Defining Coughs and Colds
We have all been through it, more than just once or twice in our lives.
We wake up in the middle of the night, coughing for no apparent reason.
Then, by morning, assuming we got any sleep at all, we are all stuffed up and feeling miserable.
But, the question remains, is it just coughs and colds or is it something else? It is important to know the difference between coughs and colds and something more cautionary, like the flu or one of the more serious strains, like H1N1.
While attempting self-medication is not advisable, it is important that you should know the difference between cold symptoms, flu symptoms, and other respiratory conditions such as allergies.
If you do have any of the symptoms mentioned below, you seek medical treatment as soon as you can.
About the Common Cold The first thing you need to know is, while no one has been able to come up with a wonder drug that completely cures the common cold as yet, they have been able to pinpoint what might be causing it.
That is the good news.
The bad news is that it could be any one of several hundred different viruses, each one adapting and evolving.
Cold symptoms present themselves most commonly with a sore throat, which will disappear after a day or two.
Stuffed up nose, congestion, and then a runny nose will manifest, followed up with a cough by the fourth day.
It is not common for an adult to also have a fever and a cold, but it is common in children.
The mucus may vary from light to dark, and is nothing to worry about.
Duration is usually around a week, and you are contagious for only the first three days.
More than a Week is not good If your symptoms show no signs of improving after that first week mark, it is entirely possible that it is not simply a cold.
It may be due to a bacterial sinus infection, which can always be treated with antibiotics.
It may also be an allergy, and that will be the first suspect your doctor may investigate, especially if your family's medical history shows a tendency for them.
It is also possible to mistake cold symptoms lasting longer than a week for the flu, or even hay fever for that matter.
This is why it is always best to check in with your doctor when you feel bad, and follow whatever advice he can give you.
But what if it is the flu? Common Flu Symptoms Flu symptoms are generally more serious than those for a cold, and will come on very quickly.
They generally include a sore throat, fever, headaches, muscle aches, stiffness and soreness all over, congestion, and the inevitable cough.
More serious strains of flu may also be accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.
If you suspect that you might have the flu, see your doctor immediately.
Flu symptoms should improve after two days, or possibly five, although it is not out of the ordinary to feel sick for more than a week.
One complication that can follow the onset of the common flu is pneumonia.
This is especially true for the very young, the elderly, and anyone who has a history of lung or heart problems, the same group that can also fall victims to strains like H1NI.
The main symptoms of pneumonia are shortness of breath, and a fever that comes and goes over a period of just a few days.
Be Safe; Get Checked If you show any of the symptoms we have covered, please go to your doctor for an evaluation.
A little embarrassment over discovering that you are just experiencing coughs and colds is far better than waiting until the symptoms worsen, and discovering that it is the flu, or something else.
We wake up in the middle of the night, coughing for no apparent reason.
Then, by morning, assuming we got any sleep at all, we are all stuffed up and feeling miserable.
But, the question remains, is it just coughs and colds or is it something else? It is important to know the difference between coughs and colds and something more cautionary, like the flu or one of the more serious strains, like H1N1.
While attempting self-medication is not advisable, it is important that you should know the difference between cold symptoms, flu symptoms, and other respiratory conditions such as allergies.
If you do have any of the symptoms mentioned below, you seek medical treatment as soon as you can.
About the Common Cold The first thing you need to know is, while no one has been able to come up with a wonder drug that completely cures the common cold as yet, they have been able to pinpoint what might be causing it.
That is the good news.
The bad news is that it could be any one of several hundred different viruses, each one adapting and evolving.
Cold symptoms present themselves most commonly with a sore throat, which will disappear after a day or two.
Stuffed up nose, congestion, and then a runny nose will manifest, followed up with a cough by the fourth day.
It is not common for an adult to also have a fever and a cold, but it is common in children.
The mucus may vary from light to dark, and is nothing to worry about.
Duration is usually around a week, and you are contagious for only the first three days.
More than a Week is not good If your symptoms show no signs of improving after that first week mark, it is entirely possible that it is not simply a cold.
It may be due to a bacterial sinus infection, which can always be treated with antibiotics.
It may also be an allergy, and that will be the first suspect your doctor may investigate, especially if your family's medical history shows a tendency for them.
It is also possible to mistake cold symptoms lasting longer than a week for the flu, or even hay fever for that matter.
This is why it is always best to check in with your doctor when you feel bad, and follow whatever advice he can give you.
But what if it is the flu? Common Flu Symptoms Flu symptoms are generally more serious than those for a cold, and will come on very quickly.
They generally include a sore throat, fever, headaches, muscle aches, stiffness and soreness all over, congestion, and the inevitable cough.
More serious strains of flu may also be accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.
If you suspect that you might have the flu, see your doctor immediately.
Flu symptoms should improve after two days, or possibly five, although it is not out of the ordinary to feel sick for more than a week.
One complication that can follow the onset of the common flu is pneumonia.
This is especially true for the very young, the elderly, and anyone who has a history of lung or heart problems, the same group that can also fall victims to strains like H1NI.
The main symptoms of pneumonia are shortness of breath, and a fever that comes and goes over a period of just a few days.
Be Safe; Get Checked If you show any of the symptoms we have covered, please go to your doctor for an evaluation.
A little embarrassment over discovering that you are just experiencing coughs and colds is far better than waiting until the symptoms worsen, and discovering that it is the flu, or something else.
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