“Don’t go out without a hat or you’ll get un colpo d’aria!” If you have heard this phrase before from your mother, grandmother, or any Italian relative, then it probably left you a little confused as to what the heck they were talking about. To end the confusion, continue reading on what “colpo d’aria” really is and how to avoid it.
Un colpo d’aria translates to a gust of wind and for Italians, it is the cause of every neckache, headache, and even sore throat.
Italians usually catch “un colpo d’aria” if they aren’t bundled up during the cold months or if they feel the air from an air conditioner or fan.
To sum this all up, if they have any unexplained pain, whether it be in their ears, necks, back or eyes, they blame it on a gust of wind.
Many Italians avoid “colpo d’aria by bundling up from head to toe when there is even the slightest bit of wind outside. Italians also prefer not to have the air conditioning blasting or fans constantly blowing. You should also never leave your home with wet hair, this is supposedly a sure-fire way to catch “un colpo d’aria.”
Have you ever experienced un colpo d’aria? Share your stories in the comment section!
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Main Photo by Pixabay
I grew up in Rome and I grew up with ‘un colpo d’aria” until I left Italy. My grandmother blamed everything to a “colpo d’aria” so I know everything about this strange myth!