Is it a cold or is it the flu?

     Good evening, FAMILY...  It's that time of year again.  Yes, cold and flu season is amongst us.  The sad part is that when many of us get sick, we keep pushing and going along like we can't take a day off.   Most of us have jobs where we hate to miss days off or are afraid to miss a day off or have children and spouses that need us and we basically have to push through until we pass out.  As a single Mother, I remember thinking, 'I can't ever be sick because no one will be around to take care of all the things that need to be done'.  So, sniffle, cough, be generally miserable is what I did until the cold ran it's course.




     Working in the hospital, I see many patients get admitted for the FLU.  Although the flu can be detected year round in the United States, the flu typically is seen and felt during the fall and winter seasons.  The FLU season typically runs October through March and over the years seems to have its peak in December and February according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).


     Let's take a quick look at colds.  They usually make you just miserable enough, but not overly uncomfortable that you need bed rest, even though you probably should take that break.  Colds may give you a  variety of  symptoms including a sore throat, coughing, congestion, a runny nose, sometimes a fever, and mucous (runny to thick) everywhere.  There are even times when cold symptoms may be mistaken for sinus issues.  The tale tell sign seems to be if the symptoms improve after a week, it's probably a cold.  If your symptoms hang around longer than that, you need to see a doctor.


     No, let's tap into this FLU thing.  A FLU brings on symptoms that are usually more severe than cold symptoms although some of them may be the same.  With a FLU you may have a sore throat, cough, congestion, headache, fever, muscle aches and some forms of the FLU will wreak havoc by also including vomiting and diarrhea.  FLU symptoms may last over 3-5 days but can last for and cause you to be run down for more than a week.  A complication of the FLU is pneumonia, especially in the young, elderly or people who have lung and heart issues. 


     The viruses that cause colds and the flu enter your body through the mucous membranes of your eyes, mouth, and nose. EVERY single time you touch your hand to one of those areas you COULD BE infecting yourself.  YES, washing your hands regularly is important!!! 


     Here is a common chart used to identify a cold vs. a fever (Thanks WebMD):

Fever	Rare	Characteristic, high (100-102 degrees F); lasts 3 to 4 days
Headache	Rare	Prominent
General Aches, Pains	Slight	Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness	Quite mild	Can last up to 2 to 3 weeks
Extreme Exhaustion	Never	Early and prominent
Stuffy, Runny Nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest Discomfort,Cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe

     Please note, if you or your loved one starts having more severe symptoms like chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, persistent vomiting, change in skin color, rash, symptoms that improve then suddenly get worse, GO TO A DOCTOR..  Don't wait and try to determine, "is it a cold or is it the flu".  There are plenty of "walk-in" clinics if you do not want to make an appointment to see your primary care physician.


     We can prevent some of these colds and flu just by washing our hands.  Not just holding them under water, but by rubbing them together under warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds.  That process sloughs off the germs and dirt that accumulate.  We can also get the flu vaccine.  MOST physician's offices and many drug stores, as well as, some employers offer the vaccine.  Just remember, the FLU is NOT to be played with.  It can kill you.  Don't be afraid to get checked out.  Don't hesitate.


SMOOCHES