Q: My mother (aged 55 years) has been suffering from recurrent cold and spondylosis for the past five years. At times, due to severe cold, she has also had attacks of vertigo for which she is taking Vertin tablet (whenever she feels the symptoms of vertigo). Whenever she puts her hand in water or does any water based household work, she feels cold in her body (with severe body and neck pain), likewise every morning she gets up and coughs a lot. Is there any vitamin tablet, which will help fight this cold, which seems to be in the body and keeps coming up time and again? I understand that magnesium based vitamins are good for curing this, can you suggest me such vitamins.

A:There is no proof that increasing magnesium based products is of any benefit in the management of colds. There is some evidence of benefit with magnesium supplements, which are useful in asthma. But this is still disputable. Sometimes after a virus infection vasomotor phenomena can occur and periods of asthma, shortness of breath and cough may be noted. Getting out of bed into a colder atmosphere can precipitate cough in a patient who does not seem to have asthma. Further studies may demonstrate whether the patient does have cough induced vasomotor responses. The problem is mostly an annoyance that is best managed by taking logical precautions when coughing occurs. Dizziness or vertigo may occur with sensitivity to MSG (monosodium glutamate) or hypoglycaemia in the diet.