October brings more than just the changing of the seasons; it’s prime time for outbreaks of colds and the flu. It doesn’t have to be a miserable time of year, though. There are ways you can keep yourself and your family healthy, just by taking some common-sense precautions.
At Primary Care Walk-In Medical Clinic, with locations in Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Mesa, and Scottsdale, Arizona, Dr. Pankaj Chopra, Dr. Neha Maheshwari, and our team understand how unhappy people can get when faced with the common cold or the flu. That’s why they offer flu shots to help prevent getting sick and why they try to educate their patients on prevention.
Here’s what the team wants you to know about staying healthy this cold and flu season.
A cold is an upper respiratory infection, meaning it affects your nose, throat, sinuses, and windpipe (trachea). More than 200 different types of viruses can cause a cold, including some coronaviruses, but the most common are the rhinoviruses, which account for up to 50% of common colds.
The term “common cold” is apt, as they’re incredibly widespread. Most people have more colds during their lifetime than any other illness. Adults can expect 2-3 colds a year, while young children usually get four or more.
Colds are incredibly contagious, spreading from one person to the next with practiced ease. To become infected, the virus has to make its way to one of your mucous membranes — the moist lining of your nose, eyes, or mouth. This can happen when you touch a surface contaminated with the virus or breathe moist air that has virus particles.
Some people can be contagious for up to 14 days, even spreading it a day or two before symptoms appear. You’re most contagious, though, when your symptoms (e.g., sneezing, runny nose, body aches) are the worst, which occurs during the first three days.
The flu is also a viral infection, caused by the influenza virus. It’s more serious than a cold, in that you also tend to get a fever, chills, and a sore throat, but it usually runs its course within 7-14 days.
The flu also comes on more quickly than the common cold, and it’s possible to get complications, such as difficulty breathing and dehydration. If you experience any complications, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Just like a cold, the flu is contagious, and you need to take precautions to prevent picking up the bug due to unsanitary habits.
The CDC recommends several precautionary measures to prevent the spread of colds, the flu, and COVID-19. These include:
In addition, there are vaccines available for the seasonal flu and for COVID-19. The common cold has too many possible viral causes to make an effective vaccine. With the vaccine, you may still get sick, but you run less risk of any serious complications. These shots are available at doctors’ offices and local pharmacies.
Want more cold and flu prevention tips? Need to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations? Primary Care Walk-In Medical Clinic can help. Call us at any of our locations to schedule or book online. It’s a quick and easy way to stay safe this winter.
