Tag: influenza

How to cope with winter illness

As winter brings respiratory illnesses like colds and flu, it’s essential to understand symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat. While most recover, high-risk individuals should seek medical help. Stay home, wash hands frequently, use medications wisely, and be patient with recovery, which may take days to weeks.

updated January 2, 2025

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update. It may have changed by the time you read this. I invite you to fact-check what you read here.

This information is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Before making health decisions, discuss with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider to decide what is right for you.

What are the symptoms of winter illnesses?

Chances are you or someone close to you will have a respiratory illness this winter, illnesses we frequently lump into the category of “colds and flu”.  This usually means illnesses with some combination of these symptoms-

  • Sneezing, stuffy  or runny nose,
  • coughing
  • sore throat, hoarseness
  • ear pain, fullness
  • fever,
  • body aches, fatigue, 
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea 
  • headache.

We call these by various names but they have much in common, including symptoms and treatment. Let’s talk about what you can do to cope when they hit your family.

diagram of the nose and sinuses
Winter illnesses commonly affect the nose, throat, sinuses, ears and lungs.

 

 

 

Don’t panic.

Most otherwise healthy people recover from common respiratory illnesses. You may be miserable for several days and need several weeks to feel back to normal, but you won’t suffer any permanent harm.

Fever , especially in children, alarms parents. Don’t ignore it but don’t panic either.

Reading this post should help you keep calm about fever .

a woman taking her temperature
This photograph depicted a woman who was using a modern, battery-powered oral thermometer, in order to measure her body temperature. In order to return an accurate reading, this particular type of thermometer needed to be placed beneath the user’s tongue, for a set amount of time, beeping when the ambient, sublingual temperature was reached. Photo credit-James Gathany, CDC, public domain

Some people are at risk of developing severe symptoms and serious complications from respiratory illnesses, so seek medical help sooner, rather than later. These include

  • Infants, especially under one month old
  • Elderly,  now a relative term, advanced age, especially combined with chronic disease
  • Those with chronic lung disease, like asthma, COPD, emphysema, cystic fibrosis
  • People on drugs that suppress the immune system
  • Other chronic diseases – diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, cancer 

If you are not sure if you fit into one of these categories, ask your doctor.

Check here for tips on the difference between a cold (acute rhino-sinusitis) and flu (influenza)

rhinoceros
“Rhino” obviously means NOSE.

What you need to know about influenza. 

Stay home.

This is when you shouldn’t share—germs, that is. These illnesses spread from person to person, so minimize contact.

Keep your kids home from school and stay home from work, at least the first few days, when you are the most contagious. Avoid crowds and public gatherings when there is widespread illness in your community.

Resting, getting extra sleep, drinking fluids, and staying warm and dry make staying at home therapeutic.

Wash hands.

Speaking of person-to-person contact, the best way to avoid getting or giving germs is to wash your hands often, but especially after being with others , using a restroom,  and before cooking or eating. Cleaning household surfaces helps too, as well as clothing and linens.

Hand hygiene saves lives.
a common sight now in public restrooms

 

Use medication wisely.

Some of these illnesses have a specific medication that clear it faster- strep throat, influenza, pneumonia. The others will “run their course” and meds are used to help relieve symptoms.

Many people assume that any illness with fever, sore throat, and cough will improve with an antibiotic. The fact is, most will not. Antibiotics only treat infections caused by bacteria, and most of these are caused by viruses. To learn more read about

How flu and COVID-19 are different

 

How to navigate the antibiotic highway 

These illnesses cause the greatest overuse of antibiotics, contribute to the cost of health care, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Please do not insist on an antibiotic if the doctor says you don’t need it; if offered an antibiotic, ask why.

6 smart facts about antibiotic use

Does nasal drainage and congestion need treatment with an antibiotic?

Maybe not. Learn how to sort out sinusitis.

 

WebMD offers this advice on choosing non-prescription cold remedies

 

 

 

 Be patient

The “24-hour virus” is for the most part a myth. Expect to be ill anywhere from 3 to 10 days; some symptoms, especially cough, can linger for weeks. If you are a smoker, this is a great time to quit. 

But if after 7-10 days you are getting progressively worse, instead of better, something more may be going on, so it’s wise to seek professional medical help.

exploring the HEART of winter illness

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How to navigate the antibiotic highway

As many as 50% of the antibiotics prescribed in the United States may be unnecessary or inappropriate. This contributes to antibiotic resistance, avoidable side effects, and increased cost of care.

Like driving on a multilane highway, using antibiotics appropriately can be complex. But like driving, it’s made easier by following some basic evidence based rules, while unexpected events may intervene to change the route.

this post updated October 28, 2022

stoplight
Most medical experts believe we need to STOP using unnecessary antibiotics. (photo from Pixabay)

As many as 50% of the antibiotics prescribed in the United States may be unnecessary or inappropriate. This contributes to

  • antibiotic resistance ,
  • avoidable side effects of the drugs, and
  • increased medical cost without benefit.

The best source of medical advice for you personally is your own doctor, or one who talks to and examines you.

Exceptions to rules exist, every medical situation is unique.  So although these recommendations are firm, they are not absolute. This is just a partial list which includes most but not all common infections.

2015-11-11 11.20.31

STOP- don’t treat these with antibiotics

Most upper respiratory infections including

Acute viral gastroenteritis, aka stomach flu, with nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

Some of these may be treated with anti- VIRAL medication, not antibiotics.

2015-11-11 11.20.16

 

SLOW DOWN- these may not need an antibiotic, at least not immediately

Ear infections -otitis media

Sinusitis– sinus infections

el-allergies-colds-allergies-sinusitis-patientDownload

spider or tick bites– many of these are not bites at all, but are other skin diseases, including bacterial infections (see below)

sore throats– pharyngitis or tonsillitis

2015-11-11 12.00.41

 

GO- these infections usually need antibiotics to resolve successfully

Urinary tract infections- this includes the kidney, bladder, prostate

Skin infections including animal and human bites

Pneumonia (although can can be due to viruses, especially in children)

Whooping cough –pertussis

Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever- these are both transmitted by tick bites; but not all tick bites result in infection

Sexually transmitted diseases caused by bacteria – gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis

Any infection severe enough to require admission to a hospital- including infections of any internal organ, bones, joints, brain; included here are infections which develop during a hospital stay

Check out the links for more info.

(By the way, I hope you enjoyed the photos. I took them at a Veterans Day parade.)

2015-11-11 12.07.51

exploring the HEART of responsible antibotic use

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Dr. Aletha