Senior
Kent-Covington Reporter
Friday, October 25, 2019
13
FALL 2019
RESOURCE GUIDE
The Difference Between the Flu and a Common Cold By Laura Nencetti, Wesley Health & Home Care Flu season is around the corner. Despite our best efforts, sometimes we get sick no matter what. How can we know if what we have is the flu or just a common cold? They are both respiratory illnesses and share many similar symptoms. The simplest way to look at it is that, generally, flu symptoms are more intense. In comparison, colds are usually milder. People with colds are more likely to have a stuffy or runny nose, a sore throat, slight aches and a more gradual onset of symptoms. People with the flu are more likely to have chills, fever, headaches, shortness of breath, chest discomfort and weakness. These flu symptoms also tend to occur much more rapidly than cold symptoms. Young children, people 65 and older and pregnant women are more at risk for flu-related complications and are advised to see a doctor or health specialist as soon as symptoms appear. For more information on what to do for cold or flu symptoms, visit cdc.gov. In either case, it is always best to avoid contact with others, stay home, get good amounts of rest and drink plenty of water.
• Get a flu shot and stay at least three feet away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. • Keep hands away from face, mouth and nose.
• Clean communal surfaces daily, and wash hands after touching communal surfaces. • Wear surgical gloves when caring for someone who is ill. • Encourage others to trash their own tissues. • Keep your lips off infected partners. • Give sick sleeping partners their own pillow, and have them sleep on their own side. • Keep windows closed. The circulating air won’t provide protection. • Store toothbrushes out of sight. • Avoid sharing food with infected people, and do your own dishes. • Get sufficient sleep, avoid stress and relax. • Don’t bother taking immunity-boosting supplements or prophylactic Tamiflu. The zinc in cold-shortening candy shortens the length of a cold, not the flu. For those considered at high risk for complications, seeing a doctor if when flu symptoms begin or if severe flu symptoms develop, such as a persistent fever shortness of breath or fever. Of course, the best suggestion if to get the flu vaccine.