BSU Health Education: Colds and Flu

Colds and Flu

Colds
The common cold is caused by one of the hundreds of strains of the cold virus. Infection of the upper respiratory tract, the nose, throat, head and chest leads to a cold that usually lasts 3-5 days. Currently there is no cure for the common cold, however there are several steps you can take to relieve the symptoms.

Flu
Influenza, a.k.a. "Flu" is caused by an upper respiratory infection with one of the hundreds of strains of the flu virus. Flu symptoms are similar to cold symptoms, however, the flu is a more serious illness. Symptoms last 7-10 days and full recovery may take up to 2 weeks.

Is it a Cold or is it the Flu?

Symtoms	Cold	Flu
fever	less common, <100F	sudden onset, >101F
headache	mild or absent	prominent
muscle aches	mild or absent	prominent
fatigue and weakness	mild or absent	extreme
runny nose, congestion, and sneezing	common	less common
cough	less common	common
eye symptoms	watery eyes	sensitivity to light, pain on motion
diarrhea and vomiting	rare	rare

Prevention

Wash your hands often! Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose.
Always cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze.
Eat a balanced diet and get adequate rest and exercise.
Get a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is available at the Student Health Center, 285-8431. It's best to get it in October or November. Call the Student Health Center for more information.

Treatment:

Get extra rest and stay warm.
Drink a lot of fluids, including water, juice, hot tea and soup. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Gargle with warm salt water to relieve a sore throat.
Don't smoke. It will aggravate your respiratory discomfort.
Take a hot bath or shower to relieve congestion. You can use a humidifier and take an over-the-counter decongestant. Don't use a decongestant for more than 3 days. Overuse can actually increase congestion.
Take Tylenol for fever, aches and pains. A low-grade temperature (less than 102F) for 2 days or less is normal. If your fever lasts more than 2 days or is higher than 102F, contact your health care practitioner.
Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen due to their association with Reye's Syndrome.
Avoid contact with others.
It is a good idea to replace your toothbrush after you begin recovering to prevent reinfecting yourself.
For the flu, there are viral medications available from your health care practitioner that will help relieve the symptoms.

Remember, see a health care practitioner if you have:

Persistent or high fever of 102F or above
Swollen glands in the neck
Yellow or greenish mucus
Severe headache, with stiff neck, nausea and vomiting
Persistent earache, cough or sinus pain
Difficulty breathing or chest pain
A body rash
Any cold or flu symptoms that last longer than 2 weeks.