Cold and Flu
What is influenza?
Influenza, commonly called ‘flu’, is an acute respiratory illness that affects the upper and lower parts of the respiratory tract and is caused by a virus. Patients become ill between 18 and 72 hours after being infected.
What are the symptoms of influenza?
Symptoms of influenza are:
How is influenza detected?
Laboratory tests are useful in the detecting the influenza virus or viral protein in throat, nose swabs and antibodies in blood.
What distinguishes influenza from the common cold?
Many confuse influenza with a heavy cold. Influenza is usually a more severe illness. The symptoms of a common cold are shorter and complications like pneumonia are experienced rarely.
What are the symptoms of the common cold?
Symptoms of cold are:
These symptoms are limited to the upper respiratory tract and do not include a fever or body aches.
What is the best treatment for a cold?
There is no cure for the common cold. Drink lots of fluids to keep your body hydrated. This will help prevent another infection from setting in. Avoid drinks like coffee, tea and colas with caffeine. They deprive the fluids in the system. Follow the appetite. Try eating simple foods like white rice or broth.
Is a cold vaccine necessary?
There is no need for a cold vaccine, since cold is a minor infection of the throat, nose and sinuses. The common cold can be caused by nearly 250 different viruses. It is difficult for scientists to prepare a vaccine that protects against all of these cold viruses. Also, there is no need for a cold vaccine, since cold is a minor infection of the throat, nose and sinuses
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: August 10, 2011