Science / Medicine : Steam Treatment for Cold May Worsen the Illness

Inhaling hot, steamy air to treat a cold will not make it better and may even make it worse, researchers reported last week in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. In the study, 32 cold-sufferers ranging in age from 14 to 60 inhaled heated, humidified air through their noses for 20 minutes. Each person received two such treatments, 60 to 90 minutes apart. A second group of 34 people with colds inhaled dry, room-temperature air.

The Cleveland Clinic researchers found that those in the second group got better faster. By the third day, 40% of the dry, room-temperature group reported a significant improvement in sneezing, congestion and runny noses, compared to 25% of the humidified-air group. By the seventh day, everyone in the placebo group, but only two-thirds of those in the humidifier group, had improved significantly.

In contrast to previous studies that concluded that hot, moist air relieves cold symptoms, the new study suggests it may actually slow recovery by damaging the nasal lining.