 | A cold and the flu (also called
influenza) are alike in many ways. But the flu can sometimes lead to
more serious problems, like the lung disease pneumonia.
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| A stuffy nose, sore throat, and
sneezing are usually signs of a cold.
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| Tiredness, fever, headache, and major
aches and pains probably mean you have the flu.
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| Coughing can be a sign of either a
cold or the flu. But a bad cough usually points to the flu
Know When to Call Your Doctor
You usually do not have to call your doctor right away if you have
signs of a cold or flu. But you should call your doctor in these
situations:
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| Your symptoms get worse.
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| Your symptoms last a long time.
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| After feeling a little better, you
develop signs of a more serious problem. Some of these signs are a
sick-to-your-stomach feeling, vomiting, high fever, shaking chills,
chest pain, or coughing with thick, yellow-green mucus.
Try to Avoid Getting a Cold
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| Wash your hands often. You can pick up
cold germs easily, even when shaking someone's hand or touching
doorknobs or handrails.
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| Avoid people with colds when possible.
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| If you sneeze or cough, do it into a
tissue and then throw the tissue away.
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| Clean surfaces you touch with a
germ-killing disinfectant.
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| Don't touch your nose, eyes or mouth.
Germs can enter your body easily by these paths.
Try to Avoid Getting The Flu
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| A flu shot can greatly lower your
chance of getting the flu. The best time to get the shot is from the
middle of October to the middle of November, because most people get
the flu in the winter.
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| The shot can't cause the flu. But you
may feel sore or weak or have a fever for a couple of days.
Who Should Get a Flu Shot?
Almost all people who want to lower their chance of coming down with
the flu can get a flu shot.
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| Flu shots are most important for:
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| people 65 or older
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| nursing home patients
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| people over 6 months old with health
problems, like asthma, or with long-term diseases, like HIV or heart
disease
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| children or teenagers who must often
take aspirin
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| people who are often around the
elderly or those with health problems
Who Might Not Be Able to Get a Flu Shot?
Some people should talk to their doctor first.
Talk to your doctor before you get the shot if you:
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| have certain allergies, especially to
eggs
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| have an illness, like pneumonia
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| have a high fever
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| are pregnant
Prescription Medicine Can Prevent Flu, Too
If you are one of those who should not get the flu shot, ask your
doctor about prescription medicine to help prevent flu.
And if you get the flu, taking this medicine within the first 48
hours can make your illness less serious.
But, Do Not Take Antibiotics For a Cold or Flu
Antibiotics won't work against cold and flu germs.
And, antibiotics should be taken only when really needed.
Help Yourself Feel Better While You Are Sick
A cold usually lasts only a couple of days to a week. Tiredness
from the flu may continue for several weeks.
To feel better while you are sick:
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| Drink plenty of fluids.
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| Get plenty of rest.
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| Use a humidifier -- an electric device
that puts water into the air.
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| A cough and cold medicine you buy
without a prescription may help.
Choose the Right Medicines For
Your Symptoms
Make sure the label states that it treats your symptoms.
If You Want to Do This: Choose
Medicine With This:
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| Unclog a stuffy nose - Nasal
decongestant
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| Quiet a cough - Cough suppressant
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| Loosen mucus to cough up - Expectorant
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| Stop runny nose and sneezing -
Antihistamine
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| Ease fever, headaches, minor aches and
pains -
Pain Reliever (Analgesic)
Protect Your Children From "Salicylates" In Cold
Medicines
Do not give aspirin or other "salicylates" to children
or teenagers with symptoms of a cold or flu.
If you aren't sure whether a product has salicylates, ask your
doctor or pharmacist.
Young people can get sick or die from a rare condition called Reye
syndrome if they take these medicines while they have these
symptoms.
Do You Have Other Questions About Colds and Flu?
FDA may have an office near you. Look for their number in the
blue pages of the phone book.
You can also contact FDA through its toll-free number,
1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332).
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