Flu Season Essentials: Flu Treatment and Common Cold Prevention

Flu season refers to a period of the year when flu is more prevalent and tends to infect a larger number of people. Flu season typically occurs during the fall and winter months, starting around October and lasting through May, with peak flu cases between December and February. Like the flu, the common cold is another common respiratory condition more likely to occur during colder months.

Flu and the common cold can make your life miserable. But thankfully, there are several things that you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Let’s discuss the difference between the flu and the common cold, flu treatments, tips to prevent the common cold, and where you can go for the treatment of flu and the common cold in Colorado Springs.

Flu vs.Common Cold

Flu, otherwise known as influenza, and common cold can be tricky to tell apart as both are respiratory conditions caused by viruses and share many symptoms. The common cold symptoms tend to be milder and improve within one week to 10 days, while people with flu recover in less than two weeks.

The major difference between the flu and the common cold is that flu symptoms include fever and chills, while the common cold rarely results in fever. Moreover, flu symptoms are more likely to result in life-threatening complications than common cold symptoms.

Flu Treatments

While there is no cure for influenza, certain treatments can reduce the severity of patient’s symptoms and improve their quality of life, including::

Rest is crucial to treating the flu because it allows your body to focus its energy to fight off the influenza virus.
Drink plenty of water and other fluids to thin the mucus and reduce congestion.
Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen can significantly help improve flu symptoms, such as body aches.

Prescription medications like antivirals are prescribed if the patient:

Have had symptoms for under 2 days.
Have underlying health conditions or are at risk for developing one.
Have severe flu symptoms.
Live with people who have weaker immune systems and are at higher risk for developing flu complications.

Antiviral medications for flu include oseltamivir, zanamivir, peramivir, and baloxavir.

Common Cold Prevention

Like the influenza virus, the common cold also has no cure; however, there are several steps that you can take to prevent catching the common cold virus, Including.

Frequently Wash Your Hands. This is especially necessary before eating or preparing food and after using the bathroom. You must also develop a habit of washing your hands after wiping your nose and coming into contact with a person who has common cold symptoms.
Avoid Touching Your Eyes, Nose and Mouth. Viruses spread through mucusmembranes;therefore, avoid touching your face to prevent the spread of common cold viruses. If you have symptoms of a common cold, such as coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth with a tissue or the inside of your elbow while coughing or sneezing.
Avoid Close Contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick with a common cold. If you are having the symptoms of a common cold, try to keep your distance from others to prevent the spreading of the common cold virus.
Strengthen Your Immune System.People with weaker immune systems are more likely to catch viral infections like the common cold and flu. Therefore, in a flu season, strengthen your immune system by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy and balanced diet, and exercising regularly.
Disinfect Surfaces. Regularly clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces like light switches, doorknobs, and counter tops, especially when one of the family members is sick with a common cold. This will help prevent the spread of viruses to others.