About Common Cold and Influenza - What is the Difference (III)

By Knut Holt

THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF INFLUENZA

As with common cold staying away from people being sick and a strict washing regime may also prevent the transmission of the influenza virus, but such a regime is difficult to carry through.

It is often possible to prevent flu with vaccination. However there are many strains of the flu viruses, and therefore the vaccination must be given exactly against that strain being epidemic at any given time.

By flu it is important to reduce the activity level and keep oneself warm and comfortable until all the symptoms have resided. By severe symptoms, rest in bed is recommended. Straining and stressing during a flu episode easily result in an aggravated disease and additional bacterial or viral infections.

It is advised to stay away from tobacco when having flu.

Aspirin or paracetamol can be used to relieve the pain and bring down the fever. As by cold, paracetamol is commonly recommended, especially for children and teens. The drugs should not be taken in higher doses than recommended and even recommended does shall be used with caution, and not too long.

There exist modern drugs that help against the proliferation of some strains of influenza virus in the body, and thereby alleviate the disease and shorten the time it takes to get rid of the disease. The two classes of anti-virals are neuraminidase inhibitors and M2 inhibitors (adamantane derivatives). Neuraminidase inhibitors are most often preferred, for example the drug Tamiflu. These inhibit the action of the enzyme neuramidase that the virus uses. There is a reluctance to use these drugs because strains of virus not susceptible to the drug can develop, and the stores of the drug can easily get short with extensive use.

Drugs to decrease swelling, inhibit mucus production, loosen mucus and suppress cough can also be used by influenza as by common cold.

The same natural supplements used to improve the immune system against colds may also be of help to prevent flu and to help the body to overcome the disease faster, like supplements with Echinacea and vitamin c. Some herbs in the genus Scutellaria (skullcaps) contain a natural neuramidase inhibitor and may also help against flu. Scullcap is often prepared as tea.

DISTINGUISH COLD AND FLU FROM MENINGITIS

Meningitis is a serious disease that requires immediate treatment. Meningitis may begin with the same symptoms as cold and flu. There are however two symptoms that strongly suggest meningitis:

By meningitis there is often severe neck stiffness. If bending down the neck is very difficult and causes severe pain, the condition may be meningitis.

The other symptom is red spots in the skin that do not get pale when pressing at them. These spots can occur anywhere on the body.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKING A PERSON HAVING COLD OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS

When some person, and especially a child, gets sick with cold or flu-like symptoms it is necessary to measure the temperature, check for neck stiffness and to look at the whole body to detect any red spots. These checks should be done several times each 24 hours. In this way one more easily distinguishes between common cold and flu, and meningitis is more easily discovered in time.

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