Influenza and ARVI are diseases familiar to us from childhood. Sore throat, fever, headache, chills - these signs of a cold can cause a lot of trouble. Despite the similar symptoms of influenza and SARS, the doctor can easily distinguish one disease from another. Let's try to figure out what is the difference between the clinical symptoms of ARVI and influenza.
Influenza and SARS: how to distinguish?
When flu the onset of the disease is always acute. Often, a person can indicate exactly the hour when he suddenly felt bad. At the same time, signs of intoxication of the body develop quickly and sharply. The spread of influenza in a short time is due to:
Short incubation period;
Airborne transmission;
High susceptibility of people to the pathogen;
Lack of immunity in the population to new antigenic variants of the virus.
The most significant role in this process is played by numerous patients with influenza with mild and erased clinical forms. In adults and adolescents, the flu is manifested by fever and chills, accompanied by headache, sore throat, muscle pain, dry cough, lack of appetite, and malaise.
Unlike the flu, ARVI or a common cold develops smoothly - a person gets worse gradually, within 1-2 days.
With the flu, the temperature, most often, jumps sharply (usually in 2-3 hours and lasts 3-4 days) to 39 degrees and above (although there are cases when the temperature does not rise at all).
Fever of 38-40C, lasting from 1 to 5 days, with a peak within the first 24 hours, and with ARVI, the body temperature rarely rises above 38 degrees.
An important sign of the difference between influenza and SARS is the degree of general intoxication of the body.
With ARVI, the sick person feels more or less normal.
With the flu, symptoms of severe intoxication appear:
chills, headache, dizziness, fatigue, muscle pain, pain in the abdomen and eyeballs, vomiting, sleep disturbance, hallucinations.
For ARVI, symptoms from the respiratory tract come to the fore, signs of intoxication are not leading in the clinical picture. The patient is worried about: sore throat, redness and sore throat, cough (usually dry, intermittent, "barking" and can turn into moist cough sputum), runny nose (common symptom). With ARVI, redness of the eyes appears only if a bacterial infection joins the disease.
Characteristic appearance a patient with influenza - hyperemia and puffiness of the face, scleral vessels are injected, conjunctival hyperemia, cyanoticity of the mucous membranes and lips. When examining the throat, granularity of the mucous membrane of the soft palate and uvula is revealed. Symptoms of damage to the upper respiratory tract in the first hours are usually not pronounced and are characterized by difficulty in nasal breathing, scanty muco-serous rhinitis, dry mucous membranes, sore throat, rawness or pain behind the breastbone, dry infrequent cough.
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From the 2-3rd day of influenza, the development of tracheobronchitis is characteristic, the main symptom of which is a dry, obsessive, often painful, raw cough, accompanied by pain behind the sternum along the trachea. Acute bronchitis with damage to the bronchi of large and medium calibers is observed in 20% of cases.
The flu is different
With a mild form of flu, the body temperature does not exceed 38C and returns to normal after 2-3 days. Symptoms of general intoxication and catarrhal syndrome are poorly expressed, which practically does not differ from acute respiratory infections of other etiology.
The moderate form of influenza is characterized by an increase in body temperature up to 39C, pronounced intoxication and damage to the respiratory system. Fever lasts up to 4-5 days. This form of flu is the most commonly reported.
Severe forms of the disease are observed mainly during influenza epidemic periods, caused by a new or modified variant of the influenza type A virus.
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How to quickly recover from illness?
A patient after an acute respiratory viral infection recovers literally in a couple of days (of course, if there were no complications), and after the flu, you need to take care of yourself, since a person who has recovered is accompanied by weakness, weakness, and decreased appetite.
After the flu, a person should rest more, walk in moderation and just calmly, not play sports. Therefore, after the flu, doctors release children from physical education for 2 weeks.
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Flu and SARS are easier to prevent!
Currently, the most effective anti-influenza drugs recommended by the World Health Organization are blockers of viral proteins: oseltamivir and zanamivir, which suppress the activity of neuraminidase, as well as amantadine and rimantadine, which block the M2 protein, thanks to which the virus attaches to the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract in order to penetrate them. ...
However, the processes of antigenic drift and antigenic shift lead to the emergence of strains of the influenza virus, whose proteins are not affected by these drugs. With these strains, some or all of the viral protein blockers are ineffective.
From this disadvantage, drugs are spared, the action of which is aimed at increasing the body's own defenses, that is, immunomodulators. Their effect does not depend on the specific virus strain.
The effect of these drugs is best manifested if you start taking them immediately after the first symptoms of the flu appear - they ease the course of the disease at any stage.
In addition, immunomodulators have a pronounced preventive effect: if you mobilize the body's defenses directly when the epidemiological situation worsens, without waiting for infection, then if the virus gets in, the disease will be mild or will not develop at all. This will help to preserve the ability to work and save money on treatment.
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One of the immunomodulators, which has demonstrated its anti-influenza activity over the years of use, is the original domestic drug Cycloferon. Its active ingredient meglumine acridone acetate stimulates the production of special molecules in the body - interferons.
These molecules are secreted by the cells of the body in response to the invasion of viruses and change the vital processes of the cell in such a way that it becomes immune to the virus and does not participate in its reproduction. In addition, interferons cause the activation of immune cells - lymphocytes and macrophages.
The conducted studies of "Cycloferon" have confirmed its effectiveness in influenza caused by various strains of the virus - the drug produces a pronounced preventive effect, and also significantly reduces the severity and duration of the disease that has already arisen.
Do not be ill!
For many people, it can be difficult to distinguish which disease is the flu and which is the common cold, since both ailments have similar symptoms. But for the fastest recovery, you need to know what the body is suffering from. It is necessary to accurately diagnose the disease in order to prescribe effective treatment... If the flu is treated for a cold and vice versa, then there is a possibility of harm to the body. Of course, no one needs such therapy. How to tell the flu from the common cold? Not everyone knows about this. First of all, you need to find out what is called the flu and what is called a cold. Let's figure it out now.
Influenza and colds
Influenza is an infection. It progresses rapidly in the body. It can be contracted as it is transmitted through the air. Usually, in the cold season, the spread of various forms of influenza grows, epidemics arise.
A cold is a disease of the body associated with hypothermia. It is usually easy to treat. But with advanced forms, it can turn into other more serious diseases.
That is, the flu manifests itself sharply in the human body, and a cold usually begins with a slight malaise.
What is a cold? Key features
As mentioned above, a cold is a consequence of hypothermia. You can get overcooled if your feet and hands get wet, if cold air gets into airways... The cold progresses slowly, it goes from one organ to another.
The main signs of a cold:
- Damage to the nasal mucosa. A person begins to sneeze, a runny nose and swelling appear.
- With a cold, there is a cough. Sputum and mucus appear in the respiratory tract.
- When a person has a cold, the body temperature rises to 38 degrees and above. This is a normal immune response to infections that hit the body.
Colds usually start with a slight runny nose. Then the temperature rises, then the cough begins. All processes occur gradually. The cough is usually present for a couple of days. Then all the symptoms go away. As a rule, after a week, the person is fully recovered and returns to normal life. Here's how to tell the difference between the flu and the common cold.
What is flu? Key features
Now let's take a closer look at this ailment. The flu, unlike the common cold, is acute illness... Everyone knows outbreaks of epidemics of various types of influenza.
The main flu symptoms are:
- The first sign that a person has the flu is a high body temperature. It can rise up to 39 or 40 degrees. A high temperature indicates that the body has been infected with a virus.
- As a rule, the patient's muscles begin to ache and bones ache.
- A person becomes weak.
The body fights the virus, so the body temperature rises. But the general condition of the patient is greatly deteriorating. He cannot get out of bed. The flu can be accompanied by headache, dryness, and coughing. This ailment has similar symptoms with the common cold. In order to know how to distinguish the flu from the common cold, remember that the first illness can be different. What kind of virus infects the human body, such symptoms of the disease will be visible. For example, there are cases when only one symptom appears. For example, it could be an increased body temperature. It can last for several days without other symptoms. And in some cases, the entire set of complications is present.
Why is it necessary to clearly diagnose what a person is sick with?
How to tell the flu from the common cold? Some people might think, "Why differentiate between these diseases?" This is actually very important to do. Since the flu can pose a threat to human life.
There is a certain risk group - people who are more susceptible to infection. This includes retirees and children. This category of people has a weakened immune system. Therefore, they can get the virus in the first place. It is a well-known fact that an incorrect diagnosis can lead to a deterioration in the functioning of the body, and in the case of influenza, you should be especially careful. Since there is a risk of life threatening, it is therefore important to know how to distinguish the flu from the common cold in an adult. There are statistics that say that up to five hundred thousand people die from the flu every year. This is a very high mortality rate. And during periods of a pandemic, this figure rises to one million. Influenza can cause complications. Due to improper treatment, diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia and others can occur. For this reason, in order to be aware, many strive to learn how to distinguish the flu from the common cold in an adult. Since the flu has acute form leakage, the human body may not be able to cope with the virus. Therefore, at the first symptoms of infection of the body, you must immediately call a doctor. Modern medicine is developing rapidly, currently there are modern medicines that can cope with the virus. But there is a danger that it is developing very quickly. Therefore, it is important to take all the necessary measures on time.
Influenza and colds: a comparison of diseases
Note that these diseases have a number of signs that can be used to distinguish when a person has a cold, and when he contracted the virus. How is the flu different from the common cold?
The main thing is that a cold disease spreads in the body slowly, in stages. And the flu makes itself felt quickly, rapidly. A person has sharp rise temperature, literally before our eyes, he weakens and becomes exhausted. Knowing how to tell the difference between the flu and the common cold during pregnancy is very important. Since a woman in this position cannot take certain drugs, and she is also responsible for the unborn child.
If a person has a cold, then at first, as a rule, a slight runny nose appears. Then there is a coughing and a slight increase in body temperature occurs. And with the flu virus, the body temperature rises sharply and muscle aches occur. Also, the disease is accompanied by a headache.
If a person has a cold, then within a few days after the onset of the disease, he has nasal congestion, coughing increases. And with flu, the high temperature lasts for several days and a headache.
Flu and colds are accompanied by fever. The temperature at the first illness is higher. Also, when a person has a cold, the increase occurs in the evening or at night. And when the human body is infected with a virus, the high body temperature lasts for several days. And it doesn't matter if it's daytime or evening.
There is a cough with diseases such as flu, colds. His treatment should be carried out for both diseases. But this symptom in different cases it has a different shape. When a person gets a cold, the cough starts with perspiration and gets worse over time. And when it is a virus, then it has a sharp form. He is also accompanied by painful sensations in chest... With the flu, phlegm is released along with the cough.
A clear manifestation of a cold is sneezing. If a person has the flu, then there is no such symptom.
A headache usually accompanies the flu. Often has the character of a migraine. And with a cold, headaches are much less common, although they are not excluded.
If a person has muscle pain, then this is a clear sign of the flu. Discomfort occurs when turning the head or bending over, also when working with other parts of the body, or when bending the arms or legs. If a person has a cold, then he will not have muscle pain.
When a person is sick with the flu, they feel pressure on their eyeballs. Moreover, the pain effect is quite strong. And with colds, this symptom is not so pronounced.
A phenomenon such as chills is often observed in children, so it is important to know how to distinguish a cold from the flu in a child. Since with a cold, the body temperature does not rise much, chills do not occur. This symptom is common with the flu.
Some people get nausea when they get the virus. If a person has a cold, then he will not have it. But this symptom can be caused by another malfunction of the body. For example, poisoning can be accompanied by nausea and fever. Therefore, the doctor needs to thoroughly tell all the symptoms that the patient observes. This is necessary for making an accurate diagnosis and prescribing a medicine.
A symptom such as weakness of the body is a sign that a person is infected with the flu virus. If the patient feels it with a cold, then it is not so pronounced and often comes later. And with the flu, weakness is present from the first day of infection of the human body.
Influenza and colds. The main differences between these diseases
Diseases can be distinguished by their course. Colds are milder and usually accompanied by a cough. Moreover, he can be very strong. And the flu is severe. At the same time, the person's condition is much worse than with a cold.
The rehabilitation period is another difference. After a cold, the body recovers quickly. And after the flu, a person feels tired for a long time. It also takes much longer for him to return to a healthy and vigorous state. If we are guided by the identification of the above differences, then it is possible to determine exactly what disease is present in the human body. If the disease is diagnosed correctly, then it will be assigned correct treatment, which will lead to a quick recovery. In order not to confuse the flu and the cold, it is necessary to accurately determine the symptoms of the disease and take appropriate medications for recovery. You also need to see a doctor so that he listens to how it works respiratory system organism, heart.
Treatment of diseases
Various bacteria and viruses want to attack our body every day. Therefore, you should always remember this. It is better to prevent the disease than to cure it. In order not to get infected with any virus, you need to strengthen the immune system. The same must be done in order not to catch a cold. The difference is that in order not to get cold, you need to dress for the weather. This is especially recommended for people who live in the middle and northern latitudes of our country. Weather conditions leave much to be desired. Therefore, you need to monitor the temperature regime and so that the body does not overcool.
As for viruses, they can attack the body, even if a person is warmly dressed. Therefore, for prevention, vitamins should be taken. During periods of exacerbation of viral diseases, drink special drugs. You also need to eat right so that the food is filled with beneficial trace elements and promotes the growth of the body's ability to resist viruses. Sports activities, outdoor walks and other elements of a healthy lifestyle strengthen the immune system well.
Treatment principles
We figured out how to distinguish a cold from the flu and SARS. When the first symptoms of these diseases appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. This is necessary so that he accurately diagnoses the disease and prescribes the correct treatment.
Let's list the basic principles of treatment.
First of all, you need to drink as much liquid as possible. As the body loses moisture and dehydration may occur. Therefore, drinking plenty of fluids is welcome in any case.
If the nose is stuffy, the doctor will prescribe drops that will provide free breathing, the person can sleep peacefully.
The doctor will prescribe antiviral drugsif a person has the flu.
There are many methods of treatment with folk remedies. For example, honey and milk, various herbal teas and so on. Modern medicine does not deny these funds and also uses them in combination with taking medications. It is not recommended to prescribe treatment yourself. It is always better to consult a doctor whether or not to take certain folk remedies... Perhaps some of them will harm the body.
How to survive an epidemic?
How to tell the flu from the common cold and survive an epidemic? What is the difference between diseases, we figured out. Now we need to talk about how a person should behave during an epidemic of such diseases.
First, you need to wash your hands more often. Secondly, you should stay less in crowded places. Third, try to touch your face as little as possible. The fourth rule is to use oxolinic ointment. Before going outside, treat the nasal mucosa with this tool. Fifth, fill your diet with foods rich in vitamins, especially C.
Conclusion
Now you know how to tell the difference between colds and flu and SARS. From the above it is clear that with symptoms similar at first glance, these are different diseases. They need to be correctly diagnosed, it depends on what treatment will be prescribed.
So much has already been written about the flu and its treatment, to summarize.
First of all, in order not to go crazy with the diagnoses that a rich imagination draws, here is a table for you. Influenza or ARVI - check! It gives the symptoms of the swine flu for 2016.
The difference between ARVI and influenza | Year 2016 | Table
| Cold | ARVI | Flu |
| Deterioration of health | gradual | swift | sudden | |
| Body temperature | +37.5 ° C | + 38 ° C | + 39 ° -40 °, within 3-4 days | |
| Intoxication | not expressed | increased fatigue | headache and eye pain, photophobia, body aches, chills | |
| Runny nose and nasal congestion | manifests itself in the first hours | occurs in the early days | appears as a complication, for 2-3 days of illness | |
| Sneezing | appears after a runny nose | always accompanies her | more often absent | |
| Sore throat and redness | on the 2nd day after hypothermia | occurs with a cough and is pronounced | appears on the 2nd day of illness + there is a cough with pain behind the breastbone | |
| Discomfort in the eyes | no | rarely: if a bacterial infection has joined | redness often occurs | |
| Headache | absent | possible with complications (sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis) | is, unbearable | |
| Increased fatigue | absent | maybe while maintaining a high temperature (more than a day) | ||
| Insomnia | absent | may occur against a background of high temperature | is and persists even for 2-3 weeks |
If the doctor, based on the results of the blood test and examination, confirms the diagnosis of FLU, follow his instructions. Among the general recommendations, we will single out the main ones - those that will definitely benefit, and not harm.
- home treatment is possible only for uncomplicated influenza
- isolate the patient (if possible, at least 1 m from other family members)
- protect the respiratory system (nose and mouth) on contact. The bandage is required for direct contact with the patient. In public transport, in public places, a healthy person does not need a bandage, because if you remove it even for a minute, the wet surface will attract viruses like a magnet. In this case, you need to stock up on more than one bandage and change it as often as possible.
- ventilate the room where the patient lies
- do wet cleaning regularly
- provide the patient with bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids, taking antiviral drugs (in the first 48 hours)
With the following symptoms, an urgent need to consult a specialist:
- fever over 38.5
- difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain
- bluish lips
- sputum
- vomiting and loose stools
- dizziness
- Difficulty urinating
Every year in the autumn-winter period there is a surge in seasonal diseases. Many do not take them seriously and, instead of going to the clinic, prescribe treatment for themselves, believing that they have a cold. However, in medicine, there is no such disease, the doctor can diagnose "acute respiratory infections", "ARVI" or "flu". They have different symptoms and treatment options that should be prescribed exclusively by specialists.
AiF.ru talks about how influenza differs from ARVI and ARI.
ARI
Symptoms
With viral and bacterial acute respiratory infections, various symptoms of the disease are observed.
Viral ARI has varying symptoms. The first signs of the disease are general malaise, weakness of muscles and joints, headache. They intensify in 1-2 days, and the patient has a fever, a severe runny nose, sneezing. A viral illness can be complicated by a bacterial infection.
With bacterial acute respiratory infections, the disease often begins with a temperature of about 38 ° C. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose and eyes is usually absent. Symptoms do not change throughout the course of the disease, and despite treatment, they can persist for up to two weeks. Bacterial acute respiratory infections are often complicated by otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia. In the analysis of the patient's blood, a large number of neutrophils is found: a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left.
Incubation period
All viral acute respiratory infections have a very short incubation period: from 1 to 5 days. With a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, a longer incubation period is observed: from 2 to 14 days.
Treatment
Treatment for acute respiratory infections depends on the type of pathogen this disease... With viral acute respiratory infections, antiviral and immunostimulating therapy is prescribed. In case of bacterial acute respiratory infections, antibiotic therapy is used, antibiotics are necessarily prescribed.
Prevention
General prevention of respiratory diseases consists of the following recommendations:
- prevent hypothermia of the body;
- do not leave untreated chronic diseases;
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- avoid stressful situations; ,
- eat food rich in vitamins and minerals;
- take vitamins in spring and autumn;
- in case of an acute respiratory disease epidemic, wear a protective mask and avoid crowded places;
- wash your hands often; after being outdoors - nose and throat.
ARVI
Acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) is a group of acute inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system, the causative agents of which are viruses. Thus, ARVI is one that has viral nature ARI. Scientists count more than 200 respiratory viruses, the most common of which are parainfluenza, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses.
The infection is mainly transmitted by airborne droplets through contact with a sick person, as well as through kissing, shaking hands or touching infected surfaces with subsequent drift into the mouth.
Symptoms
At the initial stage of the disease, the virus multiplies in the nose, nasopharynx, larynx, which manifests itself in the form of cramps, runny nose, perspiration, dry cough. The disease develops gradually: first it begins to tickle in the throat, then a runny nose and sneezing appears, after a couple of days a cough occurs. The temperature may not rise, or it rises slightly: up to 37.5-38 degrees. Sometimes the mucous membranes of the eyes and the gastrointestinal tract are involved in this process.
When the virus enters the bloodstream, symptoms of general intoxication occur: chills, headache, aches in the back and limbs. Then the body's immune response occurs: the production of antibodies to the virus, as a result of which the blood is gradually cleared of it, and the symptoms of intoxication weaken.
At the final stage of ARVI (without complications), the respiratory tract is cleared of the epithelial layers affected by the virus, which manifests itself as a runny nose and a wet cough with discharge of mucous or purulent sputum.
In the process of development viral disease may be complicated by a bacterial infection. After a cold or cold on the legs, otitis media (inflammation of the ear) or sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses) may occur.
Incubation period
The incubation period for ARVI can range from 1 to 5 days, rarely up to 14 days.
Treatment
If the symptoms of ARVI are strongly pronounced, then antiviral drugs are used. Symptomatic treatment includes pain relievers and antipyretic drugs, vasoconstrictor drops and sprays that relieve a cold, potions and cough drops. In case of illness, it is also recommended to rinse the throat, rinse the nose with a mild saline solution, and do inhalation when coughing. The patient must drink abundantly and follow a home regimen.
Prevention
There is no vaccination against ARVI. Such a vaccine cannot be developed due to the large number of respiratory viruses that are constantly changing.
Flu
Influenza (from German grippen - "grab", "squeeze sharply") - acute infection respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Included in the group of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). Periodically spreads in the form of epidemics and pandemics. More than 2,000 variants of the influenza virus have now been identified.
Symptoms
The influenza virus enters the human body through the upper respiratory tract - nose, trachea, bronchi - where it multiplies.
Unlike most other acute respiratory viral infections, with influenza, the deterioration of health occurs suddenly, and the temperature reaches 39-40 ° C and lasts up to 4 days. After the virus enters the bloodstream, a person experiences chills, muscle weakness, and headache. Also, with the flu, there is photophobia and redness in the eyes. All this is evidence of the high intoxication characteristic of influenza viruses. A runny nose and nasal congestion may not appear immediately or be absent altogether. As a rule, there is no discharge from the nose, on the contrary, there is a pronounced feeling of dryness in the nose and throat. Usually there is a dry, tense cough, accompanied by chest pain.
With a smooth course of the disease, flu symptoms persist for 3-5 days, however, increased body fatigue can be present for several weeks after recovery. With severe forms of influenza, serious complications can develop, especially in children, the elderly and debilitated patients.
Incubation period
The incubation period for influenza is very short, ranging from a few hours to 3 days, usually 1-2 days. However, it is during this period that a person is most contagious.
Treatment
With the flu, antiviral, analgesic, antipyretic, expectorant, antitussive drugs, as well as vitamins, especially vitamin C in high doses, are used. Patients are advised to rest, plenty of fluids, quitting smoking and alcohol. Influenza without complications is not treated with antibiotics, as these drugs are only used for bacterial infections (which do not apply to influenza).
Prevention
Unlike other acute respiratory viral infections, there is a specific prevention for influenza: vaccination.
As a non-specific prophylaxis in the room where the patient with influenza is located, wet cleaning is carried out using a disinfectant. For air disinfection, ultraviolet irradiation and aerosol disinfectants are used.
Which falls on the junction of January and February, is still ahead, but infections never sleep. The question arises: in which case to be treated independently, and in which to go to the doctor, how to distinguish an ordinary cold from the flu, and when to worry about frequent colds The child has? Should we give the body a chance to overcome the temperature on its own or bring it down?
This is most likely a cold.
The common cold is the most common human ailment. It is likely that it is she who will overtake you. After all, there is a chance to catch as many as 250 types of viruses.
It is difficult to live a year without a cold and cough. The body will be able to overcome only those microbes that it has encountered before.
You can reduce the risk of infection by washing your hands more often and avoiding touching your face while in public. Viruses are transferred from the palms to the mucous membranes (lips, nose). How the virus will develop and in what form it attacks depends on the body's resistance, on its physical and mental state.
When should you worry?
Statistics show that an adult with good body resistance catches a cold on average two to four times a year. Children are naturally less resistant. Their immunological memory is just being formed. Over the years, we are less likely to get sick, not because we are less exposed to viruses, but because our body learns to recognize them and fight them.
Infants and children in their first year of life have a runny nose six to ten times a year.
Preschoolers are constantly exposed to viruses in kindergartens, on playgrounds, while communicating with other children, so they can get sick up to twelve times a year.
How to recognize a cold?
Colds develop slowly. It may take a few days before we really feel bad. Most often, the virus infects the nasal or throat mucosa in the form of a profuse watery runny nose, sore throat, or hoarseness. After a couple of days, breathing problems appear, a dry paroxysmal cough develops.
How to treat a cold?
• If possible, stay in bed for a few days.
• Eat food that you can easily digest (avoid fatty meats and dairy products, which make your nose worse).
• Try not to overwork.
• Do not treat colds, even severe ones, with antibiotics.
• As soon as you feel weak, act quickly. The speed of recovery depends on the speed of the reaction.
• Take 1 gram of vitamin C right at the start.
• Drink plenty of warm drinks.
• A runny nose is best treated with ephedrine drops or pills, which constrict the blood vessels in the nose and reduce the flow of secretions, making breathing easier.
• Take dry cough syrup to avoid the fatigue caused by recurring coughs.
• Not lower than 37.5 degrees. Elevated temperature - a sign that the body is fighting the disease. If the temperature persists for two or three days, then take anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, paracetamol - for children under 12 years old). Children of this age should not be given aspirin as it can cause liver damage.
• Avoid sitting at home if you or your child has a cold. You can take a walk in the green area away from crowds.
When to see a doctor?
If the poor state of health does not go away after three days of home treatment and there is no noticeable improvement, then a visit to the doctor is required.
With age, viral colds happen less often. But more often bacterial infections that require antibacterial treatment are overcome.
Flu should not be underestimated
We like to ignore the flu, often confusing it with a bad cold. This is, unfortunately, very risky behavior. Influenza is an extremely contagious disease that hits the body much stronger than a cold. The virus develops very quickly: you can meet the disease in the morning, and in the evening you can hardly stay on your feet. There is a temperature, often reaching 39 degrees, chills, pain in muscles and joints, headache, increased skin sensitivity. With flu, there is no appetite, drowsiness, lethargy, and difficulty concentrating are observed. The flu goes away in about a week, but feeling unwell, especially weakness, accompanies the next few weeks.
The flu should not be taken lightly, because it has many side complications. In 30% of patients, the flu ends with pneumonia, sinusitis and even depletion of the heart muscle. Complications are especially dangerous for people with health problems. Influenza threatens the health of people with diabetes, heart failure, and patients with neoplasms. It is advisable to beware of the flu for the elderly.
How to protect yourself from the flu?
The most important thing - limit contact with sick people... Especially when they have a high temperature, as well as the next few days after its decline, because then the virus spreads the fastest. If your body is weakened, then it is enough to enter the unventilated room in which you were sick to get sick.
Doctors recommend vaccinations. The best month for this is September. But you can get vaccinated until January. Doctors say that even at the beginning of the year it makes sense to do this, since immunity is formed after two weeks. The developed antibodies protect against illness for 12 months.
Skeptics will ask, why get vaccinated if the flu virus is constantly mutating? But the specialist knows that behind such doubts there is only a grain of truth.
Vaccinations and mutations
Every year a new one is produced flu vaccine... It is created based on the predictions of doctors and scientists who, to a certain extent, are able to predict the direction of the virus mutation. This is possible, because there are three main types of the virus, as well as the scheme of its modifications, which are responsible for mutations. The vaccine is quite safe, as it contains a dead virus that cannot turn into an active form and attack the body.
In addition, doctors say that if after vaccination you get sick, then the disease will proceed more easily and will not weaken the body as much as the flu in the absence of developed immunity.
How is flu treated?
• A warm bed should be the only place for a person with the flu.
• Stay in bed until the temperature subsides.
• High temperature it is better to bring down drugs.
• When the temperature goes away, you need to take care of yourself for several days: avoid stress, stress, stay at home.
• Stock up on a warm drink: tea with raspberry jam, lemon, linden. The food should be light.
• You can take rutascorbin.
• Call a doctor at home. He will prescribe anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs, as well as open a sick leave.