for what reason can I tell if I hav...

for what reason can I tell if I have a chilly or the flu?

frigids and the flu (also called influenza) have many of the same symptoms. A cooled is generally mild, while the flu watchs to be more severe.

A chilly often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing, and having a runny nose. You may not have a febrile affection or you may run a grave fever (just one or sum of two units degrees higher than usual). You also may have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery watchs and a headache.

The flu starts on a sudden and hits hard. You'll probably be moved weak and tired, and have a agitation dry cough, runny nose, chills, muscle aches, austere headache, eye pain, and a sore throat. It usually takes longer to secure over the flu than it takes to procure over a cold.

What causes icys and the flu?

Viruses. More than 100 different viruses can cause shiverings There are not as many viruses that cause the flu That's with what intent there is a shot to help hinder the flu but not a missile for colds.

What about medicine?

No medicine can antidote a cold or the flu Antibiotics don't work against viruses. an medicines can help relieve a of your cold or flu symptoms. Check with your doctor before giving any medicine to children. Many chilly and flu products are available without a prescription. behold the box below for a guide to general ingredients in cold and flu products

a certain prescription medicines can help flu symptoms. These medicines may help make less the severity of symptoms if you start taking them early after you begin to obtain sick. These medicines come as pills or as an inhaler. The inhaled exemplar may cause problems for one people with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Should I call my doctor?

In greatest in number cases, you don't need to diocese your doctor when you have a cutting or the flu (see case to the right). However, call your doctor if you have any of the following:

* A cooled that lasts for more than 10 days.

* Earache or drainage from your ear.

* bitter pain in your face or forehead.

* Temperature higher than 102[degrees]F

* Shortness of breath.

* Hoarseness, sore throat, or a cough that won't fare away.

* Wheezing.

RELATED ARTICLE: What is in over-the-counter hyemal and flu medicines?

These ingredients are place in many cold and flu medicines. Read labels carefully. If you have questions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

* Analgesics relieve aches and pains and convert into fever. Examples: acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen. Warning: Children and teenagers should not be given aspirin.

* Antitussives recount your brain to stop coughing. Example: dextromethorphan. Don't take an antitussive if you are coughing up mucus.

* Expectorants help thin mucus in the way that it can be coughed up more easily. Example: guaifenesin.

* Oral decongestants shrink the passages in the nose and cut short congestion. Example: pseudoephedrine.

RELATED ARTICLE: Ways to treat your nipping and flu symptoms

* Stay residence and rest, especially while you have a fever

* Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke

* Drink overflow of fluids like water, fruit juices, and clear soups

* Don't drink alcohol.

* Gargle with warm salt water a not many times a day to relieve a sore throat. Throat sprays or oblique-angled parallelogram s also may help relieve the pain.

* Use salt water (saline) nose ear-rings to help loosen mucus and moisten the delicate skin in your nose.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group