Does sweating help get rid of a cold?

[gar3555]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Hum...

My family trick is putting vicks on your back and scratching it so that the blood gets warm...

it works for me

hmmm. the back..I used to just put the vicks right up my nose...instante clarity. It rocks

 

[Mark R]

You sweat when a fever breaks because your body's temperature regulation is thrown out of whack. This is the same reason you have the chills when your fever is strong.

High fever equals chills because your body temperature has risen greatly in relation to the ambient temp in the room. We feel cold when there is a large difference between ambient temp, and body temp. The chills are also thought to be another way for your body to maintain it's higher temp by promoting shivering and covering up. Remember, a fever exists for a reason, to help in fighting infection.

You have sweats when a fever breaks because your body temp has suddenly dropped, while the ambient temp stays the same, making you feel hot and your body reacts by sweating.

That's not quite correct.

The body tries very hard to keep it's temperature at a 'set point'. This is very precisely regulated at 37.0 C (98.6 F).

You feel cold and get chills and shiver if your body's temperature is below it's 'set point'. If your body temperature is above this point, then you fell hot and start sweating. If you've just done a very hard prolonged workout at the gym and check your temperature it could easily be 37.5 or higher - as a result of all the work you've done.

When you have an infection - the immune system produces hormones that act on the temperature regulation system (in the hypothalamus in the brain). These hormones cause the 'set point' temperature to rise - to 38, 39 or even 40 C.

As a result, when the immune system is activated you feel cold (because the body temperature is approx 37 C, but the set point has suddenly been raised, to say, 39 C). If the immune system produces a sudden surge of hormones, forcing the tempertaure set point up very quickly - this can cause uncontrollable shivering and feeling of intense cold. Once the body temperature reaches the new set point, the shivering and feeling of cold stop.

When the infection resolves, or remits, the set point returns to normal. The body temperature is now way above it's set point - and the result is intense sweating to bring the temperature down. The same thing happens if you take medication like paracteamol (acetaminophen), aspirin or ibuprofen - these block the hormonal signal from the immune system, allowing the body's temperature regulation to reset to 37 C. You will know they work, because about 30 minutes after taking them for a fever - you will feel very hot and sweaty and your temperature will start to fall.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Mark R

You sweat when a fever breaks because your body's temperature regulation is thrown out of whack. This is the same reason you have the chills when your fever is strong.

High fever equals chills because your body temperature has risen greatly in relation to the ambient temp in the room. We feel cold when there is a large difference between ambient temp, and body temp. The chills are also thought to be another way for your body to maintain it's higher temp by promoting shivering and covering up. Remember, a fever exists for a reason, to help in fighting infection.

You have sweats when a fever breaks because your body temp has suddenly dropped, while the ambient temp stays the same, making you feel hot and your body reacts by sweating.

That's not quite correct.

The body tries very hard to keep it's temperature at a 'set point'. This is very precisely regulated at 37.0 C (98.6 F).

You feel cold and get chills and shiver if your body's temperature is below it's 'set point'. If your body temperature is above this point, then you fell hot and start sweating. If you've just done a very hard prolonged workout at the gym and check your temperature it could easily be 37.5 or higher - as a result of all the work you've done.

When you have an infection - the immune system produces hormones that act on the temperature regulation system (in the hypothalamus in the brain). These hormones cause the 'set point' temperature to rise - to 38, 39 or even 40 C.

As a result, when the immune system is activated you feel cold (because the body temperature is approx 37 C, but the set point has suddenly been raised, to say, 39 C). If the immune system produces a sudden surge of hormones, forcing the tempertaure set point up very quickly - this can cause uncontrollable shivering and feeling of intense cold. Once the body temperature reaches the new set point, the shivering and feeling of cold stop.

When the infection resolves, or remits, the set point returns to normal. The body temperature is now way above it's set point - and the result is intense sweating to bring the temperature down. The same thing happens if you take medication like paracteamol (acetaminophen), aspirin or ibuprofen - these block the hormonal signal from the immune system, allowing the body's temperature regulation to reset to 37 C. You will know they work, because about 30 minutes after taking them for a fever - you will feel very hot and sweaty and your temperature will start to fall.

Meh, I was close enough.

At any rate, sweating does nothing to cure a viral or bacterial infection.

"Sweating out" a cold is an old wives tale.

 

[Taggart]

Um, sweating will not get rid of a virus.

 

[Liviathan]

I think sweating is a good thing. Can't hurt.