Miracle Remedies for Colds, Flu, and COVID Circulating on Social Media
The cold and flu season is ramping up, and messengers are buzzing with advice on treating early infections—quickly, without pills, and always from a «professor.» One of the frequently forwarded messages is about a soda solution. You«ve probably seen it or received it from friends: a message about the personal experience of some professor who knows how to simply and quickly deal with any cold virus, especially at the very beginning of the illness. For details, see the article from Doctor Piter.
«I have two retired relatives who worked in epicenters all year, everyone around them got sick: both young and old, but they never did. I»ll tell you how that«s possible,» — that«s roughly how this message begins.
Next comes the recipe for a water and soda solution. The solution must be held in the mouth for exactly 5 minutes—strictly, no more, no less. This rigid norm is explained by the «virus population renewal time,» which is supposedly exactly 5 minutes. It«s guaranteed: healing won»t take long.
«The soda solution damages the virus envelope at the moment when they (virions) emerge from an infected cell, end up in the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, and seek a healthy cell to attach to. And since the virus envelope is damaged, it can»t attach to a healthy cell,« the message explains.
The author suggests treating oneself this way several times a day, and also walking and breathing fresh air. If you can«t walk, there»s another piece of advice—breathe in front of an open window and be sure to wave your arms to improve blood circulation. Of course, an example is given of an acquaintance from the «epicenter» whom the solution and «antiviral breathing» immediately put back on their feet. And if you don«t believe it, you»re invited to see for yourself that the method really works.
Rospotrebnadzor Reports
The incidence of respiratory infections in Russia continues to rise. The number of flu cases detected each week has also increased sixfold compared to early October.
«Among circulating flu strains, A(H3N2) dominates. The detected viruses fully correspond to the vaccine strains of the current season,» reported the agency.
Doctor«s Opinion
Doctor Piter decided not to test the advice on themselves for now, but to ask a doctor whether a soda solution can be useful for ARVI infection and how. To be fair, a simple search showed that this professor«s advice has been circulating on social media since pandemic times.
As doctor Alina Zyabchenko told Doctor Piter, using a soda solution for gargling is a common self-treatment practice at home.
Alina Zyabchenko — a therapist, gastroenterologist, and head of the therapeutic department at the Gatchina Clinical Interdistrict Hospital.
«Most often, this is done to relieve throat discomfort: pain, scratchiness. In case of mild immune weakening or absence of factors causing discomfort, gargling can indeed be an effective treatment method. This procedure washes the pharynx, helping to clear the throat and tonsils of accumulated mucus and plaque,» says Alina Zyabchenko.
However, according to the specialist, it«s important to consider that the alkalinity of sodium bicarbonate (soda) can also lead to adverse consequences, namely irritation of the pharyngeal mucous membrane, which increases its vulnerability to bacterial infection.
The therapist explained what«s wrong with the soda solution advice against ARVI.
There is no scientific data confirming that gargling or holding a soda solution in the mouth effectively destroys viruses in the body. Viruses are not only on the surface of the mucous membrane but also infect deeper cells—soda doesn«t penetrate there.
Viruses multiply inside cells, and simple local exposure to the mucous membrane won»t stop this process.
A soda solution at a concentration safe for the mucous membrane is an alkaline environment. But it doesn«t instantly destroy viral envelopes and in practice doesn»t prevent infection of new cells.
«In the list of main means of protection and treatment for many viral infections, including flu or COVID, are vaccines, antiviral drugs, adequate rest, and immune support. And stories of individual recoveries from soda solution aren»t proof of its effectiveness. Most likely, these people had strong immunity or simply didn«t get infected,» the doctor added.
At the same time, it«s not worth completely dismissing the soda solution. According to Alina Zyabchenko, it can be used, but as an auxiliary means for gargling. Here are the potential benefits of such gargles, in the doctor»s opinion:
A soda solution can temporarily freshen the mouth, reduce acidity, and lessen discomfort associated with mucous membrane inflammation;
Gargling with soda is sometimes used to alleviate symptoms of bacterial pharyngitis, but there«s no proven effect on viral infections;
Regular gargling and oral hygiene significantly help reduce the load on the mucous membrane, but this isn»t synonymous with treating viruses.
And, of course, don«t forget the methods of preventing many diseases, including ARVI, repeatedly proven by scientists: good sleep, proper and balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, walks in the fresh air, and maintaining a drinking regimen.
Who Should Not Use Oxolinic Ointment for Prevention
Other popular folk remedies long considered key in cold prevention are oxolinic ointment and lemons with garlic. Oxolinic ointment is classified as an antiviral agent. According to the instructions, it helps block the binding sites of the flu virus to the cell membrane surface and protects cells from virus penetration. It«s especially favored by mothers during the cold and flu season, applying it to children»s noses before sending them to kindergarten.
However, some claim that this ointment is actually of little use in preventing colds, and in some cases, it can even hinder—by gluing together the special cilia in the nose, whose job is to trap foreign particles entering the mucous membrane. As a result, they stop doing their work, and the infection penetrates deeper into the respiratory tract.
Does oxolinic ointment help protect against ARVI, and when is it better to avoid it? Doctor Piter sought the opinion of pediatrician Andrei Gogolev.
Andrei Gogolev — a pediatrician at the admission department of the clinic of the St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University (SPbSPMU).
— Indeed, some antiviral effect of this drug against many respiratory viruses and even the herpes virus has been proven. However, with topical application, the concentration of oxolin is very low. That is, very little medication is absorbed at the application site—only about 5%. This ointment can be used for prevention, but always with a caveat—don«t expect 100 percent effectiveness, explained Andrei Gogolev.
According to Sergei Ryazantsev, deputy director of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose and Speech, specialist doctors are skeptical of oxolinic ointment, but it shouldn«t be demonized either.
Sergei Ryazantsev — deputy director for scientific work at the Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose and Speech, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences.
— Even at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was suddenly a boom in oxolinic ointment: it was thought it could protect against coronavirus. Actually, there was something to it: it does serve as a kind of protective layer between the nasal mucous membrane and the virus entering inside. But it«s too crude a protector; now there are many other more modern and effective protective means. Essentially, oxolin is the simplest form of barrier therapy. Although small, this ointment does provide some benefit for ARVI prevention—it»s better than doing nothing at all, concluded Sergei Ryazantsev.
Who Can Be Harmed by Oxolinic Ointment in the Nose
Pediatrician Andrei Gogolev recommends avoiding the use of this ointment during the cold and flu season for those who have:
allergic reactions to oxolin;
skin damage in the area of the nasal passages;
acne in the nasolabial triangle (affects both teenagers and adults). In this case, such ointments can only intensify the inflammatory process.
And What About Garlic and Lemon?
As explained Igor Nikonorov, senior researcher at the St. Petersburg Influenza Research Institute, garlic, although very beneficial, cannot be called a means of flu prevention. The phytoncides it contains (in the amounts we typically eat garlic) won«t kill flu viruses at arm»s length, and large doses of garlic will simply burn the stomach lining. The only thing it can help with is to deter others from approaching you, thereby reducing the risk of infection.
Vitamin C-rich products, including lemons, also won«t protect against the flu virus upon encountering a source of infection. However, they are needed to replenish the body»s vitamin C deficiency, which is used in large amounts to fight the virus. With a deficiency of ascorbic acid, blood vessels become less elastic, and it becomes harder for the body to fight infection. Moreover, ascorbic acid is used in comprehensive flu therapy as it has a pronounced antioxidant effect.
