Colds and Flu

How can you tell if you have a cold?

If you have a cold, it may start with sneezing and a scratchy throat, watery eyes, and runny nose which may later cause postnasal drainage, sinus pressure, and/or a cough. Another type of cold (tracheitis) starts with a deep sore throat and hoarseness with a dry cough, usually increasing at night. Neither of these cause much of a fever (if any) and will be over in a week or two, the first 3-5 days being the most severe. In the case of tracheitis,the cough many continue after illness is gone. Antibiotics and antiviral agents do not help for cold viruses.

How can you tell if you have the flu?

The “flu” (influenza) has symptoms similar to a cold, but you usually feel much worse. The symptoms are mostly the respiratory ones mentioned above, although once in a while, there is nausea and vomiting. The thing that distinguishes flu from colds is the fever (often as high as 103), the body aches, and a painful cough, sometimes heralded by a burning feeling in the chest. It may hurt to move your eyes. You will probably feel weak and very tired and want to stay in bed. The flu tends to last longer too, the cough lingering in many cases. If you have flu, come in as soon as possible because an antiviral prescription called “Tamiflu” can be given if you are seen for flu in the first 48 hours of the symptoms (the time you least want to get out of bed!) which may help shorten the course of the flu and cut the severity of symptoms.

Prevention Guidelines

Get a flu shot each November through March (available at Student Health).

Stay at home when you are sick. If you have a fever (buy a thermometer if you don’t already have one), stay home until your temperature has been below 100 for 24 consecutive hours.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Coughs and sneezes produce aerosol particles which can transmit disease.

Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not into your hand. Hands are the major carriers of disease organisms.

Clean your hands often. Use a portable hand cleaner like Purell often, especially after shaking hands with others or touching common computers, desks, doorknobs, etc.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. These tissues, unlike most skin, allow viruses to gain entry to your body which then invade your cells and reproduce, causing illness.

Eat three nutritious meals a day and increase your fluids. Alcohol lowers the body’s immune system.

Get plenty of sleep. Most students need 8-10 hours of sleep.

A variety of OTC products are available.

If you need a practitioner to diagnose a flu or strep throat or a complication of a cold such as bronchitis or sinusitis or an ear infection, call 893-3371 or make an appointment through the UCSB website.