Cold, flu, allergy symptoms and treatments
Cold, flu or allergy? What's the difference?
It's the sneeze season when millions of us get sick and feel less than our best. Before you reach for the tissues and cough drops, make sure you know what really ails you. Is it a cold, the flu or something else, like an allergy? It's the only way to know how best to treat the symptoms and avoid infecting those around you.
You may think you know those tell-tale signs of the most common illnesses. But did you know that colds and allergies share many of the same symptoms? Runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion are common to both.
What to do if you have a cold or flu
Drink lots of fluids. Your fever won't come down if you are dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include no urine for eight hours, a dry mouth or no tears in infants and children.
Honey helps. Anyone over 1 year of age can use the sweet, natural remedy to treat a sore throat or cough. Use one-half to one teaspoon per dose.
Take time for tea. Warm, decaffeinated tea with honey helps relieve a cough or sore throat.
Use nasal spray. A saline-based spray can help all ages. It thins the secretions and makes it easier to get the mucus out. Use a bulb syringe, cough or blow your nose to get the mucus out.
When to get medical care
Usually, you can treat a cold or flu with over-the-counter remedies and plenty of rest. Contact your primary care doctor if symptoms last more than 10 days without improvement or are unusual or severe.
Here are other reasons to get medical attention:
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
- Feel pain or pressure in chest or belly
- Signs of confusion
- Severe vomiting
- Sudden onset of dizziness
- Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears)
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Cough worsens despite use of cough medicine
- Sinus pain that doesn’t improve with pain reliver/decongestants
Need a primary care doctor to take care of your family’s health needs? Go to www.GoshenHealth.com/Find-A-Doctor or call (574) 537-5000.
