Cold virus can take 24 to 48 hours to incubate
Q. Recently, at a movie, the person behind me coughed on me through the entire film. The next morning I awoke with the beginning of a cold. My head and chest were congested.
My wife says it would have been impolite to move. She also insisted that I could not have caught a cold that quickly. I think otherwise, since this has happened on several previous occasions. I am curious to know whether a cold can really take hold within 12 hours after initial exposure.
A. Let me start by saying it would not have been rude to change seats in the theater. It is, however, more than rude to cough on someone throughout an entire movie. The person should have been considerate enough to sit in an isolated area to reduce the spread of the cold virus. Better still, this person should have stayed home to avoid potentially contaminating every person with whom he or she came into contact. Colds are not harmful but can be very unpleasant. Those infected should avoid all unnecessary contact with others until symptoms have subsided; this includes going to the movies.
Now, to your question. My answer is, yes, it is possible to start developing symptoms within 12 hours of exposure. However, it does not normally happen that quickly. For most healthy people, a cold incubates for 24 to 48 hours before symptoms appear. Peak symptoms appear after 36 to 72 hours. If you have repeatedly experienced rapid onset of cold symptoms, you may have a weak immune system. This could be caused by several things, such as improper diet, certain medications or smoking. If you are otherwise healthy, with no anemia, fatigue or other illnesses, I wouldn't be worried.
You can boost your immune system by adding more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet and getting more exercise. This should stave off future infections.
Another option is to take a multivitamin daily. This may improve your health by supplementing your diet with extra vitamins and minerals that you may be lacking.
Finally, if you have any unexplained symptoms, such as repeated infections, fatigue, anemia or easy bruising, visit your primary-care physician for further testing to rule out a serious cause.
Q. I read one of your articles about a lady taking Actonel. I am a 77-year-old lady taking atenolol. Is this the same medication? I, too, have lots of back pain and cramps.
A. No. Actonel is for bone weakness caused by osteoporosis. Atenolol is used to lower blood pressure.
Atenolol does not, to my knowledge, cause back pain and cramps. I urge you to see your doctor to discover the cause of your pain. Perhaps it is caused by another medication you are taking or the result of a pinched spinal nerve or herniated disc. Your physician can order appropriate testing or refer you to a specialist.
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