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

By Knut Holt


THE CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND COMPLICATIONS OF INFLUENZA

Like cold, influenza is caused by virus strains that mutate frequently, but there tend to be one main virus strain each year that spread throughout the globe.

The transmission of the disease occurs by secretions from sick persons. These secretions can be carried as drops through the air, contaminate surfaces people touch, or get into the food. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus has entered the body.

Flu often begins as a diffuse lack of wellness that persists for some hours, and sometimes for a couple of days. Sometimes the flu does not progress past this stage. However, after some time the symptoms often suddenly get worse with a great degree of general discomfort. By flu the symptoms from the windpipe are the same as by common cold, but they are weaker:
- The throat or nose feels sore, but usually mildly.
- There can be some increased secretions from the nose and throat.
- There will be swelling in the nose and throat.
- Cough and sneezing are symptoms.

Symptoms from the rest of the body are the strongest by flu. The symptoms can be distributed throughout the whole body:

- Flu often gives high fever. High fever is the most important symptom to separate influenza from common cold.
- In spite of the fever, there is often a feeling of coldness in some parts of the body or of general coldness.
- There will be nausea, often severe, and often vomiting. Severe nausea and vomiting are also good indications of influenza, especially by children and teens.
- There is often a marked feeling of tiredness and general weakness.
- Mild to severe headache is common.
- Stomach ache and digestive disturbances often occur by flu.
- Aching around in the body, for example in muscles and around joints is common.
- Some persons experience a little neck stiffness and pain in the neck when trying to flex it, but this symptom must not be great. If these symptoms are distinct, the disease can be meningitis.
- The eyes can be read and irritated.
- Also skin redness can occur.

Having flu decreases the resistance against other viral and bacterial diseases substantially, especially if one does not get enough rest and comfort when having flu. Lung infection and throat infection by bacteria are common complications by flu.