Can you catch a cold from being cold?

Answer

Check out this report from CNN referring to a British Study that showed a significant increase in coming down with a cold when exposed to cold or chilled.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/11/14/cold.chill/index.html

Answer

No, there have been many studies on exactly this question and not only does being cold not cause the common cold, it has no affect on catching a cold whatsoever.

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The Common Cold
http://www.commoncold.org/special1.htm

Myth 3: Becoming cold or chilled leads to catching a cold.

Facts:

1. As discussed above, almost everybody becomes infected whether they are chilled or not, if cold virus is dropped into the nose. (72)

2. One study has looked at this question. It was found that colds were no more frequent or severe in volunteers who were chilled than those who were not. (76)

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American Lung Association:
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35869

Myth: You can catch the flu or a cold from going outdoors in cold weather.

Fact: The flu and colds are more common in the winter months because that is when the viruses spread across the country. It has nothing to do with being outside in cold weather.

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National Institute of Health:
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/colds/cause.htm

The weather

There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated.

Other factors

There is also no evidence that your chances of getting a cold are related to factors such as exercise, diet, or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. On the other hand, research suggests that psychological stress and allergic diseases affecting your nose or throat may have an impact on your chances of getting infected by cold viruses.

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Common Cold on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold

Although common colds are seasonal, with more occurring during winter, there is no evidence that short-term exposure to cold weather or direct chilling increases susceptibility to infection. [2][15][16][17]

# ^ Dowling HF, Jackson GG, Spiesman IG, Inouye T (1958). "Transmission of the common cold to volunteers under controlled conditions. III. The effect of chilling of the subjects upon susceptibility". American journal of hygiene 68 (1): 59-65. PMID 13559211.
# ^ Eccles R (2002). "Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold". Rhinology 40 (3): 109-14. PMID 12357708.
# ^ Douglas, R.G.Jr, K.M. Lindgren, and R.B. Couch (1968). "Exposure to cold environment and rhinovirus common cold. Failure to demonstrate effect". New Engl. J. Med 279.

Answer

Going outside with wet hair won't make you catch cold, nor will wet feet, wet clothing or drafts. You'll certainly feel chilled faster if you go out with wet hair, but you won't be more susceptible to rhino-viruses, which are the real cause of colds. Colds are spread through mucus or spit getting into another persons mouth, nose and eyes. In cold weather, you'll be more comfortable, obviously, if you stay dry and out of icy drafts, but you can still only catch a cold if you are exposed to a virus to which you are not immune. Taken from: http://www.interiorhealth.ca/Your+Health/Tips+Articles/Tips/How+to+(not)+catch+a+cold.htm

Answer

You can only catch a cold from being exposed to the cold virus. People catch more in winter because they are indoors more-more people, less air circulation, more stuffy environment leads to easier transmission of the cold virus.

You can not catch a cold by being exposed to cold weather. Absolutely not.

Answer

Colds are caused by an infection. Studies have been done into whether being cold weakens your immune system, but they have not shown that being cold increases the chance of getting a cold; the rate of infection was not higher in people who were been exposed to the cold, compared with people who were not.

Answer

Only from the the virus and being cold does not hinder your immunity as long as you aren't so cold that your body defenses are destroyed. In 1958, H.F. Dowling, and his friends wrote a paper in the American Journal of Hygiene, (Vol. 68, pp. 659-65) : "Transmission of the Common Cold to Volunteers Under Controlled Conditions". More than 400 volunteers were exposed to viruses that cause colds. Some were exposed to very cold temperatures while wearing heavy coats, some to 60 degree temperatures while wearing underwear, and some to a very warm 80 degrees. All had the same rate of infection. This shows that the crucial factor that determine whether you get a cold is being exposed to the virus that causes the cold.

Then in 1968, R.G. Douglas, Jr., wrote a paper entitled, "Exposure to Cold Environment and Rhino-virus and susceptibility to the Common Cold," in the New England Journal of Medicine. Inmates at a Texas prison had the cold virus placed directly into their noses. At varying times after their exposure to the viruses, they were exposed to extreme temperatures, with varying amounts of clothing . Being cold or warm, being dressed, or undressed, and having wet hair or dry hair had no effect on their infection rate.

Answer

No you can not. It bugs me when my grandmother says put on a coat you don't want to catch a cold

Answer

No. You cannot 'catch' a 'cold' from simply being cold or being exposed to a cold environment, despite what your grandmother will tell you. You must be exposed to an organism that causes rhinitis in order to experience a 'cold' (typically rhino-viruses). However, experience tells us that in winter we tend to observe more people who are suffering from a 'cold'. Why you ask? The low humidity that usually accompanies cold weather supports a longer survival time for individual virions outside of the host. This longer survival outside of the body allows results in an increase in the probability of people becoming infected. Also, cold temperatures tend to exacerbate the symptoms of rhinitis, making the patient feel worse in low temperature environments.

Sheldon H BPharm student.

Best Answer

First answer by Marcy. Last edit by IHappy. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 198 [recommend question].