It's Cold and Flu Season, Now What?
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No one wants to be down and out from a cold or flu. There’s a few reasons for that. The first is the ick factor. No one feels good while they have a cold or flu. The symptoms are uncomfortable and often gross. Sore throats, nasal issues and coughing make you feel terrible. Headaches and fatigue keep you from being productive.
So what can you do? Often once you have these maladies, it’s merely off to bed with you. If you don’t want to deal with a cold or a flu, the best way is to properly prepare yourself and avoid getting one in the first place. Since sealing yourself off from society isn’t an option, perhaps it’s time to take some preventative measures and avoid cold and flu in the first place.
What is the Difference Between a Flu and Cold?
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There are a lot of similarities between a flu and a cold. They both attack your respiratory system in similar ways. The symptoms of each are very similar and can make it hard to determine which you may have.
When trying to determine which of the two diseases it is, look at the symptom onset. When people have influenza, their symptoms will often hit very quickly. Those with flu will often have temperature issues more than those with a cold. The fever and chills can be incredibly awkward, especially if they oscillate between one and the other. When it comes to other symptoms, it’s typically all about the severity of them. Flu hits harder and typically hits a person for a longer period of time.
The flu is caused by one of the various strains of the influenza virus. What causes the cold? There are a huge number of different viruses that can cause a cold. Once the virus has defeated the immune system, then the disease takes the lead.
Symptoms of Cold and Flu
There are many symptoms that you have a cold or a flu. Many of those symptoms have just been mentioned while discussing the differences in a cold and flu. For the rest of the symptoms, it’s likely that you are pretty familiar with them, but here are what you need to look out for:
- Aches
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Stuffy/Runny Nose
- Sneezing
- Headache
- Productive and Non-Productive Coughs
The symptoms are very common and can often be signs of many other ailments as well. The truth is, you just know when you have a cold or a flu.
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Treatments
When it comes to treating a cold, there’s really only one option. Doctor’s will tell you, the only thing you need for the cold is patience. Preferably accompanied by plenty of rest in a bed and fluids. There are many medications that advertise themselves are cold curing, but really, they don’t. Medication can be taken for colds to work to suppress symptoms, but generally not the virus.
Real treatment comes in a preventative fashion. When it comes to influenza, the best way to avoid it is by getting a flu shot every winter. These shots will have a very small dose of the virus and allows the body to create antibodies to specifically fight the virus.
Aside from a flu shot, you want to avoid people who are sick. Those people who come to work with a cold or flu are really hurting the company more than anything. While avoiding those people, ensure you’re washing your hands regularly or using hand sanitizer. This will allow you to avoid germs that have been left behind by others. Keep your surfaces clean as well. Whether you’re at home or work.
Finally, if you do have the cold or flu, it’s time to be respectful. The best treatment works when everyone is working together. Don’t sneeze or cough on people. Use handkerchiefs or your elbow when you need to cough. Do everything you can to keep from spreading your miniature version of the plague to anyone else.
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