Cold and Flu

By Garry Kim, M.D.

Cold and Flu Facts

• The common cold is the most frequent illness in United States.
• On average, adults are expected to come down with a cold two to three times per year.
• Colds and flu are caused many different viruses that invade the respiratory tract.
• Although colds and flu occur most commonly during the winter, they can occur year round.
• You cannot catch a cold from being exposed to cold air. The virus is passed on from person to person through respiratory or nasal secretions. So if you're sick with a cold, cough into a tissue and wash your hands after blowing your nose.
• A cold can be passed back to you, even after you've gotten better.

Symptoms

Common symptoms can include any one or a combination of the following:

• Sore throat
• Headaches
• Cough
• Ear pressure and pain
• Runny, stuffy nose
• Fevers and chills
• Body aches and fatigue
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite

Symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to 2-3 weeks. A Cold and the flu have similar symptoms, but flu symptoms tend to be more severe. It is more common to experience fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, fatigue and fever with the flu.

What about Allergies?

Allergies are often mistaken for colds because both conditions have many symptoms in common. These include cough, runny and congested nose, headaches and sore throat. In addition, allergy season, which is predominantly in the fall and spring, typically overlaps the cold and flu season.

Flu shot

The flu vaccine may help prevent the flu. The vaccine is administered each year during early fall through winter. However, the vaccine will not prevent all cases of flu. Each year a different strain of the Influenza (Flu) virus affects Americans. The manufacturers of the vaccine try their best to predict the strain of the virus by looking at the strains from previous years and the various strains that are affecting other regions of the world. The vaccine is thus able to protect about 50-80% of those who have received the shot.

Antibiotics

Viruses, not bacteria, cause colds and flu. Unfortunately antibiotics have no effect on viruses and should not routinely be used to treat a cold or flu.

Medications

There are many medications available to relieve cold and flu symptoms. However, only time and your immune system will bring a cure. It helps to drink plenty of fluids and rest as much as you can. Also, if you smoke, it's best to stop at least while you are sick, if not all together.

Below is a list of over-the-counter medications that can be used to treat some of your symptoms:

Cough and chest congestion

• Dextromethorphan and Guaifenesin (Robitussin®)

Sore throat

• Chloraseptic®, Sucrets®, Cepacol®

Runny, congested (stuffy) nose

• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®)

Headaches and fevers

• Acetominophen (Tylenol®)
• Ibuprofen (Motrin®/Advil®)
• Aspirin
• Naproxen (Alleve®)

In addition there are a number of medications that combine several of the above ingredients to treat a combination of symptoms:

Fevers, aches, cough and congestion

• Sudafed® Severe Cold
• Tylenol® Cold
• Theraflu®

Fevers, aches and congestion

• Advil® Cold & Sinus
• Advil® Flu & Body ache
• Alka Seltzer® Cold

Vitamins and Herbs

Many patients have questions about the use of "natural" products to treat colds and flu. This includes the use of products such as Vitamin C, Echinacea, and Zinc.

Unfortunately, the evidence has not been overwhelming. Many of the studies showing benefit from these products have been refuted in follow-up trials. In addition, many of the studies, which showed benefit, were poorly designed, so the results were questionable.

So, it does not appear that the use of Zinc, Echinacea or Vitamin C provide any significant benefit in improving the symptoms of or reducing the occurrence of colds and flu.