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Cold and Flu
Questions and answers about the "Common Cold"; symptoms in the upper respiratory tract like sneezing, scratchy throat, and runny nose, but adults don't typically have fevers. Colds are usually caused by the rhinovirus (up to 40% of colds), or Coronaviruses (about 20%), but there are more than 200 viruses that can cause the common cold. Also questions about the seasonal flu, also called "regular flu", caused mostly by Type A and Type B Influenza viruses. Flu starts with similar symptoms as a cold only it hits faster and harder and usually includes fever in adults. Although the "stomach flu" is a common term, it is not a real diagnosis. The proper medical term for stomach flu is gastroenteritis (an intestinal disease, sometimes viral but also bacterial), it is often mistaken for influenza because the flu can sometimes include vomiting and diarrhea.
4,331 Questions
How did poverty affect the outcome of the Spanish flu?
While I have no specific sources to offer, we know from contemporary epidemiology that disease is always overrepresented among the poor and marginalized. AIDS in Africa is a good example.
What should you do when you have the Spanish Flu?
The infectious disease that has been called Spanish Flu was another type of influenza that was particularly virulent and deadly and caused the pandemic of 1918-1919.
Unless you can go back in time, you may not be able to catch this anymore, as it is thought to have mutated to different strains that have changed them and their symptoms significantly. Swine flu was a similar subtype of influenza with similar characteristics in symptoms, however, it was not as deadly as the 1918 disease. Some viruses just "die out" and there is no further replication of them due to the mutations that frequently occur in viruses, especially flu and cold viruses.
At that time of the Spanish Flu, science also did not know about viruses as an infective agent. There was no treatment like we have today with the antiviral medicines. They also had not learned about use of antibiotics for killing bacteria until the late 19th century. Therefore, in 1918, antibiotics were not as developed and did not treat as many kinds of bacteria as the ones we have today can. Those who get secondary bacterial pneumonia now can be readily treated with antibiotics.
There is also now better treatment of "cytokine storm," which is thought to have been a complication of the Spanish Flu that added to the number of deaths. This is a complex complication of infectious diseases; sort of an "over-reaction" by the immune system.
Today we have no cures for the flu of any kind. However, it now can be treated with antiviral drugs (that lessen the duration and severity of symptoms), but that is not a "cure". We also can prevent many types of influenza with vaccines, and we have better treatment for the symptoms so we aren't as miserable.
So, if you would get Spanish Flu, it would be different than that in 1918. It would need to have a new vaccine developed, like was necessary with the Swine Flu in 2009. Until then, since it can't be prevented, you would treat the symptoms as we do with any other influenza illness today.
How and why does one suffer from cold?
Usually colds happen when one's immune system is weak. This is caused by many things, lack of sleep, vitamin deficiency etc. But colds are tiny viruses which attack the immune system. Eventually the immune system will overcome them. That's why you eventually get better.
How do you make really bad period pains go away?
A hot pad placed on your tummy will probably help.
Ibuprofen works better than acetominophen.
Some women find exercising helps.
If none of this helps see a doctor as there are special drugs for period pains but they have to be prescribed.
Answerchocolate isn't the only thing we need on periods to stop us going insane (lol) to stop pains ive heard:-grapes-banana-painkillers-hotwater bottle-lying down-certain yoga/pilates strechs-prescribed medicene from the doctor if painkillers don't do the job.hope i helped =) Answerpain killers, bananas, lying on your stomach, I've heard of doctors prescribing birth control just to help with cramps.Why does rubbing alcohol reduce fevers?
Rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol, and is poisonous if ingested, (the alcohol you can drink safely is ethanol, a different chemical compound). Rubbing alcohol cools the skin by convection, as the alcohol evaporates it carries the heat away from the body with it, just like perspiration, only faster.
Cooling of the body with alcohol will help in reducing a fever, but should only be done when the body temperature is dangerously high, 104-105 or greater. It is best to supplement this cooling with effective medicines like ibuprofen, aspirin (not for young children), or acetaminophen, these take longer to work, but their effect lasts longer.
Severely elevated body temperature can cause seizures and/or brain damage in children, if they have a fever that is greater than 104 degrees and does not respond to treatment should be addressed by a physician.
Why does the flu have a season?
It had been long held that this was most probably due to school children returning to schools and people being in closer proximity indoors in winter where they could pass all their germs around more easily. One of the most commonly cited studies used as a basis for this hypothesis was the "Seattle Virus Watch", done by John Fox, Carrie Hall, and friends. Another hypothesized explanation had been that our Vitamin D production is lower in winter due to less exposure of our skin to sunlight, and since Vitamin D improves the immune system's ability to fight off infections, our defenses were made weaker in winter with Vitamin D deficiency. Another commonly held belief was that in drier air our mucous tissues dry out and can crack making the viruses more easily introduced to the body. Some combination of all these factors may be at play.
However, the most recent studies have all seemed to point more to the different absolute humidity levels in winter compared to those in summer in the Northern Hemisphere. In February 2010 results were published of a study that used mathematical modeling of 31 years of data about the absolute humidity levels. That study, which was supported by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in association with Oregon State University, reproduced the same seasonal variations in incidence of flu as has been observed for centuries or longer (although over that time frame the reason for the variations had not been known).
Most scientists now agree that there is a correlation between the absolute humidity levels and the spread of the flu, which several more recent studies have suggested. The studies indicate that variation in the absolute humidity is a major cause of seasonal cycles of influenza.
This also helps explain why in some locations in the world the flu season is during the warmer times and not in fall and winter. It is more the effect of absolute humidity and not the temperature itself that makes that difference. In areas with the flu season in warmer months, the absolute humidity is lower then, making the dry conditions that influenza viruses prefer despite warm temperatures. In the US, the absolute humidity levels are lowest during the peak of the flu season in January and February, the colder season.
Flu viruses like it dry: they spread more easily when it is drier and also survive longer outside a host in those conditions. There is some speculation that significantly increasing the humidity in your home in winter could help prevent flu infections.
Absolute humidity is a measure of the total amount of water in the air (without factoring in the temperature). Relative humidity, which is the measurement that we usually get in weather reports, is based on a combination of temperature and moisture. In some areas of the US in summer there can be four times more water vapor in the air than on a winter day. It is believed that this impacts the seasonal variations since flu does not like more water vapor. The saturation level of water vapor in the air varies with the temperature. Warm air can "hold" the same amount of water vapor at 30% relative humidity as cold air has at 60% relative humidity.
Therefore, while it may not be totally proven as the sole cause of flu seasons, it is very likely that the variation in absolute humidity is a major impacting factor for why we have seasonal flu infections.
A flu epidemic is when a lot of people get the flu in a large area.
How can you save yourself from cold?
If you mean from the viral infection called the common cold, then proper and frequent hand washing can help you avoid contamination by cold viruses. See related questions for how to properly wash hands.
If you mean how to prevent a cold, see the related question about protecting yourself from infection.
If you mean how to treat a cold, see the related questions.
If you mean how can you survive exposure to cold weather temperatures, then warm clothing, shelter, food, and water would be a good starting point. Building a fire, huddling with others to keep each other warm (if extreme cold and life threatening exposure, it is best to put body to body with direct skin to skin contact under plenty of warm blankets or other cover) and getting to safety and out of the elements as soon as possible.
How are AIDS the flu and measles alike?
AIDS, the flu, and measles are all infectious diseases caused by either a virus (flu and measles) or a virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the case of AIDS. They can all be transmitted from person to person through various means such as respiratory droplets or blood contact. All three diseases can have serious health consequences if not properly treated.
What does talk radio host Michael Savage say about getting the flu shot?
Michael Savage says to never take it because it is a conspiracy of the evil US government to hoax their own people, and to inject us with unknown evil substances for their own evil purposes. Therefore, he is saying that everyone in the US Government and the doctors, nurses, and scientists who encourage flu vaccinations based on sound scientific study, are tyrants who are purposefully doping their own people, themselves, and their own families with injected evil substances for evil political reasons.
Does that sound like it could be a paranoid delusion to you, as it does to me? It is my opinion as an RN, after I have done years of research on the subject of influenza and flu vaccinations in scientific research and epidemiological world-wide sources, that this is irrational thinking by those who are not medically trained or scientifically educated and who already have irrational fear and suspicion of their own government and of various conspiracies. Only a small fringe of extremist far right conservative US citizens continue to spread this false information, that is also deadly harmful to infants, immune-deficient patients and the elderly.
Michael Savage is not a medical professional, or a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO) world scientist. Those who are medical professionals, infectious disease scientists, as well as the independent research from world wide sources that I have done, have proved that these do much more good than harm.
No medication is without risks, including Tylenol and Aspirin. However, it is well established, after millions upon millions of doses of the same vaccines given throughout the world over a period of decades, that the risk from the use of flu vaccines is lower than the risk of these two common over-the-counter drugs.
The decades of use of flu vaccines, which have been made the same way with the same ingredients over all those years, have shown very very few untoward reactions to the vaccines given the numbers of doses.
Please see for yourself the information about problems with flu vaccinations that has been studied over the past 30 years (at least), which was recorded from information given directly by individuals with reactions themselves, or by their medical professionals, at the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
(VAERS) website at the link provided below in the related links section. The incidence is so low that the safety and efficacy of the influenza vaccines has been proven over and over again.
Michael Savage was a fringe extremist conservative American radio talk show host. He is the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show that aired on Talk Radio Network across the United States. This is not your best source for accurate medical information. These shows rely on fear and making you fearful. Irrational fear mongers on TV and radio must create a convincing fearful situation to keep their ratings up and to keep people listening in fear. Providing sound medical advice is not a part of the plan.
While I agree that the US seems to be becoming a more savage nation, especially in light of all the recent gun violence, it is not the government that is becoming more savage, it is too many of the people, in my opinion, and much of that is driven by the fear that these talk show hosts and "news" media personalities generate with false information.
The facts are that more people die without the responsible use of flu vaccinations. Besides having your own protection and protection for your family, and community, your vaccination also protects those who have no choice and can not get a vaccination themselves. They depend on the rest of society getting their vaccinations for protection by reduction in the total numbers of infected people spreading the virus. This group of people, who can not get their own vaccinations, includes every baby under six months old. Pro-lifers must have a real dilemma when they listen to incorrect information like this, since not getting their own vaccinations puts every one of these infants in their vicinity at risk for death from a simple case of the flu. The same is true for the immuno-compromised and some elderly. The same group of people who can not take a vaccination themselves are also those who often succumb to ordinary infectious diseases and the flu and die. Your getting yours is their only protection. If you do not, then you are one more person who could expose them to what is, for them, a very deadly virus.
Please see the related questions below for more correct medical information.
Should you disinfect all of your child's legos after learning he has the flu virus?
After he has recovered from the virus he will never have it again, since he will become immune. But it could spread to you, the rest of your family, or other children.
Follow these guidelines from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and disinfect all surfaces, or objects that he will have touched:
* Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.
* Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
* Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
* Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid "hugging" laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.
* Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap. Read the label of the household disinfectant to be sure it specifies that it is effective against Influenza viruses, especially Type A Influenza.
How did Swine Flu come to Canada?
It began in Mexico and then spread northward through the US and on to Canada through infected people's travels.
How can you start tasting again when you have had a cold?
Just need to jumpstart your tastebuds. Try ingesting one spoonful of salt, but be sure to hold it on your tongue first for at least two minutes, then swallow.
Does Miley Cyrus have swan flu a or swan flu b?
Miley did not have swan flu..... She had the SWINE FLU~!!!!!! HOW COULD YOU GET THAT MIXED UP!!!!!!!
Are you immune to Influenza after you have had it?
You are not immune to Influenza. Even getting the yearly flu vaccine is no guarantee that a person won't get the flu. You can get the flu but it won't be as bad as it could be if you hadn't received the flu vaccine.
How can you get a 97 Ford Escort 1.8 Si to stop cutting out when the engine is cold?
a temperature sensor could be faulty...i have a 1994 legacy and i had the same problem...i replaced the temperature gage sensor and i have no more problems.
What might make a 1998 Dodge Stratus stop running no matter what speed?
The engine is locked up due to a failed oil pump. This isn't due to negligence, it's something that just happens. I know because it happened to mine '96 Stratus. You can buy a replacement engine for around $750. Any engine manufactured past April 14th of '96 until the end of 2000 will work for a 2.4L DOHC. I would recommend getting a 2000 model engine! I already had a new transmission at approximately 80k mi. and a head gasket at approx. 98k mi. on my car installed before the oil pump issue occurred at approx. 102k mi. After you get it fixed, wash it, sell it, & buy one of the following used Acura, Lexus, Toyota, Mazda which have high reliability. If you go with Nissan only the Maxima or Altima are very dependable. Also, you could get a Subaru Legacy or WRX if you can afford one. lets not leap to conclusions. This question is so vague since it doesnt describe what "stops running means" If you didnt have oil, like the previous person said, your engine would seize, youd overheat, probably hear a terrible noise and youd have to be towed to a repair shop. In that case, yea your engine is probably toast. But your question doesnt tell us anything. Is it a hypothetical question? I could list a million hypothetical answers. Ask thoughtful questions and you will get thoughtful answers.
How are malingerers different from people who invent symptoms for sympathy?
Patients who malinger clearly have something tangible to gain. People with factitious diseases appear to have a need to play the "sick" role. They may feign illness for attention or sympathy
What is the cause of a jerking transmission when it is cold on a 1997 Acura 3.0 CL?
Could be low on fluid Have fluid and filter changed - may be an inexpensive fix
Does the host cell usually benefit from having a virus?
The host cell does not benefit from having a virus. The virus usually kills it.
To get rid of a cold, you can try to "sweat it out" by covering up with a really warm blanket and take cough syrup, or have a cup of tea with honey in it (that also really helps with singing). You can also add some lemon juice to the tea (or even drink just plain water, lemon and honey). The lemon adds flavor and Vitamin C. Warm up with a blanket, as said above, and try to get many tons of rest!
Drink lots of fluids especially if you have a tight congested cough, it will help loosen it and replenish any lost liquids from sweating, etc. so you don't get dehydrated, either. Cough medicines with the active ingredient of guaifenesin will also help loosen the thick secretions so you can expectorate (cough up) phlegm. That is also the active ingredient in regular (non-decongestant) Mucinex.
You can also get your liquids from soothing soups, like chicken soup/chicken noodle soup, they will make your throat feel better and provide some humidity for your nose, like the hot drinks mentioned above. And chicken soup did show in some medical studies to be effective to help symptoms of the common cold, although how it helps isn't entirely known.
Saline nasal mist from the drug store is also helpful to clear your nasal passages and will also soothe them. Mild salt water solution can be used to gargle for a sore throat. Colds usually don't have high fever, but if it does go to 103 F, you may want to try some OTC NSAIDS (over the counter ibuprofen, and other fever reducing medicine) to keep your temp from going too high.
The common cold usually lasts 7 to 10 days, so you may have to get over it with time. Stay home to rest and to avoid spreading it to others. See the related question below on how to wash your hands to remove germs, maybe you can prevent getting a cold by washing your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
[Now for the flu, the best thing to do is try not to get it. Prevention is the best medicine, get a flu vaccination before you get the flu.]
What is the pathophysiology of influenza ah1n1?
Influenza A(H1N1) virus infects the respiratory tract, leading to inflammation and damage of respiratory epithelial cells. This triggers an immune response resulting in symptoms like fever, cough, and body aches. Severe cases can progress to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
