Cold and flu, what's the difference?

In 2013, a South Korean movie, "Influenza" (also known as "Deadly Cold"), gave people a subversive understanding of the common cold (referred to as "flu"). It is no exaggeration to say that if the pathogen is misjudged and improperly handled, it is likely to bring disaster to people. Of course, this movie also has fictional elements and exaggerates the destructiveness of influenza, but its warning to mankind is unquestionable.

The common cold is commonly known as "cold". People generally think that colds are caused by drastic changes in the environment, but the truth is not that simple. Colds are caused by microorganisms. There are many types of microorganisms, and there are many pathogens that can cause colds. Viruses, mycoplasmas, and bacteria can all cause colds.

However, most colds are caused by viruses, including parainfluenza virus, coronavirus, and rhinovirus. Although there are only three types, they have many subtypes, and there are more than 100 types of rhinovirus alone, which to some extent explains why some people catch colds all year round (actually caused by different pathogenic microorganisms).

Colds can occur all year round, with parainfluenza virus colds mostly occurring in autumn, coronavirus colds mostly occurring in winter, and rhinovirus colds mostly occurring in spring and summer. Sometimes people will stay away from people with colds for fear of being infected. This is because some viruses are mostly present in the human respiratory tract, and the droplets brought out when coughing or sneezing can carry some viruses and infect others. You know, when you sneeze, the droplets will spread outward at a speed of more than 100 meters per second.

The common cold is not as contagious as the flu, and is closely related to each person's resistance. Therefore, the common cold is usually a case-by-case basis, and it is rare for a large number of cases to occur. Viruses usually have an incubation period, and the incubation period of the common cold virus is usually one day, and the disease progresses slowly.

At first, the patient may feel itchy, dry and hot in the nose and throat, which will worsen after a few hours, and symptoms such as hoarseness, sore throat, nasal congestion, dry cough and runny nose may occur. In severe cases, complications may occur in other parts of the body, such as back pain, fatigue, chills, loss of appetite and headache. Common colds are usually accompanied by a low fever (about 38°C), which will be relieved and recovered after 2-3 days.

Unlike the common cold, influenza is caused by influenza virus and is an acute respiratory infectious disease. Its mode of transmission and route are similar to those of the common cold, except that winter and spring are often the seasons for influenza outbreaks, with a 50% infection rate and widespread outbreaks.

Influenza viruses are prone to mutation and will continue to produce new mutant strains, so patients who have recovered from influenza may continue to be infected. The incubation period of influenza varies from a few hours to a few days, but most incubation periods are about 24 hours. Influenza comes on suddenly, and the body will be accompanied by chills and shivering. The body temperature will generally rise above 39°C, followed by symptoms such as runny nose, dry cough, fatigue, body aches, and conjunctivitis. In addition, systemic symptoms are more severe and last longer than the common cold, taking 3-5 days to improve, and are more harmful to health than the common cold.

There is no specific medicine for the common cold and influenza so far, and most of the medicines people take are for relief. After a cold occurs, you should pay attention to rest more and drink more warm water, and you will recover in about a week. If conditions permit, you can soak your feet in hot water to speed up recovery.

In addition, it is not recommended to take antibiotics for common colds, otherwise the benefits will outweigh the costs. For influenza patients, they should stay in bed more, eat easily digestible food, and drink plenty of water (mainly fresh water). If they have a high fever and are severely dehydrated, they should go to the hospital for treatment and infusion in time to prevent the condition from worsening.

In fact, whether it is the common cold or the flu, prevention should be the priority. Ventilate your home more often and exercise. If the environmental hygiene quality and immunity are improved, the probability of getting sick will naturally decrease. In addition, when the temperature drops or the season changes, add more clothes in time. Don't "only care about style, not temperature". Finally, it is important to avoid going to crowded public places (especially places with poor hygiene environment) to avoid giving pathogenic microorganisms a chance to find trouble.

Additional material: 3 misunderstandings about taking Isatis root

Many patients take Isatis root directly when they have a headache, fever, sneezing or coughing, without distinguishing whether it is due to cold or wind. Some even drink Isatis root tea for a long time to prevent colds... Next, let's learn about the main misunderstandings about taking Isatis root and its Chinese patent medicine.

(1) Isatis root can treat all colds

Isatis root is cold in nature and bitter in taste. It has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and reducing swelling, and relieving sore throat. It is suitable for colds and big head plague caused by wind-heat and heat toxicity. Patients with clinical symptoms such as high fever, flushed face, headache, runny yellow nose, red and swollen throat, irritability and thirst can take Isatis root, but those with weak constitution should use it with caution.

(2) Isatis root is a Chinese patent medicine and can be taken for a long time

The use of Chinese medicine must comply with the principle of TCM differentiation and treatment, otherwise it may be counterproductive. Studies have shown that taking Isatis root cannot prevent colds, and it only has a certain effect on wind-heat type colds. Long-term use may cause symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

(3) Children can take Isatis root without any concerns

Children are still in the developmental stage, and their body and physiology are different from those of adults. Children's internal organs are delicate, and their spleen and stomach are weak. Taking medicine can easily seriously damage the spleen yang and disrupt the body's balance. In addition, given that preschool children are more likely to have allergic constitutions, parents should be extremely cautious when giving their children Isatis root.

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