The common cold and flu are caused by viruses that are passed from person to person. Ways you can get a cold and flu include breathing in tiny droplets containing the virus that spread through the air every time someone with a cold or flu sneezes, coughs or speaks. And touching contaminated surfaces, such as tissue used by an infected person, door handles, handrails, and telephones, and then touching your nose or eyes.

Symptoms caused by cold and flu

What is the difference between a common cold and the flu? It's hard to say sometimes. Many of the symptoms are the same and both are caused by viruses and not bacteria, which means you can't treat colds and flu with antibiotics. The symptoms of a cold are usually milder than those caused by the flu, and they do not cause serious health complications that can result from the flu.

A look at the common cold

The common cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract. These causes include rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, and corona. Symptoms may appear within 10-12 hours after exposure and may include:

• Runny nose

• Sore throat

• Cough

• Sneeze

• Low-grade fever (mostly in young children)

A look at the flu

There are three types of the flu virus. Type A viruses are the cause of most cases of human flu and any disease in animals. B types are rare and cause less serious illness. Type C viruses usually only cause mild flu and are rare. Flu symptoms are more severe than the symptoms of the common cold and may include:

• Sudden fever (usually 39°C or above)

• Dry cough

• Muscle tightness

• Headache

• Sore throat

• Excessive fatigue

• Runny or blocked nose

• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (more common in children)

How long is the flu contagious?

The incubation period for the flu usually lasts 1-3 days after exposure. If you get a flu infection, you can infect someone up to a day before you develop symptoms, and sometimes symptoms appear up to five days after they occur. This means that before you know you have the flu, you can pass it on to someone else.

Most people make a full recovery from the flu, but it can cause complications including bronchitis, pneumonia, and, in rare cases, meningitis.

Cold and flu prevention tips

Good hygiene can prevent and prevent colds in the home and prevent the spread of the flu virus.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing

• Throw the used tissue in the dustbin and wash your hands thoroughly afterward

• If you don't have soap and water, use Dettol wipes or hand sanitizer

• If you don't have soap and water, use hand sanitizer

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer

• Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, and faucets

• Avoid going near people who are suffering from cold or flu

Internal Medicine in Abu Dhabi

Adam and Eve Specialized Medical Centre provides treatment for the common cold and flu. Book an appointment with our internal medicine specialist to get rid of the cold and flu.