Cold or Flu?
You have a cough and your body aches. So do you have a cold or the flu? The physicians at MEDcare Urgent Care want to ensure you know how to take the best care of you and your loved ones this cold and flu season. Learn the difference between a cold and flu and be able to prevent them both.
The flu and common cold are both caused by a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. While over 200 different types of viruses can cause a common cold, the flu is caused by either influenza A, B or C.
Cold Symptoms
Cold symptoms include a sore throat, runny nose, congestion and cough. A slight fever is possible but not common. A cold usually lasts about a week and is contagious the first few days.
Flu Symptoms
Flu symptoms usually come on more quickly and also include a sore throat, runny nose, congestion and cough, but are also accompanied by a high fever, body aches, soreness and chills. Though symptoms may gradually improve within a week, it is not uncommon to feel exhaustion and fatigue for more than a week.
Though the flu has similar symptoms to a common cold, it is more severe and can lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia, bacterial infection, hospitalization or even death.
The Facts
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 20% of Americans get the flu each year. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized and estimates of annual flu-associated deaths have ranged between 3,000 and 49,000 people.
“Children are at greater risk for frequent colds and flu than adults,” Dr. Pawlik, chief medical officer at MEDcare Urgent Care, said. “Their immune systems have not yet matured and they are usually in close physical contact with other children at school or daycare.”
Prevention
Flu and cold viruses enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth. They spread when people who have a virus cough, sneeze or even talk. A person can easily contract a cold or flu by touching something that has the virus on it.
As easy as it is to contract a virus, there are ways to prevent cold and flu. It is important to wash your hands. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses you have come in contact with. Door knobs, keyboards, switches, telephones and remote controls can harbor viruses for hours after they have been in use by an infected person.
“Along with washing your hands often and keeping surfaces clean, the best way to stay protected is by getting a flu vaccination each year,” Dr. Pawlik said. Since the flu viruses change often, the flu shot is updated every year and lasts up to one year.
