How does breathing in hot steam help get rid of a virus?!
Question: Steam inhalation /gargles / taking hot/warm liquids DOES HAVE AN EFFECT ON BACTERIA /VIRUSES (though in an indirect way) they all have a very sound scientific reason behind them.
Here is how --
what all of these things basically do is to increase moisture and warm /heat the area in our throat.
INCREASE TEMP : with an increase in local temp the circulation of area increases so does the amount of inflammation in area. This recruits more and more mediators of inflammation like neutrophils mast cells PMC'S ( against bacteria ) and interferons (against viruses). This helps in mounting an effective immune response againist the invading pathogen. Also increase in circulation improves the blood supply thereby supplying more and more of nutrients and defensive cells and diluting the bacteria and other products of digestion. All these factors help in early recovery.
INCREASED HUMIDITY / MOISTURE : it has been seen in most of cases of sore throat or any kind of resp infection the thing thats affected the most are the cilia. (these constantly move away any kind of foreign particle that enters the tract and helps in keeping it clear) now cilia function properly only in high moisture and their function is rapidly impaired even by small decrease in local humidity. Thus these two factors combined help in fighting the infection
Answers: Steam inhalation /gargles / taking hot/warm liquids DOES HAVE AN EFFECT ON BACTERIA /VIRUSES (though in an indirect way) they all have a very sound scientific reason behind them.
Here is how --
what all of these things basically do is to increase moisture and warm /heat the area in our throat.
INCREASE TEMP : with an increase in local temp the circulation of area increases so does the amount of inflammation in area. This recruits more and more mediators of inflammation like neutrophils mast cells PMC'S ( against bacteria ) and interferons (against viruses). This helps in mounting an effective immune response againist the invading pathogen. Also increase in circulation improves the blood supply thereby supplying more and more of nutrients and defensive cells and diluting the bacteria and other products of digestion. All these factors help in early recovery.
INCREASED HUMIDITY / MOISTURE : it has been seen in most of cases of sore throat or any kind of resp infection the thing thats affected the most are the cilia. (these constantly move away any kind of foreign particle that enters the tract and helps in keeping it clear) now cilia function properly only in high moisture and their function is rapidly impaired even by small decrease in local humidity. Thus these two factors combined help in fighting the infection
i think it just cleares out the bad bugs, like detoxing
It doesn't do a thing to the virus. If you have a stuffy nose or blocked sinuses, though- breathing in steam will cause the nose to produce thinner mucus and dialates the blood vessels to help clear the stuffy sensation. It is only a temporary aid for colds, though it will help drain a sinus infection and solve that a bit quicker. But the steam itself doesn't do a thing to the virus. That's still handled all by the immune system.
It doesn't, it only helps with the respiratory symptoms. The virus still has to run its course.