Drinking Cold Water Does Not Cause Catarrh Or Chest Infection – Dr. Harvey Olufunmilayo Educates Nigerians | A Must Read!

Nigerian medical practitioner, Dr. Harvey Olufunmilayo, has dismissed the age-long belief of Nigerians that drinking cold water or drinks causes Catarrh.

In a post shared on his handle, Dr. Olufunmilayo stated that Catarrh is caused by a virus and not by being exposed to cold or drinking cold water or having cold drinks.

Read his tweets below…

“Just a quick clarification. Cold water does NOT cause chest infection. Cold drink does NOT cause catarrh. Cold shower does NOT cause pneumonia. Drinking cold water, or being exposed to cold is NOT the cause of pneumonia or chest infection. IT IS A TOTAL LIE. Pls tell everyone.

Catarrh is caused by a VIRUS. Catarrh is NOT caused by drinking cold water or having a cold drink. Pneumonia is a chest infection caused by a bacteria and virus. Pneumonia is NOT caused by having a cold drink. If you want to drink cold water, Please go ahead. Ignore these lies.

You catch the virus that causes catarrh when someone with catarrh sneezes around you. You can also catch the virus if you touch an object that someone with catarrh touched or sneezed on. You do NOT catch catarrh by drinking cold water, cold ice cream or by being exposed to cold.

You develop chest infection by catching the chest infection virus or bacteria if someone with the chest infection sneezes or cough around you. This is how you get chest infection. This is how you get pneumonia. NOT by drinking cold water. NOT by having a cold drink. NOT at all.

There are people that will say “but the bacteria thrives in cold weather”. Technically yes maybe. But that does NOT mean cold air “causes” pneumonia or chest infection. That is like saying “armed robbery is common in the dark”. That does NOT mean darkness “cause” armed robbery.

So while darkness may technically help armed robbers carry out their crime, it is NOT darkness that “causes” armed robbery. Armed robbers is a crime done by armed robbers. In same way, cold air may “increase risk” for chest infection, but cold air does NOT cause chest infection.

Pls enjoy your cold drink. Drink your cold water. Have your cold shower Take your cold ice cream Drink your cold yoghurt. Enjoy your AC in your car/office/house. NONE of these things cause catarrh. NONE of these things cause pneumonia. NONE of these things cause chest infection.

To further clarify: There is difference between ALLERGIC RHINITIS and CATARRH. Allergic rhinitis and Catarrh both give you blocked nose, running nose, headache. But they are NOT the same. “Allergic rhinitis” is what you get IF YOU are sensitive/allergic to cold air/cold water.

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Catarrh is what you get when you get exposed to the VIRUS which causes it. Chest infection is caused by the VIRUS/BACTERIA that causes chest infections like pneumonia. But many people do NOT know there is a difference between allergic rhinitis and catarrh (or chest infection).

There are people “sensitive” or “allergic” to cold air/water and cold environments. They develop running nose, blocked nose, and headaches when they drink cold water or get exposed to AC and cold air. That is NOT Catarrh. That is NOT chest infection. That is allergic rhinitis.

Some people notice they drink cold water or get exposed to AC/cold environments- they develop blocked nose and start sneezing- then they tell themselves they have “pneumonia” or “catarrh”. NO. You don’t have catarrh. You don’t have pneumonia. What you have is allergic rhinitis.

This is why the treatment is different. Even though the symptoms are similar. Treatment for allergic rhinitis is antihistamines like piriton- because it is an anti allergy tablet. Treatment for catarrh is drink lots of water and give it time. It’s a virus that goes on its own.

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Treatment for chest infection is antibiotics. Because that is what kills bacteria that causes chest infections. Anyway, to make this easy to understand, this is the point: IF YOU are sensitive to cold air and cold water, YOU SHOULD STAY AWAY from it. Leave other people alone.

On a final note: Everybody is different. Those who develop blocked/runny nose on being exposed to AC/cold air should avoid it. But pls that is an “allergy”. That is NOT catarrh. That is NOT chest infection. Cold water and cold drinks does NOT cause catarrh and chest infection.

So pls enjoy your cold drink. Drink your cold water. Have your cold shower Take your ice cream Drink your cold yoghurt. Enjoy your AC in your car/office/house. NONE of these things cause catarrh. NONE of these things cause pneumonia. NONE of these things cause chest infection.

IF any of these things cause you cough, headaches, sneezing and blocked/runny nose, YOU should pls stay away. That is an “allergy” for YOU, pls stay away from it. Others can enjoy it. But to be clear: Cold air and cold drinks NEVER cause catarrh or chest infection. Thank you.

From the replies, it seems many people here have “allergic rhinitis” but clearly they have been wrongly calling it “catarrh”.”