Cold and Flu Health Center

When you're not feeling well, it may be difficult to decide whether to stay home or go to school or work. Conditions that are very painful may prevent you from working effectively. Anyone with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or dizziness should stay home.

Bronchiolitis is a viral infection of the bronchioles in the lung that usually affects infants and children under the age of two. In infants, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes) and pneumonia (infection of the lung tissue).

Since not every individual experiences all of the flu symptoms, it is possible to have the flu without having a fever.

Children's cough causes include infection, acid reflux, asthma, allergies or sinus infection, whooping cough, and exposure to irritants. Treatment for a child's cough include cough medicine for children over the age of four.

Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD,&nbsp; postnasal drip,&nbsp; bronchitis,&nbsp; pneumonia,&nbsp; medications, and&nbsp; less frequently tumors or other lung disease. </p> <p>Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.

The safety of giving infants and children over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicine is important for caregivers to understand. While there is no "gold standard" recommendation for giving infants and children OTC cold and cough medicine for fever, aches, cough, and runny nose, a few standards have been recommended.

Though different viruses cause the common cold and influenza, the two respiratory illnesses share many signs and symptoms. Flu symptoms tend to cause more serious, harmful problems than a cold.

Before treating a cold, the flu, or allergies with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, it's important to know what's causing the symptoms, which symptoms one wishes to relieve, and the active ingredients in the OTC product. Taking products that only contain the medications needed for relieving your symptoms prevents ingestion of unnecessary medications and reduces the chances of side effects.

The common cold (viral upper respiratory tract infection) is a contagious illness that may be caused by various viruses. Symptoms include a stuffy nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and sometimes a fever.

The common cold or viral rhinitis is an upper respiratory infection caused by several types of viruses. It is one of the most common infectious diseases affecting humans. A common cold may typically follow a certain pattern of progression that has four different stages.

Learn what's causing your sore throat, home remedies that can provide relief fast, and what other treatments can help to relieve your symptoms.

Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 F (37 C), in practice, a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 F (38 C). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal; rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease-producing organisms.

Influenza (flu) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. The flu may be prevented with an annual influenza vaccination.

Several home remedies may cure pain and other symptoms associated with a sore throat. However, it is imperative to note that these are not effective against bacterial infections, such as strep throat.

Fever is the reaction of your body to fight off bacterial or viral infections. A bacterial infection needs antibiotics whereas a viral one is usually self-limiting i.e., it resolves without treatment.

It's seldom easy to tell the difference between bacterial and viral sore throats. Find out what the differences are and learn some tips for telling them apart. A sore throat is irritation and scratchiness in the throat accompanied by pain that often worsens with swallowing. The most common cause of a sore throat is a viral infection. Rarely, a bacterial infection can cause a sore throat. Antibiotics cannot treat a sore throat if it is caused by a viral infection. Viruses cause about 90% of sore throats; hence, antibiotics should not be used immediately as treatment for a sore throat. A doctor may prescribe antibiotics such as penicillin if a sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection.

When you have a cold, certain chemicals (histamines) are secreted by your body; these may lead to sneezing, a runny nose, and watery eyes.

Here are 8 home remedies to help reduce a fever without taking medication, which include, staying hydrated, sponging, and proper nutrition.

Flu or influenza is a common viral disease affecting the respiratory system. This infectious disease is caused by the influenza virus. Most cases of flu are self-limiting and can be easily managed at home.

Cold symptoms are part of your body’s healing processes. Most of the time, it does not require any help. However, you can get rid of a cold faster, even overnight, by resting, drinking hot fluids, blowing your nose, gargling with salt water, taking a hot shower, using a humidifier and taking OTC pain relievers and decongestants.

The home remedy for flu will depend on the temperature of the baby and on what other signs and symptoms are present with the flu. Flu or influenza is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. It affects the respiratory tract (which involves the throat, nose, and lungs) causing symptoms, such as cough, running nose, fever, and difficulty in breathing.

Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. It is generally a mild illness that can be treated at home with over-the-counter medications and rest. However, for people with compromised immune systems, the flu can be much more serious. This includes the increased risk of complications, prolonged illness, weakened immune system, and increased risk of death.

The flu is contagious 1-2 days before symptoms start and up to 5-7 days after symptoms have developed. Young children and people who have weak immune systems may be contagious for longer.

What is the flu? Learn the signs of the flu in seniors and when you need to call a doctor.

What is whooping cough and how long does whooping cough last? Learn more about whooping cough and how to recover from whooping cough.

Viruses cause the common cold and the flu. Early symptoms and signs for a cold and the flu are similar, however, flu symptoms are typically more severe than cold symptoms. Cold and flu viruses are transmitted typically via coughing or sneezing.

While some amount of mucus is normal, too much can cause discomfort. Here are 8 ways to get rid of mucus in your chest at home and when to see a doctor.

Learn how to stop coughing attacks without medicine at night and at other times naturally. Learn about 19 tips to stop nighttime and persistent cough. Causes of excessive coughing include prescription medications, allergies, cigarette smoke, heart disease, and infections. Home remedies include natural herbs and supplements like ginger, honey, turmeric, and mint.

There are many types of coughs, such as dry cough, wet cough, barking cough, whooping cough, stress-induced cough, acute cough, and chronic cough. A cough is a symptom of an underlying condition or disease. Treatment of cough as a symptom is generally with OTC lozenges and liquids. The cause of the cough will be necessary to treat.

Sinus infection (sinusitis) is an infection (viral, bacterial, or fungal) or inflammation of the sinuses. Symptoms of sinus infection are cough, bad breath, coughing up greenish-yellow sputum, sinus headache, and other symptoms of the common cold. Treatments of sinus infection are home remedies to soothe symptoms and antibiotics if the infection is bacterial or fungal.

It is normal to feel under the weather perhaps one time in two months.

Laryngitis is inflammation and swelling of the voice box (larynx). Causes of laryngitis are viral, bacterial, fungal, strenuous singing or talking, chemical irritants, and other underlying medical conditions. Symptoms of laryngitis are hoarseness, a weak or loss of voice, sore throat, dry throat, a tickling sensation in the back of the throat, or irritated or raw throat. Treatment of laryngitis depends upon the cause.

Pharyngitis is a contagious infection that can spread from one person to another. Depending on the cause of your sore throat, you may be more or less contagious. Evaluation from a healthcare provider can help diagnose the cause of your sore throat.

Strep throat is caused by group A streptococcus bacteria. Incubation period for strep throat is 1-5 days after exposure. If strep throat is treated with antibiotics, it is no longer contagious after 24 hours; if it is not treated with antibiotics, it is contagious for 2-3 weeks. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, tonsillitis, white spots or patches on the tonsils, and nausea and vomiting. Diagnosis of strep throat is performed through a rapid strep test.

Tonsillitis is a common infection, especially in kids. Tonsillitis is caused by viruses and bacteria like the flu and herpes simplex virus, and <i>Streptococcus</i> bacteria. These viruses and bacterium are spread person to person. Symptoms of tonsillitis are a yellow or white coating on the tonsils, throat pain, pain when swallowing, and hoarseness.

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box (vocal cords). The most common cause of acute laryngitis is an infection, which inflames the vocal cords. Symptoms may vary from the degree of laryngitis and age of the person (laryngitis in infants and children is more commonly caused by croup).

Viruses cause the common cold and most sinus infections. Bacterial and fungal infections may also cause a sinus infection. Signs and symptoms of colds and sinus infections include nasal irritation or dryness, sore throat, stuffy nose, nasal discharge/congestion, sneezing, and cough. Additional symptoms of sinus infections include sinus pressure behind the cheeks or eyes, facial pain when pressure is applied, bad breath, and thick yellow or green mucus. Treatment focuses on symptom relief.

<p>Sore throat (throat pain) usually is described as pain or discomfort in the throat area. A sore throat may be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, toxins, irritants, trauma, or injury to the throat area. Common symptoms of a sore throat include a fever, cough, runny nose, hoarseness, earaches, sneezing, and body aches. Home remedies for a sore throat include warm soothing liquids and throat lozenges. OTC remedies for a sore throat include OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Antibiotics may be necessary for some cases of sore throat. </p>

Natural and home remedies for sore throat symptoms and pain relief include essential oils, licorice gargles, slippery elm leaves, raw garlic, Throat Coat tea, sage, and acupuncture. Typical symptoms of a sore throat include throat pain, coughing, sneezing, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. Sore throats are caused by viral (common cold, flu, mumps), bacterial (tonsillitis, some STDs), toxins, allergens, trauma or injury, or "mechanical causes" (breathing through the mouth).

Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the throat. Signs and symptoms of strep throat include headache, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and fever. Strep throat symptoms in infants and children are different than in adults. Strep throat is contagious and is generally passed from person to person. Treatment for strep throat symptoms includes home remedies and OTC medication; however, the only cure for strep throat is antibiotics.

Novel H1N1 influenza A virus infection (swine flu) is an infection that generally is transferred from an infected pig to a human, however there have been reported cases where infection has occured with no contact with infected pigs. Symptoms of swine flu are "flu-like" and include fever, cough, and sore throat. Treatment is generally with the antibiotics oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza).

Tonsillitis is a contagious infection with symptoms of bad breath, snoring, congestion, headache, hoarseness, laryngitis, and coughing up blood. Tonsillitis can be caused by acute infection of the tonsils, and several types of bacteria or viruses (for example, strep throat or mononucleosis). There are two types of tonsillitis, acute and chronic. Acute tonsillitis lasts from 1-2 weeks while chronic tonsillitis can last from months to years. Treatment of tonsillitis and adenoids include antibiotics, over-the-counter medications, and home remedies to relieve pain and inflammation, for example, saltwater gargle, slippery elm throat lozenges, sipping warm beverages and eating frozen foods (ice cream, popsicles), serrapeptase, papain, and andrographism Some people with chronic tonsillitis may need surgery (tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy).

An upper respiratory infection is a contagious infection of the structures of the upper respiratory tract, which includes the sinuses, nasal passages, pharynx, and larynx. Common causes of an upper respiratory infection include bacteria and viruses such as rhinoviruses, group A streptococci, influenza, respiratory syncytial, whooping cough, diphtheria, and Epstein-Barr. Examples of symptoms of upper respiratory infection include sneezing, sore throat, cough, fever, and nasal congestion. Treatment of upper respiratory infections are based upon the cause. Generally, viral infections are treated symptomatically with over-the-counter (OTC) medication and home remedies.

See 9 interesting facts about the flu including the origin, prevalence, contagiousness, vaccines, peak months, duration, complications, home remedies, and more.

The three stages of whooping cough include stage I (catarrhal), stage II (paroxysmal), and stage III (convalescent). Check out the center below for more medical references on whooping cough, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection or illness. Learn the five types of fever, signs, what causes fever, how doctors diagnose fever, and what you can do to treat fever.

What is an upper respiratory infection and what causes it? Learn more about upper respiratory infection, the common cold, and how you can treat upper respiratory infections at home. The primary function of the respiratory system is to help you breathe, supplying your body with oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide.

Burning at the base of your throat could result from a number of conditions, such as the cold and flu, tonsillitis, or GERD. Check out the center below for more medical references on throat pain, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Shivering is a natural bodily response to various situations. Here are 14 causes of shivering, which include dehydration, temperature drop, and infection.

If you let sinus infection go untreated, it could lead to rare but serious complications such as chronic sinusitis that spreads to the surrounding areas and the larynx, eyes, and brain.

Adenitis, a general term for lymphadenitis, is an inflammation of the lymphatic system that results in the enlargement of one or more lymph nodes due to an infection.

Sinus congestion can be relieved with both over-the-counter medications and home remedies. Learn about the best medicines for sinus congestion.

Vicks VapoRub is the brand name of a popular mentholated ointment manufactured by the American company Proctor and Gamble. This over the counter (OTC) medication is commonly used to manage cold symptoms.

How do you kill or fix a sore throat immediately? Learn how long sore throats last and get home remedies for fast sore throat relief. Learn quick and effective ways to ease your sore throat pain.

Illnesses, diseases, conditions, and infections like cancer, RA, bacterial and fungal infections, encephalitis, meningitis, flu, and colds can cause a headache and fever. Associated symptoms and signs include rash, nausea and vomiting, cough, sweating, neck stiffness, seizure, decreased appetite, and joint pain and swelling. Treatment depends upon the cause but may include antibiotics, antifungal or antiviral drugs, pain-control drugs, decongestants, and cough suppressants.

Here are 12 causes of waking up feeling nauseated in the morning, which include low blood sugar levels, GERD, constipation, and pregnancy (morning sickness).