CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With the temperature dropping this week, you may have had a stuffy nose or cough, and many want to know: Does the change in weather make you sick?
THE QUESTION:
Does the quick change in weather increase your chances of getting sick?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, a quick change in weather can increase your chances of getting sick. Although the temperature change, by itself, won't give you a cold.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Both Dr. Robinson and Dr. Kohli agree the change in temperature doesn't make you sick, but it can boost your odds of catching a virus.
"Just a temperature change in and of itself is not enough to make you ill. You have to be exposed to a virus," Robinson said.
The Cleveland Clinic said there are three main factors that increase illness during weather changes:
- Drier air
- Cold Temperatures
- Exposure
"If you think about what happens when the weather gets colder, the air gets a lot drier, which means that when we inhale that drier air, we can be more dehydrated, which can affect our immune function, our mucous membranes, which are sort of our first line of immunity, or the linings of our lungs, or nose or mouth, those can start to crack," Dr. Kohli said.
Kohli said these cracks can allow bacteria and viruses to enter your body.
"What else happens when it's cold out? We all tend to congregate indoors. So your exposure to other people can increase," Kohli said.
According to Kohli, viruses also survive better in cooler temperatures.
"Anytime there's a large swing and ambient temperature and ambient humidity, or even in the pressure outside the barometric pressure outside, it can cause biological changes in our body," Kohli said.
There are some ways to avoid getting sick. According to the Cleveland Clinic, you should stay warm, stay hydrated, get enough rest, and boost your immune system with vaccines.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.