COMMON COLD & FLU
Nosey Blues

By RAJGOPAL NIDAMBOOR

A sneeze and common cold -- they are as common as dust is in the tropics.

One of the most common of illnesses, the common cold, or coryza, is a viral infection that affects the lining of the nose, sinuses, throat, and the airways. There are dozens of viruses that cause colds -- the most common being rhinoviruses. Over 200 types of rhinoviruses are implicated in spurting a cold invasion.

The nosey distress is more frequent in spring and fall -- some viruses cause colds during other seasons, or times of the year. Also, when a person’s hands come in contact with the nasal secretions of an infected person, a cold is spread. When one touches one’s mouth, nose, or eyes, the viruses also gain entry into the body and generate a new cold.

Colds are not so often spread when a person breathes air that contains droplets coughed, or sneezed, by a person affected by cold.

In actual terms, a cold is most transmittable in the first 1-2 days after symptoms develop.

Getting chilled does not increase a person’s “propensity” to a cold infection, or the risk of catching a cold. Besides, general health and/or eating habits do not affect one’s vulnerability to infection. This also holds good in cases where there is an abnormality of the nose or throat -- viz., enlarged tonsils and adenoid growth or vegetation.

Immunity following a bout of cold is very short; also, the severity varies widely. Besides, colds are common in small children; the frequency decreases with age. It is, however, not uncommon for adults to have anywhere between one and six colds a year. Whatever its intensity, a cold is often disabling for the individual. Besides, it is quite a bane in terms of its sheer economic magnitude, not just at the workplace, but also in terms of productivity.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

While symptoms begin 1-3 days after infection, the first sign of cold is a feeling of uneasiness, or scratchy feeling, in the nose or throat… As the affected person embarks on a sneezing voyage, you not only have symptoms of a running nose, but also mild feverishness. Fever is uncommon in a typical cold infection; however, it is not uncommon to have a mild fever at the beginning of the illness. Typical manifestations of a cold, when it really hits one hard, include:

• Clear, or watery, secretions -- these discharges can be frustratingly abundant.
• Secretions become thick, dense, yellowish-green, and less profuse.
• May be accompanied by cough in some individuals.
• Symptoms usually disappear in 4-8 days, while the cough may, sometimes, extend for a fortnight, or more.

Colds may be protracted in some cases -- and, this is where you have the possibility of a complication. A prolonged cold infection can often produce asthmatic attacks in people with asthma.

Common cold, in some individuals, can lead to bacterial infection of the middle ear -- otitis media -- or, sinusitis. The problems develop because the jamming in the nose obstructs the drainage system. This, in turn, allows bacteria to grow within the blocked discharges. Also, bacterial infection of the lower airways may cause bronchitis [inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes], or pneumonia [inflammation of the lung cells], in certain individuals.

While a cold infection is quite easily diagnosed, a state of high fever, severe headache, rash, difficulty in breathing, or chest pain would suggest the advent of an infection -- not just common cold. Your physician/therapist may recommend blood tests and X-ray if a complication from cold is suspected.

Prevention

The best preventative measure is first-class cleanliness. Because cold viruses are spread through contact with an infected person, anyone living in close proximity, or working closely in an office set up, should wash their hands frequently. Cold sufferers should always sneeze and cough into tissue, or hanky, which should then be carefully disposed of, or washed. It’d be better for the infected person to isolate oneself in a separate room. People who are sneezing and coughing from a cold infection should avoid going to work -- because they may, quite easily, infect others. It is also recommended that shared objects and surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly; this can help reduce the spread of common cold viruses.

Although an effective vaccine against common cold has not been developed yet, because there are a host of viruses implicated in the disorder -- the problem is worse compounded by the fact that each virus modifies itself… over a period of time.

Treatment

It is ideal for one affected by cold to stay warm and comfy; this serves a dual purpose. It will not only help avoid spread the infection to others, it will also overcome the loss of man hours at the workplace. For those who run a fever, or have severe symptoms, it would make sense to take rest at home -- a forced holiday, as it were.

The good old idea of drinking fluids and inhaling steam, or mist, from a vaporiser are useful -- they keep secretions loose and easier to expel. It may, however, be remembered that many of the anti-viral drugs, in use for other ailments, are not quite effective against cold. Antibiotics do not help treat a cold; they may only be used when the nose or cough produces coloured, or stringy, mucous.

Several popular over-the-counter [OTC] medications are often used to keep a cold at bay, or help reduce its intensity. Their value is limited -- although they alleviate symptoms to an extent. Besides, one can also apply a range of drugs to relieve cold symptoms: nasal drops, or decongestants, to help clear nasal passages, anti-histamines to help dry a running nose, and cough syrups to alleviate the cough symptoms.

Some of the anti-histamines can cause drowsiness; they may also not be very safe for use in old people. While aspirin may not be useful in colds, it should be emphasised that the drug should not be used in children. Aspirin can lead to an amplified risk of Reye’s syndrome -- a syndrome that develops after an acute febrile illness, usually influenza or varicella [chicken-pox] infection. The syndrome is characterised by recurrent vomiting beginning within a week after onset of the infection, and from which the child either recovers within a day or two, or lapses into a coma with intracranial high blood pressure. Death may result from oedema of the brain and cerebral protrusion.

Traditionalists suggest that echinacea, zinc preparations, and vitamin C are useful therapies for cold. Large research studies have confirmed their efficiency, or effectiveness, to reduce the duration of a cold. Yes, the fact remains that echinacea and high-dose vitamin C -- up to 2,000 mg per day -- have been found to thwart colds. Some clinicians recommend the use of interferon [an anti-viral medication]. The substance is said to reduce the possibility of acquiring a rhinovirus cold. The only drawback -- studies testify that interferon causes irritation and bleeding of the nose. In addition, it does not seem to act on some cold viruses.

Flu Or Influenza

Influenza [flu] is caused by one of the influenza viruses. The virus is spread by inhaling droplets that have been coughed, or sneezed out, by an infected person, or by having direct contact with an infected person’s secretions. In addition, handling household articles that have been in contact with an infected person, or secretions, may occasionally spread the infection. However this may be, influenza is quite different from common cold. It is caused by a distinctly different virus, and produces symptoms that are often relentless. It also affects cells much deeper down in the respiratory tract, quite unlike the cold virus.

Influenza is an infection of the lungs and the air passages. The general symptoms of the disorder are --

• Fever.
• Running nose.
• Sore throat.
• Cough.
• Headache, muscular aches, and a general feeling of lethargy.

Type A, B, and C, are the three types of influenza virus; there are many different strains of them. While the illnesses produced by the different types and strains are similar, the strain of influenza virus causing outbreaks is always changing. This explains why for every year a given strain takes precedence, just as much as the influenza virus is a little different from the preceding year. It is, therefore, apparent that this makes it difficult for previously effective vaccines to work with the same amount of potency. All the same, protection against influenza is quite well provided for by current vaccine preparations prepared from two of the most prevalent strains -- influenza A and B.

Widespread outbreaks of influenza, every year, which occur during late fall or early winter, are as common as mugging on the back lanes of Brooklyn. Influenza occurs in epidemics -- during which many people get sick, at once. While one strain of the influenza virus is responsible for the disorder, it is a practice to name such strains after the first location of its origin -- e.g., Asian, or Russian.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Influenza symptoms may ensue 24-48 hours after infection. It can also begin suddenly. The symptoms may be accompanied by chills or a cold feeling, which is often the first indication of the disorder. During the first few days, fever happens to be the primary symptom; the temperature may rise to 1020F-1030F. It is also possible for many influenza patients to feel sufficiently ill to remain in bed for days, mainly due to aches and pains throughout the body. The aches may often be most pronounced in the back and lower limbs. Headache is often severe; the eyeball may also be painful, or there may be aching around and behind the eyes. This may be accompanied by photophobia -- where any source of light may aggravate the ache in the head.

To begin with, the respiratory symptoms may be somewhat mild, with a rough sore throat, a burning sensation in the chest, a dry cough, and running nose. Before long, the cough may become severe and lead to expulsion of sputum. The skin may sometimes be warm; the face may be flushed. While the mouth and throat may “go red,” the eyes may be filled with tears, and bear a crimson presentation. Children affected by the disorder may also have queasiness and vomiting. A small number of patients may report loss of smell [anosmia] for some days; the loss is rarely long-lasting.

One of the most common complications of influenza is pneumonia. Symptoms often include worsened cough, difficulty in breathing, persistent or recurring fever. Some patients may expel bloody sputum. Pneumonia is more common in older people, especially in patients with heart or lung disease. Also, over eight per cent of older people who develop influenza need hospital admission. The mortality rate of such patients is 1-4 per cent. It may also be noted that younger influenza patients with chronic illnesses are prone to develop severe complications.

Most of us are familiar with the symptoms of influenza; needless to say, the illness is generally diagnosed by us and/or family members.

Prevention & Treatment

The best way to avoid contracting influenza is by way of influenza vaccines. These vaccines contain inactivated, or killed, influenza virus, or “bits.” Vaccination is particularly important for people who are likely to become very ill, if infected. People in this group include the young -- especially below 40 -- and, anyone with chronic illnesses like diabetes, lung or heart disease. Side-effects from vaccines are extremely rare; if any, there may be an occasional soreness at the injection site. About two weeks are needed for most people to get protection from the disorder.

There are a host of anti-viral remedies used in the influenza prevention plan. These medications may be prescribed when a person has an apparent, or recent, exposure to someone afflicted with the disorder. Needless to say, these medications are used during epidemics -- to protect those who have not been vaccinated, or are at high risk of complications of influenza. This group will often include senior citizens and patients suffering from chronic illnesses.

Among alternative medicines, homoeopathy seems to have the best testimony to combating and also preventing cold and flu -- a safe-sure cure with no side-effects.