It’s that time of year again. Cold and flu season.
A common cold and the flu are similar because they’re both respiratory illnesses. Even though they’re caused by different viruses, they share many of the same symptoms. This makes it hard to know for sure which you may have unless you visit your doctor.
Symptoms for both illnesses can include a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fever, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. However, flu symptoms tend to be worse than cold symptoms, and people with colds are more likely to have runny or stuffy noses.
A cold usually doesn’t result in serious health problems, but the flu can. While most folks can recover from the flu in less than a couple weeks, it can lead to respiratory complications like bronchitis, pneumonia, and bacterial infections. In the worst cases, these complications can lead to hospitalization.
While anyone can get severely sick from the flu, groups at higher risk for complications include adults older than 65, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, or individuals with compromised immune systems.
So how can you prevent these illnesses? Some suggestions include:
- Stay away from anyone who is sick, and stay away from others when you’re sick.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often throughout the day with hot water and soap. Use an alcohol-based sanitizer if hand-washing isn’t possible.
- Don’t share utensils, cups, toothbrushes, towels or any other personal items.
- Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or the inside of your elbow.
- Limit what you touch when in public, such as stairway rails. Wash your hands soon after touching.
- Get plenty of sleep, eat right, and exercise regularly.