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06 Oct
Can People Suffer from ‘Long Colds’ Like They Do Long COVID?
A new study finds people can suffer from prolonged symptoms after a non-COVID respiratory infection, such as a cold, the flu or pneumonia.
11 Sep
Respiratory Infections in Kids: Researchers Identify Major Risk Factors
New research shows where you live impacts your child’s risk of colds, coughs and other respiratory infections.
Health News Results - 48
Neosporin Ointment in the Nose Might Be Potent Antibiotic
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 23, 2024
- Full Page
Want to prevent a respiratory infection?
A fingerful of Neosporin antibiotic swabbed inside your nose might help you fight off a range of invading respiratory viruses, a new study claims.
Lab animals whose noses were treated using neomycin -- the main ingredient in...
Antibiotics Probably Won't Ease Your Cough, Even If Infection is Bacterial: Study
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 15, 2024
- Full Page
Doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics to help treat a cough, but a new study shows the drugs won’t help reduce the severity or duration of coughing -- even if a bacterial infection is the culprit.
Lower respiratory tract infections that cause coughing have the potent...
How Would an FDA Ban on Popular Cold Meds Affect Americans?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- February 9, 2024
- Full Page
America's most popular cold medications contain a nasal decongestant that doesn't work, creating a knotty dilemma for regulators, a new study reports.
Cold remedies containing phenylephrine remain consumers' most popular choice, despite decades of concern that the decong...
Folks Often Hide Infectious Illness at Work, Socializing
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- January 31, 2024
- Full Page
A disturbing number of people sick with an infectious disease conceal their illness to avoid missing work, travel or social events, new research reveals.
About three in four people (75%) had either hidden an infectious illness from others at least once or might do so in ...
Feed a Cold and a Fever, Experts Say
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- January 26, 2024
- Full Page
The old saying “feed a cold, starve a fever” is baloney, doctors say.
People fighting off a seasonal respiratory virus need adequate nutrition, regardless of their symptoms, according to advice from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Fever is just one o...
Robitussin Honey Cough Syrup Recalled Due to Fungal Threat
- Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- January 25, 2024
- Full Page
The maker of Robitussin has recalled eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult cough syrups.
The products, which are made by Haleon, may be contaminated with a microbe, and "in immunocompromised individuals, the use of th...
Sore Throat? Try These 5 Home Remedies for Relief
- December 11, 2023
- Full Page
Sore throats are commonplace during cold and flu season, but luckily there are lots of home remedies that can help ease your misery, doctors say.
These remedies “aren't quick fixes for an illness,” but they can help ease discomfort, said
Air Filters Probably Won't Cut Your Odds for Illness: Study
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- November 17, 2023
- Full Page
Air filters might help keep the air in your home fresh, but a new review finds they don't appear to reduce your risk of catching an airborne virus.
Technologies designed to make indoor spaces safer from infection are not effective in the real world, researchers from the ...
CVS Pulling Popular Cold Meds From Shelves After Report Deems Them to Be Useless
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 20, 2023
- Full Page
CVS Health plans to pull cold medications that contain phenylephrine from its store shelves after federal regulators determined recently that the decongestant doesn't work.
Oral phenylephrine is an active ingredient in such well-known products as Sudafed and Dayquil. An ...
Could Folks Suffer From 'Long Colds,' Similar to Long COVID?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 6, 2023
- Full Page
Long COVID, a constellation of symptoms that extend past the initial illness, is now a recognized condition.
But researchers say COVID-19 may not be the only respiratory virus that causes these lasting health impacts -- "long colds" may also exist.
“Our findings...
Today's COVID Is Increasingly Looking Like a Cold or Flu
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- September 21, 2023
- Full Page
Symptoms of mild COVID-19 infection have shifted this season, and now are more akin to those of allergies and the common cold, doctors say.
Many people with COVID-19 now are presenting with upper respiratory symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes and a sore throat, said <...
FDA Panel Says Common OTC Decongestant Is Useless
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- September 12, 2023
- Full Page
For decades, sick people have been taking essentially worthless over-the-counter cold remedies to clear their stuffy noses, a key advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
The panel voted unanimously that nonprescription oral medications cont...
City Living Means More Coughs, Colds for Kids
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 11, 2023
- Full Page
Two new studies looked to explain an increased risk of respiratory infections like coughs and colds in babies and young children, finding city living to be among the culprits.
Young children who grow up in towns and cities instead of the countryside suffer more respirato...
As a Summer Surge of COVID Takes Hold, Don't Mistake It for a Cold
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 31, 2023
- Full Page
For the fourth summer in a row, Americans are experiencing a COVID-19 surge, this one marked by a rise in hospital admissions, emergency room visits, test positivity rates and wastewater data.
The good news: It's unlikely that most cases will be severe or that the surge ...
Cold vs. Allergies: Which Do You Have? Here's How to Tell the Difference
- Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2023
- Full Page
As the seasons change and the weather shifts, it's not uncommon to experience symptoms like sneezing, coughing and congestion.
But how do you know if you're dealing with a common cold or allergies? The two can have similar symptoms, making it tough to tell an allergy fr...
FDA Panel to Again Weigh Merit of Decongestant That Many Call Useless
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 6, 2023
- Full Page
Consumers have been using a common over-the-counter oral decongestant known as phenylephrine for years, but that may not continue much longer.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked a panel of its advisors to reassess the drug's effectiveness. The medication's s...
Many Parents Too Quick to Give Fever Meds to Kids: Poll
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 20, 2023
- Full Page
It's not always necessary to lower a child's fever, but parents often do.
A new poll from Michigan Medicine found that about one-third of parents reach for fever-reducing medicines too quickly.
“Often parents worry about their child having a fever and want to d...
Is Your Kid's Runny Nose Going on Forever? Here's What You Need to Know
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 24, 2022
- Full Page
It might seem like your toddler or preschooler has a nose that is always runny, but experts say that's normal.
“Children under 6 years of age average six to eight colds per year, with symptoms lasting an average of 14 days,” said
Cooler Noses May Be Key to Winter's Spike in Colds
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 6, 2022
- Full Page
Researchers may have sniffed out why colds are more likely in wintertime: The answer may lie within the nose.
A previously unidentified immune response inside the nose is responsible for fighting off the viruses that cause upper respiratory infections, according to resea...
Having Kids Around Might Shield You From Severe COVID: Study
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 1, 2022
- Full Page
Folks with young kids at home may be less likely than others to develop severe COVID-19, a new study suggests.
Children bring home colds from day care and school and give them to their parents, and it's thought those lower-level infections may ultimately defend Mom and D...
Repeat Infections With COVID-19 May Become the Norm
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2022
- Full Page
COVID-19 might be easing into a new status as a widely circulating and somewhat harsher version of the common cold, experts say - a virus that folks could contract repeatedly, even if they were recently infected.
"[SARS-CoV-2] is destined to join four of its family membe...
Could a COVID Infection Help You Ward Off the Common Cold?
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2022
- Full Page
If you get infected with COVID-19, there may be a sliver of a silver lining: COVID may help protect you against the common cold, researchers say.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 belongs to a large and diverse family of coronaviruses that include
Did Dinosaurs Get Colds, Too?
- February 10, 2022
- Full Page
The fossilized bones of a young dinosaur show evidence of a respiratory infection that may have caused familiar flu-like symptoms -- fever, coughing and trouble breathing.
Dolly, as she's been dubbed by researchers, was an immature diplodocid -- a large, long-necked plan...
Exposure to Common Cold Might Help Shield Against COVID
- Cara Murez
- January 10, 2022
- Full Page
Vaccination is still the best way to protect someone from COVID-19, but new research suggests that immune system activation of T-cells by common colds may offer some cross-protection.
The study might also provide a blueprint for a second-generation, universal vaccine th...
Do Your Kids Really Need Cough & Cold Meds?
- November 7, 2021
- Full Page
When children have colds, parents may want to hold off on using cough and cold medicines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests.
Most children get better on their own, and cough or cold medicines won't change the natural course of a cold or make it go away faste...
Zinc Might Help Shorten Your Cold or Flu, Study Finds
- Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
- November 2, 2021
- Full Page
Many people pop a zinc supplement at the first sign of a cold, and there's new evidence supporting the habit.
Australian researchers found that the supplements appear to help shorten respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu, sinusitis and pneumonia.
Many ov...
Social Distancing Kept Kids From Getting Flu, RSV
- Robert Preidt
- October 8, 2021
- Full Page
Social distancing and mask mandates during the pandemic nearly eliminated cases of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children, a new study finds.
"Numbers don't lie. Face masking, and proper hygiene and isolation, can be effective means to protect the v...
SmartWatches Detect Viral Infection Before Symptoms Surface in Study
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- September 30, 2021
- Full Page
Someday, your smartwatch might be able to tell you if you're coming down with a virus and how sick you'll be -- even before symptoms start.
In a small study, researchers showed that a wearable device, like a Fitbit or Apple Watch, could detect which patients had the H1N1...
Your Job Could Put You at Much Higher Risk for Flu
- Robert Preidt
- July 9, 2021
- Full Page
Your job may significantly increase your risk of catching the flu, with potential implications for the spread of other infectious diseases including COVID-19, according to new research.
On average, working folks are 35% more likely to get the flu than those without jobs,...
As COVID Rules Ease, Common Colds Rebound Across America
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 25, 2021
- Full Page
Infectious disease expert Ravina Kullar's husband has a cold. So does her sister-in-law.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Clinic's waiting rooms are becoming much more frequented by folks with coughs, sneezes and sniffles, said family medicine physician Dr. Neha Vyas.
Thes...
Pandemic Silver Lining: Fewer Dangerous Flare-Ups for COPD Patients
- Cara Murez
- June 16, 2021
- Full Page
Public health precautions meant to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may have had an unintended but happy side effect.
They may also have benefited individuals who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study.
During the pandemic, admissi...
Colds, Bronchitis Cases Resurged After Texas Eased COVID Rules
- Cara Murez
- June 9, 2021
- Full Page
After Texas relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, other respiratory illnesses -- such as colds, bronchitis and pneumonia -- made rapid rebounds.
Pathologists from Houston Methodist Hospital found that the rhinovirus and enterovirus infections that can trigger these illnesses st...
In 10 Years, COVID-19 Could Be 'Just the Sniffles'
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 25, 2021
- Full Page
The virus fueling the COVID-19 pandemic could become just an ordinary sniffle-causing nuisance within the next 10 years, a new study suggests.
Researchers stressed that the projection is based on mathematical models, and not a crystal-ball prediction.
But, they say...
Prior Exposure to Common Cold Won't Shield You From COVID: Study
- Robert Preidt
- February 11, 2021
- Full Page
It would be nice if it were true, but a bout of the common cold won't protect you against the new coronavirus infection, researchers report.
Colds are caused by seasonal coronaviruses (CoVs) and previous studies have suggested that exposure to cold coronaviruses may saf...
Prior Exposure to SARS Virus Provides Little Protection Against New Coronavirus
- Robert Preidt
- February 1, 2021
- Full Page
Previous exposure to other coronaviruses may enhance a person's immune response to COVID-19 infection, but new research suggests that antibodies triggered by the SARS outbreak of 2003 provide only limited protection against the new coronavirus.
Antibodies are blood prote...
Immune System May 'Remember' Infections From Previous Coronaviruses
- Robert Preidt
- January 22, 2021
- Full Page
Previous coronavirus infections might prime the immune system to fight the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new study suggests.
There are numerous types of coronaviruses, including many harmless ones that cause mild upper respiratory infections similar to the comm...
I've Already Had COVID-19, Do I Need the Vaccine?
- Dennis Thompson
- January 14, 2021
- Full Page
Folks who've gotten through a COVID-19 infection might naturally question whether they need to get a coronavirus vaccination when their turn comes.
Experts say they really need the shot anyway, because even after having COVID they might be vulnerable to reinfection.
<...
Ample Vitamins May Shield You From Colds
- Amy Norton
- October 28, 2020
- Full Page
People who get enough vitamin A, D and E may be less likely to complain of coughs and sore throat, though it's not clear the nutrients are the reason why, new research suggests.
The study, of over 6,100 U.K. adults, found that those who consumed more of the vitamins were...
An Upside to the Common Cold? It May Guard Against COVID
- Robert Preidt
- October 5, 2020
- Full Page
The common cold can make you miserable, but it might also help protect you against COVID-19, a new study suggests.
The researchers added that people who've had COVID-19 may be immune to it for a long time, possibly even the rest of their lives.
The research...
Could COVID-19 Someday Become Seasonal, Like Flu?
- Amy Norton
- September 15, 2020
- Full Page
COVID-19 is unlike other respiratory viruses known to humans, but in time it could evolve into a seasonal scourge like the flu.
That's according to a new report in which researchers lay out the case for a possible seasonal COVID.
The scenario depends on man...
Bee Healthy: Honey May Beat Cold Meds Against Cough
- Amy Norton
- August 24, 2020
- Full Page
There may be no cure for the common cold, but a spoonful of honey might make it less miserable, a new research review concludes.
Parents have long used honey to soothe kids' sore throats and cough -- probably because their parents did. But the review of 14 clinical t...
Brush With Common Cold Might Help Protect Against COVID-19
- E.J. Mundell
- August 4, 2020
- Full Page
Since the pandemic began, it's been known that the severity of coronavirus illness varies widely between people. Could the common cold be the reason why?
It's still just a theory, but researchers in California suspect that if you've recently had a cold -- many of whi...
A Workout Could Be Good Medicine for the Common Cold
- Robert Preidt
- January 21, 2020
- Full Page
It might be the last thing you want to do when you are battling a cold, but exercise might actually make you feel better, suggests one health expert.
Here's why: Physical activity boosts your heart rate and promotes healthy blood flow, and it also opens up your lungs...
Why Colds and Flu Seldom Strike at Same Time
- Robert Preidt
- December 17, 2019
- Full Page
If you already have a cold, you're less likely to get the flu, and vice versa, a large new study shows.
That finding could lead to improved prediction of cold and flu outbreaks as well as new ways to control the diseases' spread, British researchers said.
W...
Are Too Many Kids Prescribed Antihistamines?
- Robert Preidt
- July 30, 2019
- Full Page
Many U.S. doctors are much less likely to recommend cough and cold medicines for young children ever since experts advised against it in 2008, new research shows.
That's the good news. The bad news?
Physicians are still more likely to recommend antihistamin...
Many Parents Wrong About What Prevents Colds in Kids
- Robert Preidt
- January 21, 2019
- Full Page
No parent wants to see their child catch a cold, but some take prevention measures that have little basis in science, a new survey shows.
For example, 51 percent of parents said they give their child an over-the-counter vitamin or supplement to prevent colds, even th...
AHA: Taking Medicine for a Cold? Be Mindful of Your Heart
- January 18, 2019
- Full Page
Flu has so far infected more than 6 million Americans this season, and winter colds are making their rounds. If you've been hit by either, you may be thinking about heading to your local pharmacy to relieve your aches, pains and congestion.
But before you do, you ne...
1 in 4 Antibiotic Prescriptions Isn't Needed: Study
- Steven Reinberg
- January 17, 2019
- Full Page
Nearly 25 percent of antibiotics prescribed in the United States are given for conditions they aren't meant to treat, a new study finds.
Antibiotics are miracle drugs that can cure deadly bacterial infections. But too often they are given to treat viral infections, ...