| Symptoms |
Cold |
Flu |
| Fever |
Rare |
Characteristic, high (over 101ºF ) and lasting 3-4 days |
| Headache |
Rare |
Prominent |
| Aches and Pains |
Slight |
Usual and often severe |
| Tiredness and weakness |
Quite Mild |
Can last up to 2-3 weeks |
| Extreme Exhaustion |
Never |
Early and prominent |
| Stuffy nose |
Common |
Sometimes |
| Sneezing |
Usual |
Sometimes |
| Sore throat |
Common |
Sometimes |
| Chest discomfort, cough |
Mild to moderate, hacking cough |
Common; can become severe |
The height of cold/flu season is upon us and Lycoming College is no exception! Students, faculty and staff alike are all down and out with illnesses.
The best prevention, in general, is to stay in good health by eating properly and getting enough rest and exercise. Frequent and proper hand washing is essential to stop the spread of many illnesses, including colds and flus. An annual flu shot can also decrease your odds of getting the flu but will not help prevent other upper respiratory tract infections (URI's).
Whether it's the common cold or the flu, if you do find yourself unfortunate enough to get one of these "bugs", both are treated essentially the same. Since both are viral in nature antibiotics are not effective. The FDA has recently approved two new drugs in the fight against the flu (Tamiflu and Relenza). Both drugs must be started within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms in order to be effective. The manufacturers report that with an average 7-10 day illness course, either drug can decrease symptoms by approximately 1-1/2 days. Otherwise, rest, plenty of fluids, Tylenol for fever/body aches and pains, Robitussin for the cough, Pseudofed for nasal congestion and Benedryl for itchy watery eyes/runny nose and sneezing will help reduce the severity of your symptoms until you are well. Most URI's, including the common cold and the flu, last on average 7-10 days.
If your fever lasts longer than 4-5 days or develops after the first 4-5 days of the illness; throat pain persists greater than 7 days or white spots are seen on the tonsils; cough persists greater than 10-14 days or you experience difficulty breathing; or nasal congestion persists longer than 10-14 days or you have facial pain or swelling, see a health care provider.
Remember, items such as thermometers and over-the-counter medications are available at the Health Center at no cost. Appointments for the nurse are recommended but not required. Appointments for the college physician are required and are made through the nursing staff. There is no fee to see the nurse or doctor. |
