You Cant Actually get sick from being in the cold right???

Question

I was having this discussion about it with my friends, and they were all like yes you can... but I've heard that being in the cold actually increases your immunity to getting a cold...

so Who's right, Me, who thinks that you can only get sick from Germs? or my friends who say that you can get sick from being in the cold???

Answer 1

Joey, you are more right. It does take germs to make you sick, not being in cold weather. Altho, if your immune system is low for any reason., i.e. already sick with something or taking medication that can weaken the immune system, then yes being cold could be a precursor to getting a cold or the flu but there has to be a germ to catch.

Answer 2

You don't get sick by being in the cold, aside from hypothermia. I've seen people walk around in the cold with just a t-shirt on while everyone else is all covered up with gloves and ear warmers and stuff like that, and they are fine!
Some people are just more resistant to that kind of thing. I do think you increase your immunity. Like i say, those people don't get sick from being in the cold. But someone who is used to always being at a comfy temperature, seems to get sick the minute it gets cold.
I think it's more of an issue to breathe the cold air when you have been warm. When it's a sudden and extreme change in temperature. Not sure why though.

Answer 3

Colds are caused by viruses. Simply being in the cold cannot make you sick. But moving in and out of the cold or being in an enclosed environment can increase your chances of getting sick. It depends on how much exposure you get to the germs and how strong or weak your immune system is. (And how strong the virus is).

Answer 4

Bacteria and viruses live in the human body and are kept in check by the immune system as long as we live a reasonably healthy lifestyle. Going out in the cold won't make you sick in and of itself. But if you are out too long and aren't adequately protected from hypothermia, your resistance can be reduced and allow the bacteria or viruses to take advantage and cause an illness. So it is the germs that make you sick. It is reduced resistance that gives the germs the opportunity to make you sick.

Answer 5

It is not the cold that makes you sick but the drastic change in temperature. Going from warm indoors to cold outdoors and back will lower your immune system to be more susceptible to the cold VIRUS. Also, not washing your hands thoroughly and often will spread ugly germs. So the remedy? Bundle up when going outside, take your coat off in the house, and WASH YOUR FILTHY HANDS!

Answer 6

you, are in fact right.

i was watching that show, dr know, on the discovery channel, and he proved that being out in the cold weather, even with wet hair, you wont catch a cold.

colds are caught by germs, since a cold is a virus. so you can get it when someone sneezes (it travels through the air pretty far) from shaking hands, drinking out of someones cup.. but not cold weather.

now go rub it in that you were right, lol thats what i would do :)

Answer 7

No you can get hypothermia.... but the only reason why more colds are spread in the winter time (when its cold) is because everyone stays inside causing germs to be spread easier but the germs are from the temperature

Answer 8

You can only get sick from grems... however when you get cold that can lessen your immuity twards the germs.. and sometimes people think you are getting sick when its cold out because the cold, but its really becasue everyone is inside instead of out and its warmer.. making the germs breed fast.. and spred faster.

so.. in a way, you are both correct, you can only get sick from germs.. but cold provokes sickness.

Answer 9

Well, having to put more energy to maintaining body heat would take rescources away from the immune system. But beleiving that the cold causes disease has more to do with the tendancy for poeple to get sick during seasonal changes.

Answer 10

No, the cold just lowers your immune system, so that germs can make you sick more easy, but the cold itself doesn't make you sick.