Coughing and having a cold for months: where it comes from and what you can do about it

The fifty-year-old has not been healthy since October. His throat is full of mucus and the daily mucus starts when he gets up. He has never needed so many tissues in his life. The cough also won’t let him go, and for weeks his hearing was limited by the cold.

Like this man, many are currently complaining of long-term respiratory conditions. “During consultation hours we notice that patients keep coming to us who have had problems for a long time,” says Philipp Luchsinger, chairman of General Practitioners and Pediatricians Switzerland. It cannot be statistically proven whether more people are affected than in previous years. There is simply no data on this.

There are several reasons why people in Switzerland are ill or ‘semi-sick’ for a long time. “There are various respiratory viruses circulating, just like before. But we have had a new virus, Sars-CoV-2, for four years now, which has again caused us great concern this fall,” says Luchsinger. Because very few people are protecting themselves this winter, infections with all different viruses continue to occur. “How many face masks do you see on average on the tram?” Luchsinger asks rhetorically.

“Symptoms such as coughing can sometimes last for several weeks after a respiratory infection,” says Stefan Kuster, chief physician at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases at St. Gallen Cantonal Hospital. It is not unusual for people to become infected with various viruses one after another during the cold season in autumn and winter.

In addition to the coronavirus flu, RSV, parainfluenza and metapneumovirus, this also includes others. “All in all, this creates the feeling that you are constantly sick. “But actually they are usually different infections with shorter intervals,” says Kuster. As soon as the immune system gets one pathogen under control, the next one comes along. Dry mucous membranes that are irritated by an infection are then particularly susceptible to a subsequent infection.

These ongoing infections are also related to “the fact that we often do not give ourselves enough time to heal ourselves, reduce contacts and activities to allow an infection to heal,” says the president of the GPs. According to Luchsinger, social pressure to perform plays a role and, depending on the situation, challenging situations at work make it difficult to let go.

It’s not just viruses that are bothering us this winter. After the pandemic, the mycoplasmas have reawakened and “increased the cycle of colds,” Kuster says. These are bacteria that cause a flu-like illness and make you ill for a long time. China was particularly affected. “Mycoplasmas have only recently become more common in our country and not at a frequency that would be relevant,” says Luchsinger. There is little that can be done about it. Antibiotics are used for very serious mycoplasma diseases.

The biggest problem for many people is the accumulation of mucus. This is due to an inflammatory reaction in the mucous membranes, which sometimes lasts longer than the actual infection. This inflammatory reaction of the mucous membrane with the resulting swelling is also the reason why ventilation of the middle ear is obstructed. This means that many people’s hearing is significantly reduced for days and weeks.

Some people despair and consult their doctor. This is what their president recommends if the debilitating symptoms last a few days and there is no improvement. “Especially in case of severe earache, high fever for three days, shortness of breath and generally poor condition,” says Philippe Luchsinger, who runs a practice in Affoltern am Albis.

Otherwise, patience is required. «Decongestant nasal drops can be used in the short term and in the longer term various anti-inflammatory medications can be used. And many home remedies that have a soothing effect.” For example, sage tea is said to be effective against a sore throat.

To get rid of a persistent cold, it is important to get enough sleep and drink enough fluids. Sports should not be practiced excessively. There is no magic pill for a cold; your own immune system must get the infections under control. Anyone who now suffers from a persistent cold does not have to worry that they will also suffer from it next year.

No one is immune from constant colds. However, a German GP explained in “Spiegel” that one group in particular caught his attention. In his practice he sees many patients between the ages of 20 and 50 who appear completely exhausted. People in the middle of the working world cry in practice and suffer psychologically and are susceptible to infections.

Of course, people with a weak immune system are also at risk. This includes the elderly, diabetics and heart patients. These are also those to whom the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends vaccination against corona and flu. However, these people represent only a portion of those currently suffering from long-term colds.

In principle, face masks would reduce the risk of becoming infected again and again. However, viruses are everywhere in everyday life, children bring them home from school, bacteria and viruses settle on our mucous membranes and can lead to diseases. The effect is therefore limited.

However, there are countries that are reintroducing the mask. So many people are currently suffering from respiratory diseases in Spain that last Wednesday the Spanish Health Minister reintroduced a mask requirement in hospitals and health centers across the country, against the wishes of numerous regional governments.

In the US and Great Britain, face masks are again mandatory in many hospitals. There is no general obligation in Swiss hospitals such as St.Gallen. The usual standard measures apply that reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses, including corona: for example, wearing a face mask if suspected and staying at home if you are sick.