Common Cold and Flu

The common cold and the flu are viral illnesses. Although people often use the word “flu” for a cold, the two are caused by completely different viruses and lead to different clinical pictures.

A cold causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, a mild sore or scratchy throat, mild malaise and a mild headache. It is often confused with allergic rhinitis (hay fever). It usually passes within a week without the need for bed rest. In susceptible people, it can lead to sinusitis and middle ear infection.

With the flu, high fever, a severe cough, significant muscle and joint aches and weakness occur together with or apart from cold symptoms. In people with weakened immunity, it often causes bronchitis and sometimes pneumonia.

Both are contagious diseases. They are most common in the winter months and during seasonal transitions. The most important way to protect yourself from these illnesses is to strengthen your immune system. To do so, you need to eat a good, balanced diet, get enough sleep and exercise.

Transmission occurs when healthy people inhale droplets spread by sick people, or touch surfaces where these droplets are present and then bring their hands to their mouth, nose or eyes. For this reason, if we share the same environment with sick people, we should wash our hands frequently and ventilate the room. Hand sanitizers can also be used. If a severe flu is circulating in the community, a mask may be worn.

Treatment of the common cold targets the symptoms, meaning it is symptomatic. It is important to drink plenty of fluids. Medications containing paracetamol, nasal sprays and cough syrups can be used. Symptoms usually ease within 3–4 days. If they do not ease and the runny nose persists, sinusitis may have developed. In that case, your doctor may recommend antibiotics.

The flu is treated similarly, but rest is important. Depending on the type of flu, some specific antiviral medications may be used. Antibiotics may be used to prevent complications.

In people in risk groups, the flu can cause a severe lung infection and become life-threatening. People over 60–65 with weakened immune systems, cancer patients, and people with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or asthma can be seriously affected by the flu virus. Vaccination is important to protect these people.