With the cold comes colds. But is it the cause of diseases? Why do we have a runny nose? Jimmy Mohamed simply answers these questions that torment us in winter.
Winter is approaching and with it comes the return of colds! But be careful, contrary to popular belief, it is not the cold that causes you to get sick. We prepare an anti-cold tea, we equip ourselves with lip balms to avoid chapped lips and of course we take out the hats and scarves (a fashion item of the season is also a real breeding ground for bacteria). But why do we have a runny nose despite all these precautions?
In his column on RTLdoctor Jimmy Mohamed explains that this is quite normal: “This doesn’t mean you necessarily get sick.but your body is simply trying to defend itself against the cold”. He explains how the nose works, which has many functions, including warming the air we breathe. “Air that is too cold could irritate the lungs”, specifies the doctor.
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The runny nose: its function to protect us
Jimmy Mohamed continues his explanations: “When it is very cold, the air becomes dry and the inside of the nose risks drying out, no longer fulfilling its protective role.”. The brain then sends the order to produce more mucus, secretions, in order “protect the nose from drying out and prevent dry air from irritating your lungs”. But then why do we get sick more often in winter than in summer?
The answer lies in our changes in habits this season: we go out less, we stay indoors, in “poorly ventilated spaces, close to each other”. We have a defense system in the bronchi with cilia which are there to capture bacteria. They act “like a treadmill so that our defense systems destroy them”, specifies Jimmy Mohamed. But they become harder with the cold“a bit like a comb”, and they are less operational. Result: the microbes stagnate and can grow.
The doctor undermines the idea of cold snap, which does not exist : “The cold has never affected anyone, except that it plays a role in causing infections.”. The nose acts as a protective barrier against infections. It produces small bubbles called vesicles, which attack the viruses and bacteria with which we come into contact. The latter, with the cold, work less well. “The defense system is altered and that’s how you get sick when it’s cold”, he summarizes.
When Yves Calvi asks him if parents are right to ask their children to cover themselves, Jimmy Mohamed responds: “It makes sense”. However, it is necessary take care of temperature variations, like that felt with air conditioning in the middle of summer: suddenly going from hot to cold, and vice versa, somewhat weakens the defense system. You must therefore dress warmly in winter, “listen carefully to dad, mom and grandpa. And that’s the doctor who tells you”, he concludes.
Editor for Aufeminin since 2022, Charlotte is passionate about cinema, French and international, and a fortune reader. Curious about everything, she talks as much about personalities as…