Writing Notes: Winter Illnesses
Colds, flus and other respiratory illnesses are often more common in colder months. People are indoors more often, allowing viruses to pass more easily from one person to another. And the cold, dry air may weaken resistance. Some examples:
Common Cold. Your nose and throat are infected. Your ears may also be infected. Somebody coughed or sneezed near you, or you touched a contaminated surface, like a doorknob. More than 200 viruses can cause colds. The most common is the rhinovirus. You probably have a runny nose, scratchy throat, low-grade fever, fatigue, chills and aches. And you probably are sneezing and coughing. You probably know that thereās no cure for the common cold. Decongestants, cough drops and antihistamines can help with symptoms. Rest and liquids may speed your recovery. It can last for a few days to several weeks.
Flu. Your upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, and upper airways) is infected. You got the influenza (flu) virus from airborne droplets sneezed or coughed, or by touching contaminated surfaces. Flu viruses keep evolving, which is why influenza vaccines are updated every year. Youāre exhausted, and you may have a fever, headache and body aches. Youāre likely sneezing and coughing, and your throat may be sore. Relieve symptoms with rest, fluids and medicines. In severe cases, or for individuals at high risk for complications, antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) may be prescribed. Antivirals are most effective when started within 48 hours to reduce the fluās duration, severity and risk of complications. The worst of it ā fever and aches ā is often over in 3-5 days. The coughing and general fatigue can linger 2 weeks or more.
Acute Bronchitis. Inflamed bronchi (the big tubes that bring air to the lungs) result in too much mucus. You may get it from a cold or flu virus ā so getting a flu shot lowers your risk ā or you might have inhaled bacteria. Youāre particularly susceptible if you smoke or have allergies, sinusitis, or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Like you canāt stop coughing. You probably started with a dry cough that soon became mucus-producing. You may also have aches and pains, chills, headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, watery eyes and wheezing. It will clear up on its own ā unless it progresses to pneumonia, which can be treated with antibiotics. Meanwhile, a humidifier, cough medicine and pain relievers can ease your symptoms. It will last about 2 weeks for most symptoms, though the cough can linger for a couple of months.
Chronic Bronchitis. Inflamed bronchi (the big tubes that bring air to the lungs) result in overproduction of mucus. Bronchitis is considered chronic if you have a mucus-producing cough at least three months per year, two years in a row. You may get it from smoking, but irritants like air pollution may also be to blame. You have a persistent cough, plus chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms so you can breathe more easily. If you smoke, quitting is recommended. Oral or inhaled medications can open your airways. In severe cases, you might consider lung reduction surgery or a lung transplant. Chronic bronchitis may ebb and flow, but itās not going away.
Pneumonia. Your lungs are infected, causing air sacs to fill with pus and other liquids. Viruses are responsible for about one-third of cases. The rest are caused by bacteria or fungi that are inhaled, particularly by people weakened by surgery, illness, age or smoking. Symptom severity ranges from mild to life-threatening and can include confusion, fever, a cough that produces mucus, heavy sweating, shaking chills, lack of appetite, rapid breathing and pulse, shortness of breath that gets worse with activity, and stabbing pain in the chest thatās worse with coughing or deep breathing. If you have viral pneumonia, rest, eat well and drink plenty of fluids. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. In both cases, medications can ease your fever and cough. Most people respond well to treatment and recover in 1-3 weeks, but pneumonia can be very serious and even deadly.
Whooping Cough. Also known as pertussis, it is a serious and very contagious bacterial infection that mainly affects infants and young children. A bacterium called Bordetella pertussis, which is spread by coughing, sneezing and even breathing, causes whooping cough. It starts like a common cold, and progresses to include coughing spells that end with a whooping sound as you gulp for air. Other symptoms include fever, sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes. Your best bet is early treatment with antibiotics, which may reduce the infection and will make you less contagious. Stay warm, drink lots of fluids and limit exposure to things that make you cough, like smoke or dust. It may last up to 10 weeks. It can lead to pneumonia and other complications.
Source ā More: Notes & References ā Writing Resources PDFs
