives tales fade out?

Our local news just did a report on this because so many kids are seen out at the bus stop without hats, coats, mittens, etc. Their conclusion matches your post exactly. Hypothermia, frostbite - yes. The common cold or flu - not a chance.

 

[tlbwriter]

Germs, people. Germs.

 

[Hannathy]

Just venting, I guess. How many generations need to pass before old wives tales fade out?

When people actually start paying attention in Science class?

Who knows the list of "myths" that are completely false just based on simple Scientific facts is a mile long but don't try convincing many people of that.

 

[MushyMushy]

I know that logically, but what is the cold air doing to your lungs? It seems if I spend a fairly long amount of time outside breathing cold air, I get something like bronchitis from it, then seems to turn into a full blown cold.

 

[SAHDad]

I think it will persist for quite some time, mainly because people do seem* to get sick more often in the winter. People associate colds, therefore, with cold weather, when in reality it has more to do with people being in conditions where they are more likely to pass germs around (between parties, enclosed spaces, etc). I hear it a lot, but then again, I don't wear a coat until it is well below freezing, and, although I have a very warm greatcoat, if you see me wearing it, especially fully buttoned, there is probably going to be a glacier nearby!


* I said seem because I am too lazy right now to do a google search to see if that is actually the case.

 

[disykat]

IME, people who believe this also get angry and refuse to believe otherwise if you say anything.

I remember dreading the year my son was going to have a teacher I knew believed not wearing a coat caused pneumonia. Sure enough, my son got pneumonia that year. Fortunately, she was quite sympathetic. Apparently my son had been wearing his coat, so he wasn't to blame.

 

[SaraJayne]

I think it will persist for quite some time, mainly because people do seem* to get sick more often in the winter. People associate colds, therefore, with cold weather, when in reality it has more to do with people being in conditions where they are more likely to pass germs around (between parties, enclosed spaces, etc). I hear it a lot, but then again, I don't wear a coat until it is well below freezing, and, although I have a very warm greatcoat, if you see me wearing it, especially fully buttoned, there is probably going to be a glacier nearby!


* I said seem because I am too lazy right now to do a google search to see if that is actually the case.

My winter coat is still snugly in the basement. I'm still plenty warm in just my Old Navy hoodie.

 

[IMissEd]

My parents also believe that cold air causes colds. When my children would get sick, I would get 20 questions about how they got sick.
Was it because you took her out without a hat? Don't you think he's sick because he won't wear a jacket on cool mornings? Finally, I just started telling them that they picked up a germ off a Wal-mart grocery cart or something. Germs cause colds!

With that being said, I have read that people are more likely to succomb to the germs if their airway has been irritated by cold air.

 

[ckay87]

I think it will persist for quite some time, mainly because people do seem* to get sick more often in the winter. People associate colds, therefore, with cold weather, when in reality it has more to do with people being in conditions where they are more likely to pass germs around (between parties, enclosed spaces, etc). I hear it a lot, but then again, I don't wear a coat until it is well below freezing, and, although I have a very warm greatcoat, if you see me wearing it, especially fully buttoned, there is probably going to be a glacier nearby!


* I said seem because I am too lazy right now to do a google search to see if that is actually the case.

You're right. To me it makes sense that we'd get sick more in the winter due to being stuck inside in closer quarters with re-circulated air. In fact, the irony is that if we all spent more time outside in the fresh, cold air, I'd bet we'd be less sick! (This is just my hypothesis that I will not be testing, thank you. It's TOO stinkin cold!! )

 

[ckay87]

With that being said, I have read that people are more likely to succomb to the germs if their airway has been irritated by cold air.[/QUOTE]

Not to argue because I think we agree overall, but I'm curious ...even if this were true, wouldn't your airways be irritated by cold air whether you were wearing a coat/hat or not?

 

[Liberty Belle]

OMG my mother in law is the worst about that.

The other day she scolded my son for not having on socks, saying he was going to get sick (he was wearing Crocs - has sensory issues and socks are painful for him) because it was cold outside. He looked confused and said, "How can not wearing socks make me sick?" He just turned 8. You'd think if an 8 year old would realize it, adults would.

 

[CruiserMom]

THANK YOU!

I get so tired of hearing people say you catch a cold from being out in the cold. Or, this was my mother's favorite - "you get sick from going out where it's cold, then coming in to the warm air, then going out again, etc.". Uh, NO, you don't. She thought going in and out made her sick. NO, you are sick because you have COPD!

That is all.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I know and that is a good thing or I would be perpetually sick....I am the one in the sweatshirt in July. I am always cold!

Lisa

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

While it's true that you can't catch a cold from being cold, I do think that your immune system takes a bigger hit when you're not dressed appropriately for the weather. If your body is using up its resources trying to keep you warm, it makes sense to me that you might be more vulnerable to infection (but the viruses/bacteria have to be there in the first place!).

 

[SAHDad]

My winter coat is still snugly in the basement. I'm still plenty warm in just my Old Navy hoodie.

Actually, it occured to me that I do have a coat that I wear to church (and places like that), where my normal winter attire of t-shirt and an unbuttoned flannel is not appropriate. I just don't think of it as a "winter weather" coat.

 

[Kathi OD]

We catch colds more often in the winter because we spend most of our time inside, in close quarters to other people, so our germs are more easily passed to each other.

Not wearing a coat has absolutely nothing to do with catching a cold.

 

[luvsJack]

While it's true that you can't catch a cold from being cold, I do think that your immune system takes a bigger hit when you're not dressed appropriately for the weather. If your body is using up its resources trying to keep you warm, it makes sense to me that you might be more vulnerable to infection (but the viruses/bacteria have to be there in the first place!).

This is exactly what I was told by a doctor. But, just being cold or in the cold or going out in the cold with wet hair will not make you sick all by itself.