Common Questions, Concerns & Simple

Precautions to Take During the Flu Season

Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose-everyone knows the first signs of a cold, probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting 1 to 2 weeks, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school and work. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million school days are lost annually in the United States due to the common cold.

When most colds occur?

Seasonal changes in relative humidity also may affect the prevalence of colds since cold air and indoor heating dry out the nasal membranes, making it easier for cold virus to get foothold there. The most common cold-causing viruses survive better when humidity is low-the colder months of the year. Cold weather also may make the inside lining of your nose drier and more vulnerable to viral infection.

Why does babies get so many colds?

Babies get lots of colds because their immune systems function at about 60 percent of adult capacity, making them more vulnerable to illness. Remember all the colds you've had over your lifetime? Babies would have to get all of those--and more-- to be immune to all cold viruses and remember that normally the babies likely to be exploring a lot and touching everything. Then all she has to do is put her fingers in her nose or rub her eyes, and the virus will get a chance to set up shop in her nasal passages. If she puts a contaminated toy into her mouth she wont' get a cold; the virus has to get into her nose to cause infection.

What can help to prevent from the flu?

There are some simple steps we can take to stay healthy and protect others' health, too.

When you are stressed, your immune system weakens and that makes you a target for the latest viruses.. Get plenty of sleep. Stay active will helps to get more oxygen, improve your blood circulation and to relax.

Wash your hands often with plenty of soap and warm water, particularly after coughing and sneezing, before eating, and after using the bathroom.

Eat foods that are healthy and vitamin rich. The California Latino 5 a Day Campaign recommends: "Eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day". Buying fruits and vegetables that are in-season is usually cheaper; During Winter season we will find: oranges, pears, brussels sprouts, and yellow winter squash, among others. These fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals that can help your body fight off viruses like the flu.

Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C will prevent colds or relieve symptoms. The research conclusion has shown that large doses of vitamin C prevent colds and may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms. And taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large amounts may be harmful since too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, a particular danger for elderly people and small children.

How can I tell if I have a cold or the flu?

A cold and the flu cause many of the same symptoms. But a cold is generally mild, while the flu tends to be more severe.

A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and having a runny nose. You may not have a fever or you may run a low fever--just 1 or 2 degrees higher than usual. You may also have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes and a headache.

The flu starts suddenly and hits hard. You'll probably feel weak and tired, and have a fever, dry cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches, severe headache, eye pain and a sore throat. It usually takes longer to get over the flu than a cold.

What to do after I got sick?

There is no cure for the common cold, but to get some relief and to speed up the recovery and prevent sharing the "bug" with others, Here the steps to take:

• "Plenty of rest"
• Always talk to a doctor before giving or taking any kind of medicine
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Gargling with warm salt water or using throat sprays or lozenges for a scratchy or sore throat
• Using petroleum jelly for a raw nose
• Taking over the counter medicines.
• Stay off work and all activities until recovery.
• Don't visit friends or relatives in the hospital or in a long-term care facility if you have the flu.
• Also stay away from infants, people over the age of 65 and those with chronic health problems. Anyone in these groups can catch the flu easily and if they do, they will likely be sick longer.

When I need to go to the doctor?

Colds occasionally can lead to bacterial infections. High fever, significantly swollen glands, severe sinus pain, and a cough that produces mucus, may indicate a complication or more serious illness requiring a visit to your healthcare provider.

When It will be ok to use antibiotics?

Antibiotics are not effective in treating illness caused by the flu virus, but they may be required to treat bacterial infections of the middle ear, sinuses or pneumonia that sometimes develop after the cold have been neglected . For more information, talk to your doctor. And be sure to ask him or her about the pneumococcal pneumonia shot you may need one if you're 65 or older, or if you have certain health problems.

What are the signs when a cold becomes sinus infection?

When a cold that starts to get better and then gets worse may be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain or pressure in some areas of the face (forehead, cheeks or between the eyes) is often a sign of blocked sinus drainage and can be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain in your forehead that starts when you lean forward can also be a sign. Other symptoms may include a stuffy nose, fever and an ache in your upper teeth.

A cold could turn to bronchitis?

In most cases, the same viruses that cause colds cause acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial tree is made up of the tubes that carry air into your lungs. When these tubes get infected, they swell and mucus (thick fluid) forms. This makes it hard for you to breathe. You may cough up mucus and you may wheeze. Most cases of acute bronchitis will go away on their own after a few days or a week, and sometimes the cough will lasts for several weeks or months. Because viruses cause acute bronchitis, antibiotics will not help. Your should call your doctor if: • The cough persist for more than 1 month, especially at night or when you are active and sometimes have a bad tasting fluid come up into your mouth or cough up blood .• The cough, make you feel very sick and weak, and you have a high fever that doesn't go down. Also if you have trouble breathing when you lie down or your feet swell.

Treatments precautions or warnings?

• Cautions with Aspirin use. Several studies have linked aspirin use to the development of Reye's syndrome in children recovering from flu or chickenpox. Reye's syndrome is a rare but serious illness that usually occurs in children between the ages of 3 and 12 years. It can affect all organs of the body but most often the brain and liver. While most children who survive an episode of Reye's syndrome do not suffer any lasting consequences, the illness can lead to permanent brain damage or death. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children and teenagers not be given aspirin or medicine containing aspirin when they have any viral illness such as the common cold.
• Cautions with Mahuang, ephedra or ephedrine. The Mahuang is an herbal decongestant. Its potency can widely, and the Food and Drug Administration has linked (in adults) to 1,000 bad reactions, including high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, and stroke.

When can I tell if a baby's cold has turned into something serious?

If the child is younger than 3 months old, you should call your pediatrician at the first sign of illness, particularly if she has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher.

Emergency Cold/Flu Symptoms:

In children:

• High (above 102 F) or prolonged fever
• A cold that lasts for more than 10 days
• Trouble breathing, fast- labored breathing or wheezing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids to maintain hydration
• Earache or drainage from the ear
• Changes in mental state (such as not waking up, irritability or seizures)
• Flu-like symptoms that improve, but return with a fever and a worse cough
• Worsening of chronic medical condition (such as diabetes or heart disease)
• Not waking up; not interacting

In adults:

• High (above 102 F) or prolonged fever
• A cold that lasts for more than 10 days
• Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest
• Fainting or feeling like you are about to faint
• Confusion or disorientation
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Severe pain in your face or forehead
• Hoarseness, sore throat or a cough that won't go away