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| Why isn’t there a cure for
the common cold? |
Jessica Sellers
Clubs | Organizations Beat
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A cold, as defined
by the American Heritage Collegiate dictionary, is a viral infection
characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the
upper respiratory passages and usually accompanied by fever, chills,
coughing and sneezing.
Why isn’t there a cure for the common cold? According to an
article on MSNBC.com, it is because it is hard to tell what actually
causes a cold. About 40 percent of colds are caused by something
called rhinoviruses, and the other 60 percent are caused by other
viruses.
The so-called experts tell us to take vitamin C and Echinacea to
ward off the cold and other cold-like symptoms, but it is so easy
to forget to take them.
I have been dealing with the horrible effects of a cold for a while
now. The week before Spring Break I had a terrible cold that kept
me out of classes for almost the entire week.
I went to the infirmary a total of three times, but I was still
a little sick when I went home for break. I know that a cold is
a type of virus and there is really nothing any doctor can do about
it, but there has got to be a way to help people like me.
The infirmary is a nice place, but often students don’t have
time to go during regular hours when the doctors are on duty. They
are then forced to see a nurse who can only dispense over-the-counter
drugs.
The over-the-counter medicines don’t really help but knock
students out so they sleep all day and sometimes through their classes.
After only a week of feeling completely better, somehow I have contracted
yet another cold. This is the second one I’ve had in one month.
I don’t understand why my immune system is so weak.
I’ve taken every non-prescription and prescription medicine
known to humankind, but there is still no relief. If winter is supposed
to be over, then why are so many people still getting colds?
I know there are other people out there suffering like me. And even
though it’s not winter now, it is spring, which is a nightmare
for every sufferer of allergies.
Those who have allergies must take endless medicines to ward off
the symptoms of colds and sinus infections. Most of these medicines
work; however, most of them make the person very drowsy.
Being drowsy from medicine makes it even harder to concentrate in
classes and at work. It is also a pain to have to leave class multiple
times to go grab a tissue or water because you have a runny nose
or a cough that just won’t go away.
Your fellow classmates stare at you, wondering why you’re leaving
so much, and probably thinking you have a very weak bladder. You
feel like you’re disturbing the class, but you can’t help
it.
It’s embarrassing sometimes to have a red, inflamed nose. No
matter how hard you try, you can’t cover it up with everything,
the soreness takes a while to go away, and it takes several days
for your nose to actually heal.
So, is there any hope for allergy and cold sufferers? It sure doesn’t
seem like there is. We should all get together and try to find a
cure, if one even exists.
But until then, we must go through life with our red noses, scratchy
and sore throats and unending coughs. |
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