0
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
YES. The 1918 flu pandemic killed over 20 million people worldwide.
How do you stop a horses cough?
How to stop a cough depends on what is causing it. Coughs can be due to respiratory infections, allergies or simple inhaled irritants. You need to determine the cause to determine the cure.
Can you get a flu shot if you have strep throat?
If you have a fever, no. If no fever, then contact your doctor treating the strep to be sure your body is ready for another immune response to a virus so soon after, or while still, fighting the bacterial infection.
Is it safe for a pregnant woman to get the H1N1 flu shot?
Yes, definitely. It is recommended for pregnant women.
In the US:
The following excerpts from a September 3, 2009 guidance document from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are about 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnant Women:
Influenza vaccines have not been shown to cause harm to a pregnant woman or her baby. The seasonal flu shot (injection) is proven as safe and already recommended for pregnant women. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine will be made using the same processes and facilities that are used to make seasonal influenza vaccines.
It is important for a pregnant woman to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine as well as a seasonal influenza vaccine. A pregnant woman who gets any type of flu is at risk for serious complications and hospitalization. Pregnant women who are otherwise healthy have been severely impacted by the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (formerly called "novel H1N1 flu" or "swine flu"). In comparison to the general population, a greater proportion of pregnant women infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus have been hospitalized. In addition, severe illness and death has occurred in pregnant women. Six percent of confirmed fatal 2009 H1N1 flu cases thus far have been in pregnant women while only about 1% of the general population is pregnant. While hand washing, staying away from ill people, and other steps can help to protect pregnant women from influenza, vaccination is the single best way to protect against the flu.
There are two types of flu vaccine. Pregnant women should get the "flu shot"- an inactivated vaccine (containing fragments of killed influenza virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in pregnant women. The other type of flu vaccine - nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes called LAIV for "live attenuated influenza vaccine)-is not currently approved for use in pregnant women. This vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu). LAIV (FluMist®) is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant. In addition to protecting her from infection, infants less than 6 months old will not be able to be vaccinated so it is recommended that everyone who lives with or provides care for infants less than 6 months of age receive both the seasonal influenza vaccine and 2009 H1N1 influenza monovalent vaccine to provide protection for the infant.
One recent study conducted in Bangladesh, assessed the effectiveness of influenza immunization for mothers and their young infants. Inactivated influenza vaccine reduced proven influenza illness by 63% in infants up to 6 months of age. This study confirmed that maternal influenza immunization is a strategy with substantial benefits for both mothers and infants. There is no evidence that thimerosal (used as a preservative in vaccine packaged in multi-dose vials) is harmful to a pregnant woman or a fetus. However, because some women are concerned about exposure to preservatives during pregnancy, manufacturers will produce preservative-free seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines in single dose syringes for pregnant women and small children. CDC recommends that pregnant women may receive influenza vaccine with or without thimerosal.
People for whom the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is recommended should receive it, even if they have had an influenza-like illness previously, unless they can be certain they had 2009 H1N1 influenza based on a laboratory test that can specifically detect 2009 H1N1 viruses. CDC recommends that persons who were tested for 2009 H1N1 influenza discuss this issue with a healthcare provider to see if the test they had was either an RT-PCR or a viral culture that showed 2009 H1N1 influenza. There is no harm in being vaccinated if you had 2009 H1N1 influenza in the past. Pregnant women are encouraged to get vaccinated against the seasonal strains of influenza in addition to the A-H1N1/09 vaccine. The two kinds of vaccine (seasonal flu and "Swine Flu") must both be taken for complete protection from both kinds of flu in the 2009-2010 flu season.
Always check with your obstetrician before taking any medications in pregnancy. Your doctor may also be planning on administering the vaccines to patients.
Note about H1N1 vaccines approved for use in the UK:
These vaccines are slightly different from the vaccines approved for use in the US for A-H1N1/09, but are still recommended by the NHS for pregnant women. The difference is mostly that they contain adjuvants in the UK. See the related question below about swine flu shot ingredients.
Can a pharmacist give a flu shot?
In the US, in most states nursing students must work under the direct supervision of an RN in their clinical practice during training. RN's must work under the supervision of a physician. If the nursing student is operating solely on his/her own and has no licensed person supervising them, then they can not administer medications, especially injections or prescription medications to the public. Working in a facility or for a company giving flu shots to the public at health fairs, etc., might allow a student to provide this work in those settings only, but the hiring authority would determine if you could with your qualifications in that state, and they would be responsible for who would be supervising you during your work. But the facility or company would be billing for the medication and for the administration and you would work for them probably for hourly pay. Ask your nursing instructors, who will likely know the regulations that are applicable in your state, or know how to find the information.
How to shorten the duration of a cold?
There is an old joke that if you treat a cold, you'll get over it in seven days; otherwise, it takes a week.
That is only partially a joke. It takes the body about three to four days to build up antibodies, and then another three or four to recover. After that, there will probably be a period where irritation (especially in the lungs) remains after the virus has been killed.
The best treatment for a cold is rest, plenty of liquids, nutritious food, and an analgesic to relieve discomfort and fever. Decongestants can be of help as well.
During cold season we often acquire more than one cold at a time, which can lead to overlapping symptoms that last much longer than a week. A given cold, however, should improve noticeably by the eighth day.
Interesting factoids: We never catch the same cold twice. Once we have immunity, it is for many years. That is why older people catch fewer colds -- they are immune to more of them already. Also (and this is important), antibiotics do nothing to help a cold. Colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics do not kill viruses. Taking them unnecessarily is what leads to the development of bacteria that are immune to antibiotics.
Is there any harm in receiving two full dose flu vaccines in one year?
No, but if you get swine flu and regular flu shot, it will be harder to get the flu.
What does it mean if you have a sore throat with blood in it when you cough?
There are too many diagnoses that can cause those symptoms to guess which may be causing these. It will take an examination and maybe some diagnostic tests to know for sure. It can be a serious sign when there is blood from a cough, so don't hesitate to have an examination to find out.
Why do doctors want more kids to get the flu vaccine?
Because when you get a certain type of flu shot i helps your body recognize it in a small dose so your antibodies are able to fight off the virus thus leaving your immune system strong against that certain type of flu, but if you don't get flu shots you risk your immune system to weaken and your white blood cell count lowers in which case you get sick and depending on the virus you can also die.
Very sore throat and a small red bump in the back of your throat what could it be?
the bump could be caused by infection or friction from lack of bile. This is associated with cold/flu like symptoms as the cilia hair is restricted, letting bacteria into the throat and causing a rash or bump.
How does exposing different body parts to cold effect your heart rate?
by exposing the body parts to the cold, you activate peripheral thermoreceptors (which are just little groups of cells in the skin and near the abdominal vessels and viscera that can detect temperature changes). These communicate with the anterior preoptic area of the hypothalamus which then communicated with the posterior hypothalamus. This, then bring about changes in the body to combat the temperature change. Now, exposing to cold will cause a change in blood flow; because one of the main mechanisms of losing heat is through the skin (conduction/convection/radiation into the air). THerefore, the brain will redirect blood away from the skin, and cause the vessels in the skin to constrict, reducing blood flow. WHen you reduce the peripheral blood flow, you increase central blood flow and this causes an increase in central blood pressure. The blood pressure receptors then come in action and detect high BP and respond by decreasing the heart rate in attempting to lowe blood pressure.
What would you take for a flu with high fever?
Soak garlic cloves in twice as much cider vinegar overnight. Then have a tablespoon in warm water three times a day. Don't drink it neat. Garlic is anti-viral, cider vinegar draws out these qualities from the garlic.
How much flem do you cough up to when a person has emphysema?
A person with emphysema would cough up to about 2 cups of phlegm per day. That would mean in 8 days, they would cough up a gallon of phlegm. Drink up!
What are the flu symptoms like in a dog?
Canine influenza has many of the same symptoms in dogs as influenza does in humans: sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, a cough, muscle and joint aches (usually seen as a decrease in energy and more laying around/sleeping), and a fever.
Also like in humans, the vast majority of dogs will recover on their own given a warm place to sleep and good quality food and water.
How can you enhance cold and flu symptoms and make them worse?
Well, obviously freezing your booty off isn't going to help you feel better. :o) Not taking medicine isn't either. Nor is not wearing enough clothing to keep yourself warm.
Which best describes the common cold spreads in the human body?
Viruses replicate inside respiratory cells
When will you contract swine flu once exposed?
Influenza generally has an incubation of 24 - 72 hours after exposure. Expect symptoms to present within that time frame.
Slow-motion graphics showed how droplets pass through the air.
The mild symptoms are treated like other types of influenza with over-the-counter drugs. Mild symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. More severe cases involve severe pneumonia requiring hospital care.
Preliminary studies indicate that it is susceptible to the neuraminidase inhibitor anti-viral medications (Oseltamivir, aka Tamiflu, and Zanamivir,
aka Relenza). But the investigation is still in the very early stages in early April 2013.
There is no vaccine to prevent the viral infection but the Chinese Government, World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are all working to isolate a candidate virus strain to use to grow and develop a vaccine if one is needed.
Are chicken eggs carrying the Swine Flu?
Birds can catch H1N1/09 swine flu. However, if you mean can you get swine flu from eating chicken, then the answer is no. Normal cooking temperatures deactivate virus particles and they can not infect you after reaching those temperatures.
Can you catch a cold due to weather?
No. Drastic changes in weather conditions can wreak havoc on one's immune system only if the exposure causes hypothermia (by the medical definition of severely reduced core body temperature), not just feeling cold.
You catch a cold by being exposed to someone who already has a cold and sneezes or coughs near you, or shakes your hand, or from your touching them or objects they have touched, or any method of transferring the viruses from their body to yours. See the related question below about how colds are spread.
What are the complications of influenza?
Respiratory failure, which is often due to secondary pneumonia caused by either viral or bacterial pathogens. This condition usually requires invasive mechanical ventilation (a "vent") for them to continue to breathe.
What does the 1 represent in H1N1?
It's the initials of two sugar proteins (their scientific names are hemagglutinin and neuramidinase) that sit on the surface of the virus and do its dirty work. There are 16 types of the H protein, numbered H1 through H16, and 9 types of the N protein, numbered N1 through N9. That makes 144 possible combinations of the virus, a constantly changing challenge for prevention or treatment. A new combination, H2N2, cause a brief swine flu epidemic in 1957. An H3N2 strain was the source of another epidemic in 1968. The bird flu virus that began in Southeast Asia a decade ago and has spread throughout the Old World is an H5N1 combination.
