Medical Expert Debunks Common Cold Remedy Myths

Cold and flu season is hitting Monroe County particularly hard this winter, prompting many residents to question which traditional remedies are worth trying. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, News10NBC’s Brett Davidsen recently sat down with Dr. Lorinda Parks, Regional Medical Director of Primary Care for Rochester Regional Health, to examine some of the most common cold treatment myths.

One persistent misconception is that antibiotics can effectively fight the common cold. Dr. Parks quickly dispelled this notion, explaining that antibiotics only work against bacterial infections, not viral ones. “The common cold is 99+% related to a virus, so [antibiotics are] not going to do anything,” she stated. Medical experts have long expressed concern about antibiotic overuse, which contributes to antibiotic resistance—a growing global health threat.

The age-old advice to “feed a cold, starve a fever” was also examined. While not entirely dismissing the concept, Dr. Parks noted that research shows some limited benefit to nutritional support during illness. “When you give nutritional supplements to people who are quite sick, those sometimes do help people who have really bad viruses, colds. So maybe there’s a little bit of truth to it. It’s not going to tip things one way or another,” she explained.

Chicken soup, perhaps the most culturally pervasive cold remedy, received a lukewarm assessment from Dr. Parks. “Not that we can detect. So, when we do studies where we have some people with chicken noodle soup, some with not, it’s not really going to help. But take it, it feels good. Go for it,” she advised. The psychological comfort of warm soup may provide symptomatic relief even without measurable medical benefits.

Vitamin C supplements, widely marketed as cold fighters, do have some scientific backing. “If you do find yourself getting a cold, vitamin C is sort of one of the vitamins you need to help boost your immune system, so it can reduce the duration of the cold,” Dr. Parks confirmed. Studies have shown that while vitamin C may not prevent colds, it can shorten their duration in some cases.

According to Dr. Parks, the most dangerous misconception is the belief that individuals are only contagious when running a fever. “That is false,” she emphasized. “Adults often don’t mount a fever and are as sick as other people. People may be very sick and not have a fever. And secondly, you are contagious well before the fever and after the fever.” This misunderstanding potentially contributes to workplace and school outbreaks, as people may return to public settings while still capable of spreading the virus.

Another popular myth—that going outside with wet hair increases susceptibility to colds—was firmly debunked. “Turns out, a virus, contagious—that you touch on your hand, get through your eyes, mouth—is the thing that causes virus. Not being out in the cold,” Dr. Parks explained. The cold virus spreads through person-to-person contact or contaminated surfaces, not weather conditions.

Public health officials note that Monroe County, like many regions across the United States, is experiencing a significant uptick in respiratory illnesses this season. The CDC has reported elevated levels of influenza-like illness activity throughout most of the Northeast.

While there remains no cure for the common cold, symptoms can be effectively managed through rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications when appropriate. Dr. Parks emphasized that proper hand-washing remains the single most effective preventative measure against respiratory infections of all types.

Rochester Regional Health continues to provide community education on illness prevention as part of their comprehensive approach to community health management. As cold and flu season progresses, health officials recommend staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and maintaining good hand hygiene to limit the spread of respiratory viruses throughout the community.