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Is it a cold or the flu? While a common cold, including chest cold and head cold, can be caused by more than 200 viruses, seasonal flu is caused by either influenza A or B viruses. Cold and flu remedies can usually ease symptoms. Antiviral medications are helpful if prescribed soon after flu symptoms start. It’s important to know the difference between flu and cold symptoms. A cold is a milder respiratory illness than the flu. While cold symptoms can make you feel bad for a few days, flu symptoms can make you feel quite ill for a few days to weeks. The flu is an extremely contagious respiratory illness. The flu virus attackes the body by spreading through the upper and/or lower respiratory tract and can also result in serious health problems such as pneumonia and even hospitalization. What causes a common cold? While getting chilled or wet is not a cause of common cold, there are factors that make you more susceptible to catching a cold virus. For, example you are more likely to catch a common cold if you are excessivley fatigued, have emotional distress, or have allergies with nose and throat symptoms. How is the flu spread? The flu virus is spread from person to person through respiratory secrections and typically sweeps through large groups of people who spend time in close contact, such as in daycare facilities, school classrooms, college dormitories, and offices. Since both diseases are viral, antibiotics cannot conquer cold or flu. Remember antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. TIPS TO HELP PREVENT COLDS AND FLU - Wash your hands often and use warm water and a good helping of soap.
- Watch your fingers-Without thinking, we rub our eyes, cover our mouths, or rub our noses with our hands. That is a sure way to infect yourself with a cold virus particles. Keep your fingers away from your nose aand your eyes to avoid infecting yourself with cold virus particles.
- Exercise is a proven immune booster. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, for 45 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce risk of cold by a third.
- Eat and sleep for health-Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits that offer antioxidants. Try to get eight or seven hours of sleep a night.
- Get the flu vaccine, vaccines are the surest way to prevent the flu.
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