Cold  |  Flu  |  Bacterial Pneumonia  |  Chickenpox

Cold and Flu Season: What You Need To Know
With cold and flu season starting, we want to help you stay healthy and recover sooner if you are ill. Antibiotics are not effective in the treatment of colds and flu because they are viruses. Antibiotics are only useful for treating bacterial infections. The overuse of antibiotics is a common and serious public health problem resulting in super strains of bacteria, which are resistant to antibiotics. When treating colds and flu, the best therapy is to treat the symptoms.

Common Cold
What Is It?
A contagious viral infection of upper respiratory system. Bronchitis (airway irritation and inflammation) can occur in conjunction with a cold. It most often responds to cold therapy as described below.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Watery to thick yellow nasal discharge
• Sore throat, hoarseness
• cough that produces little to no sputum
• Low fever, less than 101 degrees
• Fatigue
• Watery eyes
• Loss of appetite

Prevention:

• Wash your hands often, especially after blowing your nose or handling food
• Eat well-balanced meals
• Foods high in vitamin C are useful

Expected course:

• 7-14 days

Treatment:
To relieve nasal congestion:

• Nasal irrigation (1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1 cup warm water)
• Breathe in moist heat from humidifier or pan of warm water/li>

Medication:
No medicine, including antibiotics, can cure the common cold. To relieve symptoms you may use non-prescription drugs such as Tylenol, decongestants, nose drops or sprays, cough remedies and throat lozenges. Vitamin C in doses of 500-1000 mg. a day may shorten duration. Some individuals have found echinacea to be beneficial.

Activity:
Bed rest is not necessary, but avoid vigorous activity.

Diet:
Regular diet. Drink extra fluids - 12 - 8 ounce glasses a day.

Notify Your Provider If You Have:

• Increased throat pain with white or yellow spots on throat
• Cough that produces yellow-green, gray or bloody sputum
• Cough that lasts longer than 10 days
• Difficult or labored breathing
• Fever that lasts several days or fever over 101 degrees
• Shaking chills, chest pain or shortness of breath, earache or headache, skin rash, dusky-blue or gray lips or nail beds, pain in teeth over sinuses, unusual tiredness or irritability, delirium, enlarged, tender glands in the neck.

Flu
What Is It?
A contagious viral infection of respiratory system, but the whole body is affected. Sinusitis and bronchitis may be an aftereffect of the flu.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Fever 101 - 102 degrees
• Chills, sneezing
• Cough with little to no sputum
• Sore throat, hoarseness
• Runny nose
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Overall body and muscle aches

Prevention:

• Flu vaccine for people over age 65, or with a chronic disease (e.g. cancer, diabetes)
• See Common Cold prevention measures

Expected course:
7-14 days without complications

Treatment:
Same as common cold. To relieve sore throat, gargle with warm salt water or double strength tea.

Medication:
Same as common cold. Antibiotics are not effective in treating the flu

Activity:
Same as common cold. Rest or bed rest depending on symptoms. Increase your activity slowly

Diet:
Appetite usually lacking. You may want just liquids at first, and progress to small meals of starchy foods (dry toast, rice, cooked cereal, baked potatoes)

Extra fluids (12 - 8 ounce glasses a day) helps thin lung secretions

Notify Your Provider If You Have:
Symptoms the same as common cold

Bacterial Pneumonia
What Is It?
Infection and inflammation of lungs with a bacterial germ. This is different than a virus. It usually is not contagious.

Signs and Symptoms:

• High fever over 102 degrees
• Chills
• Shortness of breath.
• Cough with sputum that may contain blood or green with blood streaks
• Rapid breathing
• Chest pain that worsens with inhalations
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue

Prevention:
Pneumococcal vaccine is available for people over 65, those with a chronic disease, and people who have had their spleens removed. The vaccine is usually repeated every six years.

Expected course:
1-2 weeks with treatment, but may take longer in the elderly.

Treatment:
Diagnostic test may be needed. Laboratory studies such as blood culture, sputum cultures, blood count and x-rays. Warm compresses or heat pad to chest for chest pain. Hospitalization may occur for more severe cases.

Medication:
Antibiotics as prescribed to fight bacterial infection. Be certain to complete the prescribed course of therapy.

Activity:
Bed rest until fever, pain, and shortness of breath decreases.

Diet:
Same as for flu. Extra fluid, 12 -8 oz. glasses a day.

Notify Your Provider If You Have:

• Increased shortness of breath
• Continuous fever greater than 101 degrees
• Pain not relieved
• Blood in sputum
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• New unexplained symptoms

Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a common childhood disease, which is also called Varicella. It is usually mild but can be serious in young infants and adults. It is spread through the air or by contact with the fluid from the blisters. Complications can include skin infections, pneumonia, scarring, brain damage and death. About 100 people die annually in the US from this illness. There is a vaccine, Varicella that can be given to prevent chickenpox. Most people who receive this vaccine will not contract the illness. If someone who has been vaccinated does contract it, it usually is a mild case. Children should get one dose of vaccine if they receive it between ages 1 year to 18 months. Children who receive the vaccine at 13 years or older should get two doses of the vaccine 4-8 weeks apart.