It’s well into summer — and, for many Americans, that means it is fairly uncommon to come down with something. While it’s a commonly held belief, it’s also not at all true. It is very possible to get a cold during the hot and humid summer months, and summer colds can present with more obvious and more difficult symptoms than respiratory or sinus infections typical in winter or fall. Here’s what you need to know about summer colds:
Feel Worse? It’s Not All In Your Head
If you can breeze through the sneeze-y, sniffle-y symptoms of a cold in winter, but a summer cold is getting the best of you, don’t feel bad. According to U.S. News, these colds may actually stem from different viruses. As such, they can also have different symptoms. A winter-time cold is likely to be a low-key rhinovirus. “During the summer, enteroviruses rear their ugly head. Along with the usual coughing, congestion and fever, enteroviruses are associated with a host of other nasty symptoms — diarrhea, sore throat, rashes and body aches, to name a few,” U.S. News writes.
The Skinny On Treatment
Although colds may originate from different viruses at different times of the year, care is more or less the same. Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of fluids. There are over-the-counter medications that may make you more comfortable. You know the drill. Of course, in the summer, the trick is knowing whether symptoms can truly be chalked up to a nasty cold. If you are uncertain, stop by the doctor’s office or local urgent care centers. An urgent care clinic is the perfect alternative when the doctor’s offices are closed. After all, the ER is expensive, crowded, and packed with up to 48% of patients who admit that they are not sick enough to be there. Urgent care centers provide fast treatment (60% have wait times under 15 minutes, and 65% have physicians present at all times), and they will be able to tell you whether you have a cold, the flu, a sinus infection, strep throat, or a stomach bug.
Yes, you can get a cold in the summer — and there’s a good chance that it will be a particularly nasty one. Learn more at this link.
