Respiratory infection lasts about seven days on average, and neither doctors nor medicine shorten it
Family doctor and sleep specialist Ruslan Mihailovsky explains that neither a doctor's visit, medication, folk remedies nor extra sleep shortens a respiratory infection. These measures can only ease the symptoms.
A respiratory infection, commonly called a cold, lasts about seven days on average, and that time cannot be shortened by seeing a doctor, taking medication, using folk remedies or sleeping longer. This was explained by family doctor and sleep specialist Ruslan Mihailovsky on the programme Rīta Panorāma on Latvian Television.
According to the specialist, these measures can only help relieve the symptoms of the illness. They do not change how long the illness itself lasts.
When to see a doctor
Mihailovsky stressed that it is important to consult a doctor if symptoms appear during the illness that may point to complications. The source does not list specific examples of such signs.
