With an increasing number of patients with flu and cold symptoms—or full-blown cases of respiratory illness—at this time of the year, Priya Sadhu, family medicine physician at SSM St. Joseph Health Center-Wentzville, believes it is important for the public to be annually reminded about prevention and rest.
“A lot of people don’t know the basics about cold and flu prevention,” Sadhu explains. “And I see a lot of patients who are battling the cold or the flu, but they’re not really sure what to do about it…This is a big topic, especially this time of year.”
When it comes to prevention, Sadhu recommends avoiding contagious people if possible, getting regular exercise, and washing hands several times a day. “People don’t remember to wash their hands often enough,” she says. “People tend to get busy during the day, but germs are present in many common areas like door knobs, keyboards, kitchens, etc.”
“Also, people don’t properly cover their mouths when they cough. You should cough into your elbow by bringing your arm into your face. If you do that, you’re not carrying germs on your hands.”
It’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between a cold and the flu. Sadhu said basic cold symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, sinus pressure, a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, a cough, and congestion.
Along with the aforementioned items, people stricken with the flu “generally have higher temperatures like 102 or 103 degrees, severe body ache, and general fatigue,” Sadhu says. “It’s a stronger version of a cold.”
And if you’re afflicted with a cold or flu, Sadhu recommends her patients aim for at least eight hours of sleep and drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
“It’s also important to eat a healthy diet to boost your immune system,” Sadhu explains. “If you’re a smoker, you’re more susceptible to the cold so you should consider quitting or at least scaling back.”
Additionally, Sadhu advises those with influenza to contact their regular physician or go to the emergency room. “Generally, to treat with proper medication, we like to see patients one to two days once symptoms are in place. If they don’t show up until three or four days afterwards, the anti-viral treatments don’t work as well. There’s no point in prescribing at that point.”
And with over-the-counter medications, Sadhu advises sick patients to take medication that addresses the primary problem afflicting them. “One medication doesn’t fix everything; it offers temporary relief to one area. And remember that all medications essentially work the same.”
Cold and Flu Resources:
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/11-tips-prevent-cold-flu
