Is It a Cold or the Flu?
By Carolyn Mahoney, PA-C

Colds cause upper respiratory infections, which involve the   nose, throat and lungs.  They are caused by many viruses.  Symptoms begin between 1 and 4 days after being infected and can last for up to 10 days.  Symptoms usually begin with a sore or scratchy throat followed by sneezing, runny nose and fatigue.  After a few days the runny nose changes from watery secretions to thicker and darker secretions.  Dark mucous does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection and need an antibiotic.   You also may develop a mild cough which can last into the second week of being sick.  Usually you do not have a fever.

You are contagious the first 3 days that you have symptoms.  You can spread the viruses by touching people or things, such as doorknobs, while having respiratory droplets (from coughing, sneezing or wiping you nose) on you hands. 

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Make sure you wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after blowing you nose or coughing, and it is important to keep your hands away from you face, especially the eyes, nose and mouth.  That goes for everyone, sick or not.

There is no cure for the common cold, but there are medications that can help with the symptoms.  There are a number of free medications at the health center pharmacy that you can pick up.  For generalized aching, headache and fever you can get Advil, Aleve or Extra Strength Tylenol.  For cough: cough drops, Robitussin (which is an expectorant that loosens mucous) or Robitussin DM (which is an expectorant with a cough suppressant).  For congestion there are antihistamines, which help dry up watery secretions, decongestants and a combination of both.  The medications we have for those are Chlor-Trimeton 4 hour, Sudafed, and Actifed, respectively.  (You should not take decongestants if you have thyroid disease or high blood pressure without checking with a health care provider first).  We also have lozenges for sore throats.

Other things you can do to help are:

• Drink eight glasses of water a day and avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol because they will lead to dehydration.
• Stop smoking, if you smoke and try to stay away from second hand smoke.
   

Remember: antibiotics are not useful in treating the common cold because it is a viral, not a bacterial infection.

If your cold symptoms are severe, you have a high fever (above 101F), ear pain, sinus type-headache, a cough that gets worse while all the other symptoms improve, or your symptoms do not resolve or improve after 10-14 days make an appointment to see a health care provider at the Student Health Center.
 

The flu is caused by influenza viruses and causes a respiratory illness.   The illness may be mild or severe and is characterized by sudden onset of high fever (102-104F), chills, muscle aches, headache, extreme fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, and runny or stuffy nose.  Transmission is the same as above for cold viruses.  However, with the flu, it is possible to pass it on 1 day before you have any symptoms and up to 5 days after symptoms begin.  So, you are contagious before you even know you are sick.  Most people recover from the flu in 1-2 weeks.  There are prescription medications that you can take in the first 48 hours of the flu that will shorten the course of the illness.  If you think you have the flu, make an appointment to be seen by a health care provider and you will be evaluated.  If indeed you do have the flu, one of those medications may be prescribed.  The medications only work on influenza viruses, so they will not be effective for other respiratory viruses or colds.

The best way to prevent the flu is to get a vaccination in the fall, usually between October and December.

Flu season starts in October and can last until May, with most infections between January and April.  There are two types of vaccinations:  a flu shot or a nasal spray vaccine called Flumist.  Ask your health care professional which is right for you.  It takes at least 2 weeks after vaccination for your body to produce the antibodies it needs to protect against the flu.

Anyone can get a flu shot, but certain people are at high risk and should be vaccinated.  Those people are:

• Anyone over 65 years old
• People who live in nursing homes or long term care facilities
• Anyone over 6 months old with chronic heart and lung conditions (including asthma)
• Anyone over 6 months old with diabetes, chronic kidney disease or a weakened immune system
• Women who will be pregnant during the flu season
• Children 6-23 months old

People in close contact with anyone in the above group should also be vaccinated.  This includes health care workers.

See table for Cold vs. Flu symptoms

Source: FDA Consumer Magazine (October 1996)