Preventing Colds: Complications
Preventing colds becomes important for many people likely to develop complications. If you experience some symptoms that you know can be attributed to a cold, there is nothing to worry about; most people don’t even go to their doctors. If you experience such symptoms as a runny nose and fatigue, they are likely to go away on their own.
However, watch out for the signs of developing something more serious than a cold. If your fever is over 102 degrees and you have body aches, you probably have the flu. As the flu can be significantly relieved with a number of medications, talk to your doctor ifs any of these symptoms appear.
There are a number of other complications that can be caused by colds (which is why some patients are so worried about preventing colds).:
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is a sinus infection. The mucous membranes lining the sinus cavities become inflamed and start secreting bigger amounts of mucus, which that blocks the passages of your sinuses. All that leads to the feeling of a plugged nose. Sinus infection is usually characterized by the following symptoms: headache, upper tooth pain, cough, thick yellow or green nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, and pain in the sinus area. If you experience any of them these, contact your doctor as soon as possible, and don’t try to apply any home remedies for colds, as they are not likely to help at this point.
Asthma Attack
Cold can worsen your condition if you already suffer from asthma. Your cold can make you cough, trying to get rid of the mucus, and as an asthma attack sets in, dry cough and wheezing may appear too. The symptoms you are likely to experience include chest tightness and coughing. In this case the first thing you need to do is to deal with your asthma – if you have a plan of action, follow it. If the condition continues to worsen, contact your doctor to receive information on what treatment for colds can be used not to trigger a severe asthma attack..
Bronchitis
Bronchitis can be described as an inflammation of the bronchial tubes caused by infection or irritation of the respiratory tract. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of this condition: difficulty breathing, persistent coughing with thick and yellow mucus; sometimes blood streaks are reported. If the symptoms mentioned above continue for over a week, you need to call your doctor or physician and get help as soon as you can.
Tonsillitis and Sore Throat
When you have a cold, sore throat is a common symptom. The symptoms include difficulty swallowing and lack of appetite due to that. Sore throat is caused by the viruses, while another condition – strep throat – has to do with the streptococcus bacteria. Tonsillitis can be the result of some viruses or bacteria.
Ear Infection
This is another potential complication that often occurs as a result of infant colds. Most ear infections are caused by the viruses (about 80%), and they are not treated with antibiotics. Streptococcus bacteria are responsible for such infections in most cases; according to the statistics, only in the United States only they cause over seven million cases every year. The symptoms of an ear infection are: clear ofr yellow mucus, trouble sleeping, ear ache and a low-grade fever, as well as ear drainage.
Presence of Chronic Medical Conditions
Having certain diseases can cause serious complications even if you have a common cold,; so even though it’s nearly impossible, you should do your best and try to prevent colds from affecting your health. The following medical conditions are potentially dangerous: asthma, emphysema, diabetes, heart disease, orand HIV/AIDS. You should know all the symptoms of colds and colds complications to deal with them as soon as possible.
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