How to recognize a cold?
Flu and cold (cold) are the most common cases of upper respiratory tract infection. Both infections are caused by viruses. Both of these infections are accompanied by common symptoms - fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever - as well as clearly differentiated severity of these symptoms. Most cases of influenza take place at similar intervals: usually about a week, although the resulting weakness, lack of energy and depression can last up to several weeks longer. Generally, with the cold, recovery is faster.
I'm a bit hoarse.
You often talk to a family - I am a bit hoarse? And how do you know that it is the flu and not the usual cold catarrh - so-called acute rhinitis? And if it's the flu - then you can not be a bit or very hoarse! No shiver, no pain in your muscles, no small temperature at first allow you to predict how strong the disease will be.
Medical definition of a cold
A cold (cold, upper respiratory tract infection or acute rhinitis) is a viral inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, which means that it is associated with the nose, throat and their surroundings. In other words - it is an acute, non-specific, often fever-free infectious infection (most often viral!) Of the upper respiratory tract.
Viruses - the common cause of colds and flu
Of the many major families of viruses that cause infections of the human body, five are the cause of most colds. (Three other families, known as type A, B and C, cause flu.) Viruses are dangerous microorganisms that can change their appearance, genetic code, and remain dormant in our body for a long time (up to several years) to attack in the least expected moment. The large number of varieties of these viruses is the cause of significant variation in the duration of these diseases, types of symptoms and violent course, as well as various complications.
Resistance to colds viruses
The beginning of a cold?
Such initial symptoms as a feeling of weakness, lack of energy and a desire to leave the warm house for cold, sore throat, muscles and joints, stuffy nose and watery runny nose, and even elevated temperature - will not solve the problem right away, be it flu or cold? There is nothing else we can do but admit to the disease, measure the fever and ... go to bed. If the fever has exceeded 38 ° C, it is good to swallow, for example, a tablet of antipyretic (anti-inflammatory). Later, it will remain only to decide - whether it is flu or cold.
Common symptoms of colds and flu
Common symptoms are: runny nose and sneezing, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, fever. It is true that they occur in very different intensity and with different frequency, but for the patient can be initially indistinguishable. No wonder that many common colds associated with fever, nasopharyngeal inflammation in children and pharyngitis are commonly considered to be influenza. But caution, all these diseases do not have such a rapid start as the flu, nor such drastic symptoms and complications.
What viruses cause cold symptoms?
The viruses that infect the respiratory tract are: rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and adenoviruses. Not infrequently, parainfluenza viruses or so-called RS viruses (from the English name respiratory syncytial virus).
Common cold symptoms
After irritation of the mucous membrane by viruses - there is an expansion and increase in the permeability of blood vessels; later, swelling of the mucosa and increased glandular secretion, which leads to sneezing, watery runny nose, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis irritation, headache, sore throat, and low-grade fever. (Most often the body temperature does not exceed 38 degrees Celsius). After some time, it is not uncommon to find a dry, tiring, so-called ineffective cough.
The development of colds and flu
Most colds are not accompanied by chills, high fever or more serious symptoms, such as during flu. In both diseases, a sore throat, muscles and joint pain are growing, a salivous dose of sneezes. A cold, depending on the body's immunity, only infects a fragment or the whole of the airways. When the body is weakened by viruses and cold symptoms they easily join this complication. Therefore, the mucosal inflammation caused by infection covers the entire respiratory tract, moves to the larynx, paranasal sinuses and often trachea and bronchi.
DETAILED COMPARISON OF THE SYMPTOMS OF SILENCE AND FLUIDS
Initial symptoms may be wrong!
Cold is characterized by an initial lack of cough, common with throat pain, a rare headache, as well as a relatively low "fever" (below 39 C) - very high flu temperature above 39 C. Although we may have doubts when the patient is lying down . Then the mucus flowing down to the throat irritates the mucous membrane and causes a cough reflex imitating the onset of influenza. What differences in the amount of body temperature is also a deviation from the above rule. Namely, when, as a consequence of acute rhinitis, laryngitis occurs. Viruses attack the part of the throat where the vocal cords are located and can cause high fever. The voice is then husky and muffled. Breathing is difficult, especially when you inhale. If all these symptoms occur at the same time, you should go to a doctor as soon as possible, who will take appropriate treatment and different from the treatment of influenza.
Flu or a cold?
We should be convinced by the beginning of the disease. Colds appear gradually, slowly, and the flu has a lot more violent symptoms. Cold, that is caused by viruses inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, causes sore throat, muscle and joint pain, later also a runny nose and sometimes subfebrile state. It ends quite quickly. In contrast, the flu appears suddenly and has often more serious symptoms. The patient feels worse and worse from hour to hour, he suffers from severe sore throat, muscles, fatigue and weakness, as well as abdominal pain and very high fever. This condition can last a long time, especially that complications may occur after influenza.
The duration of influenza and cold
In the majority of patients with no post-typhoidal complications, the basic complaints of colds and flu will persist for a period of 4-5 days. However, the characteristic symptom of flu - a feeling of general "breakdown" and strong weakness can persist for 2-3 weeks.
SYMPTOMS OF THE FLU
The mild course of influenza B and C
Influenza type B and type C is generally mild when it occurs in adults; often they are taken for serious colds. After the influenza type C appears in a given person, the body's immunity to this family of viruses increases permanently, so it is rare for someone to pass this type of flu more than once. Children are particularly sensitive to influenza C, and it is the most serious of them that is affected by them.
The pandemic is caused by the type A virus!
This so-called real flu is caused by influenza A virus. Type A viruses cause the most violent symptoms - the highest fever, pain, extreme exhaustion, acute respiratory infections and dangerous complications. The threat from the type A virus is also due to the fact that it can easily change its genetic structure, so resistance to this type of flu is neither significant nor long-lasting. Therefore, it can cause an outbreak of an epidemic and a pandemic that annually infects millions of people around the world.
The type A flu always starts violently
The type A flu is characterized by: high fever - usually up to 39 degrees Celicjusza, chills, bone and joint pain, muscle aches weakness, runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis, less abdominal pain, vomiting and a general breakdown.Distinguishes the disease - a sudden arrival, usually triggered by high fever and chills, (It is preceded by seemingly harmless pain in the back, joints and legs - just like in a cold). The dominant symptom is the pain of a fever-like head.
When the temperature rises at an alarming rate - this is the type A flu!
The onset of influenza is characterized by the fact that fever is growing at an alarming rate. During the day it can increase from 37 to 40 ° C. Soon a runny nose, sore throat and cough may appear. In addition, there are usually chills and the abrupt headache. Bending like a drunken leg, joint pain, severely aching back and all muscles make us aware that we are sick.
