The kind of cold a heater doesn’t cure

The leaves have changed colors and the snow is starting to fall, as autumn works its way into winter. Every student is preparing for the cold weather, but there is another type of cold that is catching.

Cold and flu season has begun, and Dr. John Barret, staff physician at the Student Health and Wellness Center, has offered some helpful information to help students know which ailment is which.

Initially, Barret said, it can be hard to tell the difference between having a cold or flu. He said the two are completely different viruses. He said a cold is usually caused by a rhinovirus — a virus predominantly found in the nose — while flu is caused by either influenza A or influenza B.

"Influenza A symptoms that distinguish it from a cold are body aches and fever," he said. "People often describe … they feel like they've been hit by a truck. There's this overwhelming feeling of ‘I want to lie down.'" He said this is called prostration.

Barret said colds usually have less severe symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and nasal congestion. He said the symptoms of flu are often more serious — especially with influenza A — affecting the whole body.

"Both are very, very infectious," Barret said, because the germs spread through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes.

Some viruses seem to be more serious than others, Barret said, because different pathogens have different properties, which make them more serious and infectious. He said some pathogens can even be deadly. He said influenza has two antigens — H and N — which make it different from colds.

"Antigens are structures on the surface of the virus that the immune system recognizes," Barret said.

He said that antigens play a key role in how the immune system fights off a certain virus.

"If the immune system doesn't recognize the antigen very well, it makes it a more serious illness, because the immune system isn't effective at fighting it as well," Barret said. "This is why when you get a mutation — a new virus people haven't seen much of, like the swine flu — it's much more serious."

These viruses seem to be present mostly in the winter time, but Barret said colds pass year round. He said there are two reasons why colds are more common during the winter.

"(Number one,) all viruses are better preserved at colder temperatures," Barret said. "Number two, people are inside, passing it more readily."

Barret said cold and flu symptoms generally last about 7-10 days, and the best suggestion for recovery is lots of fluids and rest. He also said people should get vaccinated for flu each year, because flu antigens change each year.

The developers of flu vaccines have to estimate how it will change each year in order to fight it accordingly, he said.

Joanna Zattiero, adjunct music professor, said she recently encountered the flu and is still recovering from the setback.

"I'm still a week behind," Zattiero said. "I've never been able to catch up."

She said although she was vaccinated, she got sick a few weeks later. However, she said, she doesn't believe it was the seasonal flu but some other form of the flu.

Zattiero said it's stressful to get sick as a professor or a student, because there is essentially no such thing as sick days.

"Even from a professor's standpoint, it's hard to make up the time that you've missed, because you can't say everything more quickly," Zattiero said. "You just either have to drop some stuff or find a way to incorporate more into a lecture."

She said it's difficult for students to make up missed work after an illness, as well.

Missing class due to illness is definitely not anything new, but Zattiero said she finds it difficult to discern between students who are really sick and students who are just making excuses. She said she suggests students visit a doctor and get a note to bring to class.

Chealsey Leach, a junior studying business, recently experienced a cold, and said she missed a few classes and even a few quizzes. Leach said she hopes she can catch up.

She said she prefers holistic remedies such as orange juice and eating healthy, and even tried the immunity boost shots from Jamba Juice, in hopes they would help.

Leach said she believes the stress of getting sick may actually cause some students to become more susceptible to illness.

"This is kind of the time of the year when everyone anticipates getting sick," Leach said. "Stress really brings down your immune system."

She said she suggest students take care of themselves in advance to prevent getting sick in the first place. She said getting plenty of sleep, taking care of personal hygiene and eating healthy may be an essential prevention strategy.

Heavy head, running nose

Tapti woke up this morning with body pain. Her nose is running and she is sneezing often. She has travelled from Madurai and is convinced that the change of water has made her come down with a cold. Her mother-in-law, however, swears that the cold came on because she had curd rice last afternoon, immediately after coming in sweating from the hot sun. Is either of them right about the cause of Tapti's cold?

What causes a cold?

A virus causes the common cold. Nasal congestion, sneezing, and runny nose are the usual symptoms. Drinking cold fluids, eating curds or ice cream does not cause a cold. A cold virus spreads through tiny, air droplets that are released when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or blows his nose. That is why travelling or working in a crowded place exposes you to the virus. Children in classrooms are particularly susceptible to picking up the virus from their schoolmates. You can even get a cold when you touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus.

The viruses that cause colds provoke inflammation that increases the leakage of fluid from the blood vessels into the lining of the nose and into the nose. The swelling of the lining of the nose causes the feeling of a ‘blocked nose' and also leads to a runny nose.

Treatment for a cold

The old saying goes, ‘Without treatment a cold will last a week and with treatment it will last only for seven days!' The fetish for avoiding ‘cold' food such as curds, cold water and juices when you have a cold or cough has no basis in science.

For short-term relief of nasal congestion, nasal decongestants can be used. Nasal decongestants are chemicals (for example, pseudoephedrine and oxymetazoline) that decrease the swelling of the lining of the nose. This relieves the ‘blocked' nose. Nasal decongestants can be used topically within the nose (as nasal drops or spray) or can be taken orally as tablets. Steam inhalation with a menthol preparation can also relieve the symptoms of a cold.

Oral nasal decongestants frequently are combined with an antihistamine, a cough suppressant, or an analgesic in treating cold, flu or allergy symptoms.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are excellent for relieving the headaches and body pain that accompany a cold and cough.

Cough

A sore throat and cough are usually the result of a viral infection. Most of these will run a benign course and need only symptom relief. However, a cough persisting for more than two weeks or a cough that is associated with chest pain, fever, weight loss, or blood-tinged or discoloured sputum, should be evaluated by a doctor.

Treatment for a cough

Oral cough suppressants

Dry, hacking coughs particularly respond to cough suppressants. Dextromethorphan is an oral cough suppressant that is available over-the counter (OTC). Dextromethorphan acts on the brain to suppress the cough. Diphenhydramine is another non-narcotic medication that acts on the brain to suppress cough. It is also an antihistamine and is found in common cough syrups available OTC. A doctor might prescribe a cough syrup containing codeine which is an oral cough suppressant that is particularly effective for bouts of uncontrollable coughing.

Oral expectorant

Guaifenesin is an oral expectorant that liquefies the thick mucous in the airways and facilitates the clearing of the mucous by coughing. Clearing of mucous from the airways decreases cough.

Topical medications

Camphor and menthol are active ingredients in many topical cough medications. Camphor and menthol ointments are rubbed on the throat and the chest and their vapours help relieve the cough. They are also available as products for steam inhalation. Menthol is also available as lozenges.

When do you need antibiotics?

Common colds and coughs do not need antibiotics. It is a shame that children and adults are loaded with antibiotics the minute they develop any symptom. This only makes them resistant to antibiotics and will make them susceptible to life-threatening bacteria. Antibiotics need to be prescribed only if there is definite proof of an ear infection or sinusitis.

Influenza or ‘flu'

Influenza is caused by a virus and may present with fever, body ache, cold and cough. The treatment is to relieve the symptoms. No antibiotics are required. Plenty of fluids and a normal diet are recommended.