T’is the season to sneeze and cough.  Cold and influenza are common at this time of year, but you can take action to prevent or treat them.

Common cold symptoms include:

• runny nose;
• congestion sneezing;
• weakened senses of taste and smell;
• a cough.

A slight fever can also develop, especially in young children.

Symptom Relief

• Over-the-counter medications can provide temporary relief of symptoms
• Drink plenty of fluids (8 glasses/day of water and/or juice recommended)
• Avoid drinks that contain caffeine (tea, coffee, cola) and alcohol
• Use tissues
• Wash your hands frequently to reduce the spread of your cold germs to others
• Stay away from those with colds

Prevention

• Avoid close contact with people who have a cold
• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly
• Keep your fingers away from your nose and your eyes

If your cold doesn’t get better within a week, talk to your doctor.

Influenza (flu)

The flu is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the influenza virus. There are three types of influenza virus: A, B, and C.

Flu Symptoms include:

• high temperature
• cough
• muscle ache
• sore throat
• chills
• fatigue.

Most people recover from the flu within one or two weeks, but others, especially the elderly, may feel weak for a long time after other symptoms go away.

Treatment

There are effective treatments that can reduce the duration of the flu and improve your quality of life. See your doctor within two days of when flu symptoms appear to find out if these and other treatments are right for you.

Prevention

The best tool for preventing the flu is the flu vaccine, and the best time to get a flu vaccine is from early October to mid-November. You need a flu vaccine every year because new vaccines are developed annually to protect against new strains.  Talk to your family doctor for more information.