Severity of colds and time of year

[bloom]

I've been fighting off a completely seasonally-inappropriate cold for the last few days - it started out with a sore throat and a cough but that wasn't too terrible until yesterday when all the head symptoms and muscle aches and fever hit, and now I feel like trash on fire. This is seriously the worst cold I can remember having in years, and it's so disorienting to be sick in this way when it's 90 degrees out.

So I grumpily googled whether summer colds are actually a lot worse than winter ones, because I can't remember feeling so sick from the colds I've had in winter, and I found this and I don't think I've ever actually seen this discussed here before?

Evidently the viruses that cause colds in winter and summer are different; classic rhinovirus thrives in cold, enterovirus thrives in heat. Aaaand enterovirus tends to be more severe, which explains why I feel like I've been hit by a bus. They also last longer, so I can apparently anticipate feeling this way for some time to come. Hooray.

Anyway, I hate to suffer alone, so I figured I'd pose the question here about peoples' personal experiences. Have you found that colds hit harder in the summer months? Bonus question: If colds factor into your fetish, do you have a preference for when they happen, too? They don't really factor into mine too much, but I am kind of salty about having caught such a bad one at this time of year instead of autumn or winter because I find having one at the appropriate time of year somehow more romantic, in the broader sense of the word. I'd like to postpone it for a better time.

[bingochamp7]

Yeah, I've noticed this particular trend in a lot of my friends. One friend in particular seems to be sick each month and her summer colds seem more severe.

[Mustang]

Interesting stuff! It's fascinating to know that there are 200+ cold-causing viruses; health class only taught us about the rhinovirus. I honestly had no idea that the enterovirus even existed.

On the contrary to your predicament, my colds usually hit harder and last longer during the winter months. Some seem to last all winter; the lingering symptoms just refuse to leave. Summer colds just last a couple weeks at most and usually aren't as nasty as the winter ones. In fact, I'm getting over a summer cold right now, and it only lasted four days.

The season at which colds happen don't really affect my attraction degree to the sneezes. If I had to choose, I would lean more towards winter colds because less sweat is involved.

Anyway, I hope you feel better. Kick that enterovirus' ass!

[Oolia]

Oh my god I didn't know about this, but it makes perfect sense now!

The last time I got a cold (two years ago and counting, WHATUP) was in August and it was pretty intense for like 1.5 weeks. And then I started feeling better. Five days later, I had a fever and it came right back with a vengeance. I was sick for almost a month overall. Not fun. No thank you, summer colds. Plus, being sick when it's hot and humid outside is the worst.

As far as fetish scenario goes, a cold in the winter or fall is so much nicer. You get all the ingredients for something romantic like you said: scarves, blankets, red noses from the cold wind and having a cold, heavy sweaters, chills, warm tea and soup, lounging inside while it's cold and dreary/raining outside... It's just so much more "awwww".

[bloom]

Interesting stuff! It's fascinating to know that there are 200+ cold-causing viruses; health class only taught us about the rhinovirus. I honestly had no idea that the enterovirus even existed.

As far as I know, a lot of those 200+ are just varieties of rhinovirus, but there are others like enterovirus and coronavirus, too. Rhinovirus is definitely the most common, though.

[Sawyer]

I think I remember wanting to talk to you about this about a month ago! My boyfriend caught a cold and I looked up some stuff about summer colds, wondering if they were different somehow -- and was surprised to see that they actually are!

It makes total sense to me too. For the past 3 years, I've gotten a cold at the end of July/beginning of August, and it's always really horrible! One lasted two weeks, the second lasted literally three months, with varying symptoms the whole time, and my most recent one was 3 weeks ago and thankfully only lasted 5 days, but I felt terrible for at least two of them!

I agree with Melon that it's so much more romantic when the cold is in the fall or winter! The middle of fall (like late October?) is definitely my favorite, because you can be all festive with hot drinks and bonfires.

Feel better Junia!!!

[MaiMai]

I've never actually thought about this before, but it makes complete sense when I do. All the Spring/Summer, particularly Summer colds, I recall having have been worse than ones in Autumn/Winter (although the article seems to attribute the changes in viruses to temperature change, and gotta be honest here...how much of a temperature difference is there between the seasons in England? It's all just constant rain!)

I definitely agree with Melondew and Sen. Colds in the Autumn and Winter are so much more adorable. Hot drinks, cold weather, being able to snuggle up in jumpers, etc...it's just so cosy, I don't know how to explain it!

And hope you feel better soon!!

[Joal 555]

I find summer colds doubly irritating. Like, I can understand getting a cold in the winter, that's when most people seem to get them and it somehow feels more logical, so when I get one in the summer, I'm like "what the hell are you doing here, go away and leave me alone!"

Having said that, my own personal experience is that the severest colds I've ever had have been in the winter.

:

[Nola]

I did know this little factoid, and have unfortunately experienced it firsthand. Every May for like four(ish) years I got something and had it for a long time...I would like to say I knew for certain it was viral, but I wondered if it were allergic in nature, too.

I mostly came here though to talk about this,

If colds factor into your fetish, do you have a preference for when they happen, too?

because, well...colds are a much bigger part of my fetish than allergies, so I have a lot of preferences!

Colds in the dead of winter are my absolute favorite. Mostly because winter is my favorite season, and colds only make that better. Sweaters, scarves, warm drinks, wearing winter coats while indoors....these cold-weather related aspects make colds in the winter that much better, for me. But autumn colds are also really romantic in very much the same way. [slightly off topic, but the sports that take place during the fall and winter (football and basketball) were always my favorite to watch, and way back when my fetish was becoming sexual, I always wanted to see the athletes sick on those particular teams, so...]

I also have many other 'favorite scenarios' tied into winter/fall/Christmas/Thanksgiving-themed things, so it's really a big glob of happiness for me. But maybe one of the biggest is because of all that we're expected to do, especially around the holidays, when someone is ill and muscles through it all anyway, it's really cute!

[Another slightly off topic, but, there is somehow this 'depressive nature' to winter because people constantly complain about the weather, the cold, the snow, the upcoming events, holidays etc. etc., so I like that there is an additive effect when someone is ill, too].

On the other hand, summer colds are romantic to me in their own way, albeit to a lesser extent. I like the idea that someone feels awful (bad, but we understand here) when most others are in their best spirits. There is often much to do in the summer that is exciting, fun, extroverted(?) in nature so there is also a bit of that 'yeah I'm fine' kind of attitude that I mentioned previously. I'm kind of a one-trick pony, it seems.

In conclusion, I'm very much a sadist and enjoy other people's misery!

[Hygge]

I've read about this! Haha. I've only had one summer cold, and it was pretty bad but not my worst cold ever. I just got like pretty bad bronchitis from it and stuff. Was a long time ago tho. Sorry you were so sick

[telltale]

Oh wow, I didn't know this. Even mild enteroviruses can be pretty scary sometimes from what I've read.

That said, as colds and related things are really the only part of my kink, I'm going to say I almost like (fictional) summer colds/illnesses better, because it's so extra-unexpected and the idea of it being hot outside + having a fever sounds kind of nice in my evil brain? I like the going on vacation and getting sick scenario a lot too. Idk, I like either season though.

[LapidotLover22]

I can't relate. I'm generally a very healthy person, and rarely get colds. But when I do, they seem to mostly hit after a sudden climate change. Like if it's been 20 degrees for weeks and then within a couple days it jumps up to 50 or even high 40's, I'll have a sore throat within the week and it'll just escalate from there. The vice versa applies as well. If it's been in the mid to high 80's for awhile and then it drops to the low 60's, sniffle city, population: me.

Anyone else like that? Getting sick during temperature shifts?

Edited August 25, 2015 by SoulSong22

[Sawyer]

Anyone else like that? Getting sick during temperature shifts?

I definitely used to be! I think all throughout grade school and high school, I always tended to get sick at the start of each season... but it was the worst at the beginning of fall and the beginning of spring, always. I think my system was just shocked and, since schools are total petri dishes for disease, I'd come down with something pretty fast.

It stopped happening after I graduated, and as an adult I haven't really gotten sick more than a handful of times. Still, I think because of my experience with that, I've come to really adore the trope of people catching colds because of temperature changes. It's so predictable and sweet!

[SneezyPony]

I did know this little factoid, and have unfortunately experienced it firsthand. Every May for like four(ish) years I got something and had it for a long time...I would like to say I knew for certain it was viral, but I wondered if it were allergic in nature, too.

I mostly came here though to talk about this,

If colds factor into your fetish, do you have a preference for when they happen, too?

because, well...colds are a much bigger part of my fetish than allergies, so I have a lot of preferences!

Colds in the dead of winter are my absolute favorite. Mostly because winter is my favorite season, and colds only make that better. Sweaters, scarves, warm drinks, wearing winter coats while indoors....these cold-weather related aspects make colds in the winter that much better, for me. But autumn colds are also really romantic in very much the same way. [slightly off topic, but the sports that take place during the fall and winter (football and basketball) were always my favorite to watch, and way back when my fetish was becoming sexual, I always wanted to see the athletes sick on those particular teams, so...]

I also have many other 'favorite scenarios' tied into winter/fall/Christmas/Thanksgiving-themed things, so it's really a big glob of happiness for me. But maybe one of the biggest is because of all that we're expected to do, especially around the holidays, when someone is ill and muscles through it all anyway, it's really cute!

[Another slightly off topic, but, there is somehow this 'depressive nature' to winter because people constantly complain about the weather, the cold, the snow, the upcoming events, holidays etc. etc., so I like that there is an additive effect when someone is ill, too].

On the other hand, summer colds are romantic to me in their own way, albeit to a lesser extent. I like the idea that someone feels awful (bad, but we understand here) when most others are in their best spirits. There is often much to do in the summer that is exciting, fun, extroverted(?) in nature so there is also a bit of that 'yeah I'm fine' kind of attitude that I mentioned previously. I'm kind of a one-trick pony, it seems.

In conclusion, I'm very much a sadist and enjoy other people's misery!

I couldn't have said it better myself.

I prefer cold fics over allergies any day. It just , I can't explain.

[Cici l]

I agree. Summer colds seem soooo awful. On top of you being so sick, the het outside just makes everything worse. I tend to get colds quite often. And I have always noticed that in the summer they are so much worse. I always thought it was my allergies tying into it but different viruses makes perfect sense!

In any sense though, having a miserable cold is never fun. But a cute sneezy sniffly cold isn't always all bad (;