What to Do for Colds and Flu

• A cold and the flu (also called influenza) are alike in many ways. But the flu can sometimes lead to more serious problems, like the lung disease pneumonia.
• A stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing are usually signs of a cold.
• Tiredness, fever, headache, and major aches and pains probably mean you have the flu.
• Coughing can be a sign of either a cold or the flu. But a bad cough usually points to the flu.

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• Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.
• Novel H1N1 flu is a newer influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in the U.S. in April 2009, and has spread to many countries around the world.
• Bird flu is commonly used to refer to Avian flu (see below). Bird flu viruses infect birds, including chickens, other poultry and wild birds such as ducks.
• Avian flu (AI) is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is deadly to domestic fowl, can be transmitted from birds to humans, and is deadly to humans. There is virtually no human immunity and human vaccine availability is very limited.
• Pandemic flu is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person.

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• Influenza usually starts suddenly and may include the following symptoms:
• fever (usually high)
• headache
• tiredness (can be extreme)
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• body aches
• diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children than adults).
• The single best way to protect yourself and others against influenza is to get a flu vaccination each year.
• Your doctor may recommend use of an antiviral medication to help treat the flu. Four antiviral drugs (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamavir, and oseltamivir) are approved for treatment of the flu.
• If you get the flu, get plenty of rest, drink a lot of liquids, and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
• Also, you can take medications such as acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®) to relieve the fever and muscle aches associated with the flu. Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, particularly fever.

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• Although the common cold is usually mild, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school and work.
• More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the symptoms of the common cold.
• Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection and often include:
• mucus buildup in your nose
• difficulty breathing through your nose
• swelling of your sinuses
• sneezing
• sore throat
• cough
• headache
• fever that is usually slight but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in infants and young children.
• Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you'll probably recover in a week. If symptoms occur often or last much longer than 2 weeks, you might have an allergy rather than a cold.
• There is no cure for the common cold, but you can get relief from your cold symptoms by resting in bed, 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, and taking aspirin or acetaminophen for headache or fever.

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