We're deep into the heart of the 2018 cold and flu season, and if you're like me, you've been struggling to get over a cold for what seems like weeks on end.
Headaches, runny eyes, runny nose, trouble sleeping, you know the drill. And I have heard lots of anecdotal stories about other people taking weeks to get over a cold this year. So is there a super cold virus running through the city this year?
Suzele Jambakhsh, public health nurse at the Sudbury and District Health Unit, said without an examination, she obviously doesn't know what ails me or anyone else, but says the first step is ensuring that it's not the particularly nasty version of the flu virus prevalent this year.
"Influenza right now is going around quite a bit and there are two strains — A and B," Jambakhsh said.
Broadly speaking, there are some big differences in symptoms between cold and flu.
"Influenza is quite a bit more serious (than) a cold,” she said. “You'd have a fever, headache, chills, sore throat, dry cough, achy muscles, extreme fatigue, weakness, decreased appetite, runny eyes and nose. Children can get earaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea."
Once it's determined that it's not the flu, Jambakhsh said there are at least 10 different strains of the common cold, and each one has its own characteristics.
"There are several cold viruses in the community at one time,” she said. "There are some that are lengthier and it's very dependent on the person that picked it up and how well they can fight it off, too. Usually by five to seven days, you should be feeling better."
What can happen, however, is that after fighting one strain of the cold, our tired bodies can pick up another strain of the cold right on the heels of the first.
"Sometimes you get rundown because you're not sleeping enough,” Jambakhsh said. “So that's another issue."
The cold virus is most easily transmitted by droplets in the air, she said. So if you're coughing or sneezing near someone who is healthy, you're putting them at risk for getting sick. Which is why health care professionals can't stress enough the importance of staying home if you're sick to prevent the spread of illness.
Since none of us live in a bubble, Jambakhsh said practising good etiquette is a good way to prevent you from getting sick, or of infecting someone else if you're already ill.
"Washing your hands — I can't stress that enough," she said. “And stay home if you're sick.
If you cough, cough directly into a tissue — or your sleeve if that's your only option. And throw out the tissue after you've coughed into it.
Avoid visiting young children or people who are older or infirm “because you don't want to spread what you have to people who are already compromised to begin with," Jambakhsh said.
Get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, eat as well as you can — soups are a good source of hot nutritious liquid that easier to stomach when you're under the weather. Most over-the-counter cold medications are effective at dealing with symptoms.
There's no cure for colds, so a trip to the doctor is not recommended unless the symptoms persist or other issues begin to emerge, Jambakhsh said.
"If things are getting worse, not better, and it's long lasting, or there are complications with fever lasting more than three or four days,” she said, on when it's time to visit the doctor.
If the fever goes away, then comes back and you feel sick again, if you have shortness of breath while resting or doing very little, a persistent choking cough, heavy wheezing – all are signs that it's time to get some professional medical help.
For more detailed information, visit the health unit's website.
