When you are feeling under the weather, it is easy to panic and head off to the doctor. Unfortunately, most doctors cannot do anything about the common cold. However, if you have something more severe, then a trip to the doctor is advised.
The problem with a common cold, though, is that it might turn into something more severe. So how do you know when it's a simple cold versus something more dangerous or life-threatening? Here are four signs:
1. You Have a Fever
A common cold usually does not cause a fever. If you do experience a fever, especially a high fever of 102-degrees or more, it is likely you are dealing with something other than the common cold. A fever may represent an infection, such as a sinus infection, or something more serious. So if you experience a high fever, definitely head to a medical clinic.
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You Feel Better, But Get Worse
Sometimes people will feel the onset of a cold, only to find that it goes away. However, if it comes back quickly and you feel even worse, it may be a sign of something more serious. Super bugs and infections often leave you feeling bad, better, and then worse. This cycle of sickness occurs because the body fights the initial virus or infection, but then the virus or infection gets stronger, and you wind up feeling crummy again. If you experience this, head to a medical clinic immediately. You may need antibiotics to fight the infection.
3. You Have Debilitating Headaches
A headache is a common symptom of a cold. However, the headache will usually be mild and will not interfere with daily tasks. If you experience a headache, so severe that it is debilitating and you cannot do function or concentrate, head to the doctor immediately. The severe headache may be caused by meningitis, or something else.
You should also visit a medical clinic if you are experiencing a headache that is not lessened by over-the-counter pain relievers. This may also be a sign of something serious that needs attention.
4. You Have a Chronic
I am sorry that you have caught that horrible cold, I hope you get better soon.
Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion follow, along with a cough by the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold.
You have trouble breathing. Both adults and children can have tight, uncomfortable lungs and chest during a cold. A cough that won't go away could be postnasal drip, but it could also be a sign of asthma or acid reflux. Talk to your doctor about it. If there’s a barking (it actually sounds like a small dog), wheezing or whooping sound along with the cough, there could be an infection called pertussis that can be treated.
As we head into the fall, that also means that we're headed for cold and flu season. Being sick is terrible and disruptive to both your personal and work life and catching an illness could mean it ransacking your entire family.
Influenza, also known as “the flu,” is a virus that infects the respiratory tract. Although Influenza is not as severe as many viral infections it's almost the worst for viral infections of the respiratory tract. Typically, when someone is infected with influenza they experience fever (usually 100° to 103°F in adults, but even higher in children) and causes a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and also headaches, muscle aches, and usually extreme tiredness. There are sometimes other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea but usually only in rare cases with young children. One other note: The term “Stomach flu” isn’t really caused by the influenza virus.
Headaches:- headaches maybe a side effect of taking medication such as pain killers for a long period of time, this is because you body becomes used to the painkillers and when medication is stopped there is a rebound or withdrawal effect.
If it wasn't for your immune system, a cold would mean death. The immune system has many ways of destroying pathogens, and with many types of cells. The first cell is called a phagocyte, which engulfs and breaks down
Chills, or Fever is another one, if you have a fever of 100.4 or higher, you should be calling your doctor so you know what to do. Having a fever may indicate an infection coming from somewhere that may not be readily apparent. Infection from an
With this being the time of year for the flu, it is important to know what is facts and what the myths are when it comes to the flu. Below you can find 3 of the most popular myths concerning the flu as well as some tips to know if you have the flu.
To get this cold they would need to get a virus and this virus is known as the Rhino virus. Common colds are infections of the nose, throat, and bronchial tubes. Because there is no vaccine for the Rhinovirus, the best way for protection is by regularly washing your hands, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth and stay away from people who are infected (“Common Colds:Protect Yourself and Others”). There is no cure, but the immune response is a system that will kill the virus in a matter of weeks. The purpose of the immune system is to protect against disease (Rhinovirus) and harmful pathogens damaging the body
A migraine is a common type headache. In addition, migraines can cause moderate to severe pain and is often described as throbbing or pulsating pain on one side of the head. In addition, migraines can cause blurred vision when exposed to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting pounding.
It's a common belief that cold weather weakens human's immune system that makes people more likely get a cold or flu. Surprisingly, there is no scientific data to show that sickness is directly related to being cold since general illnesses are caused by viruses or bacteria. However, some evidence can explain that why people become sick more often in winter.
Influenza is one of the most contagious illnesses caused by airborne viruses. I can lead to mild or severe illness and even death. Influenza can come suddenly and is marginally different to a ‘Cold”. The virus can cause infections of the lower respiratory tract (lungs) and the upper respiratory tract (throat, nasal). Influenza is disease that may cause symptom such as the following; fever (high body temperature), sore throat, muscle or body aches, cough, Headaches, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue/tiredness (CDC, 2016). it belongs to “Orthomyxoviridae” family of infections, “myxa” meaning ‘mucus’ in Greek. There are three major types of influenza that may also be addressed as different terminologies, such as flu
a bacterial infection has occurred(Carson-DeWitt). Fever and discomfort can be helped by taking acetaminophen (Carson-DeWitt). A cool mist vaporizer may help with the cough (Carson-DeWitt). Fever leads to dehydration, therefore patients must be given lots of fluids and liquids to stay hydrated(Carson-DeWitt).
Most adults suffer between 2–4 colds and flus each year. A person is contagious from the day before the illness breaks out until 1–3 days after they feel better. A cold usually lasts only a few days, while the flu can last several weeks to a month. The symptoms of a cold can include a general feeling of discomfort, a headache, nasal dryness and/or runny nose, and congestion of the upper respiratory tract.