Preventing Colds and Treating the Symptoms
You have a runny nose and can’t get enough tissues while you are choking with cough and have trouble breathing. Are those the symptoms of common colds or the flu?
It’s important to be able to tell the difference between a cold and the flu. The more you know about it, the more efficient steps you can take to handle the condition; preventing colds from interfering with your normal life is another priority. Let’s take a look at the cold symptoms that occur most often.
Onset common colds symptoms
Common colds are likely to start suddenly. Therefore, preventing colds is very difficult. The first thing you notice will be a sore throat, and a bit later – clear nasal discharge, fatigue, sneezing and in some cases a low-grade fever. Sore throat and cough are the symptoms most commonly experienced, and they are caused by the postnasal drip.
During the first couple of days, the secretions from your nose look more like water, but they may get thicker and darker later. However, if your mucus becomes dark, it does not necessarily mean you have developed a bacterial infection.
Cough is one of the most typical symptoms of colds – it’s usually mild and doesn’t get much worse. However, it will probably continue up to the end of the illness. Certain medical conditions, such as lung problems, asthma, etc., can make it worse. If you feel some distress down in your lungs or your mucus is dark, these may be the sings of a bacterial infection. Make sure you contact your doctor to eliminate any doubts and choose the best treatment strategy.
Fever is not one of the symptoms typical for common colds. If you have a fever, it may mean you have the flu, so you need to change your method of treatment after talking to your doctor (for example, start taking some colds remedies).
When you are infected by a cold virus, a day or even two may pass before you feel the first symptoms. The symptoms are likely to last from three days to one week, and during the first three days you are highly contagious. Try to limit your contacts with other people to avoid passing the virus to them.
Colds and allergies
Some common colds symptoms may be quite similar to those of allergic rhinitis (hay fever). You can tell by the way your symptoms start and how long they continue. Common colds symptoms start suddenly and are over after several days, while the symptoms lasting for over two weeks may be the first signs of an allergy.
The immune system should be blamed for developing an allergy: when it overreacts to certain harmless substances, a chemical called histamine is released. This chemical causes swelling of the nasal passages, as well as sneezing and coughing. Allergies are not passed from one person to another when they contact, but in some cases genetic predisposition may contribute to the development of the disease.
Colds and flu
Colds and flu may be very similar in the way they occur, but it’s important to know when you have this or that condition. Both are acute viral infections, but colds are generally milder and last for several days, while the flu can last for weeks, displaying very unpleasant symptoms. The flu also has more serious consequences and complications, such as pneumonia.
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