By Shanna Duablon
Been sniffling and sneezing lately?
It could be a cold or the flu. But what’s the difference?
For a cold, a viral infection, the symptoms usually include a sore throat, sneezing, a runny nose, mild fever and headache, stuffy ears and sinus pressure that last seven to 14 days. Influenza is a viral infection that causes high fever, headache, muscle aches and cough, usually without the runny nose and nasal congestion that characterizes a cold. And the flu usually hits hard and fast.
Tips for prevention include getting the flu vaccine. It is available at the Student Health Center for $15 (call ext. 4316, then press 4 for an appointment).
Tips for treating these illnesses include getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of clear fluids, taking Tylenol or Advil to reduce pain and fever, taking a cool sponge bath and avoiding smoke. For coughs try warm steam or an over-the-counter cough suppressant. For nasal congestion try stream from hot beverages and soups, take a hot shower and try camphor/menthol rubs.
Don’t forget to wash your hands often, as germs are easily spread by hand contact.
Some keys to prevention include eating healthy food, exercising, drinking enough water and getting plenty of rest. When you are out of balance in these areas the body is more susceptible to catching things that are floating around. When you feel the first signs of illness coming on, pull back activity and do all those things your mother would tell you to do.
So when should you see a health care professional?
If you have the following symptoms, please seek help. Symptoms for the flu include shaking chills, high fever that last more than two to three days, severe headache, dark urine, severe muscle pain or tenderness and wheezing or other difficulty breathing beyond a typical cough or stuffiness.
For a cold, a temperature over 101 degrees for more than 48 hours, cough associated with pain in the chest, shortness of breath, persistent sore throat and extremely red throat, no improvement within seven days, severe headache and worsening in pain in the ears are all symptoms.
Please call the Student Health Center for any questions at ext. 4316 or call PEP RN on call at (800) 413-0848.
—Sniffling and sneezing? E-mail Shanna Dusablon at shanna.dusablon@pepperdine.edu
October 24, 2002