# Why do I get a cold after I exert myself past my limits?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-a-cold-after-i-exert-myself-past-my-limits/559990>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 9, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-a-cold-after-i-exert-myself-past-my-limits/559990 "2010-11-09T02:38:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-a-cold-after-i-exert-myself-past-my-limits/559990/1 "2010-11-09T02:38:01Z")

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Today I had my interview and physical testing for the national search and rescue team. I passed! Yay!

Anyhow, part of the physical testing was the [beep test](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test). I was moved in to an earlier time slot so I was not as prepared as I wanted to be. I also seem to have a tougher time doing cardiovascular exercise in the morning versus the afternoon / evening. I was allotted time to warm up, but I (stupidly) didn’t take full advantage of it and wasn’t fully warm before I started the test. About 3/4 through, my lungs were burning like mad. I kept going and pushed very hard, and by the end it felt like my lungs were on fire - it almost feels like they’re bleeding, but I’m sure they’re not. I finished up, then did all the other tests (sledge hammer, pull and drag the dummy, lifting and carrying heavy stuff and ladders, etc.).

Before the tests, I was fine, felt almost 100%. Immediately afterwards, I started feeling like I was getting a cold. I had a painful cough and within about 10 minutes I started sneezing. It progressed to a full blown cold within an hour, and here I sit with a stuffed nose and wads of tissue.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’ve pushed to the point of burning lungs before and about 75% of the time, I end up with a cold afterwards. Is this coincidence or something else?

Also, what is happening in my lungs to cause the burn (which is gone now - I even went for a run this evening and my lungs were fine. Good thing I brought tissue though!)?

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-a-cold-after-i-exert-myself-past-my-limits/559990/2 "2010-11-09T02:44:37Z")

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Overexertion can depress your immune system. You may have already been coming down with it and it was not apparent until you pushed your self.

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**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-a-cold-after-i-exert-myself-past-my-limits/559990/3 "2010-11-09T02:46:54Z")

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That quickly though?