Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen Tylenol or ibuprofen Advil, Motrin may help you manage your symptoms. To relieve your symptoms faster, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug such as oseltamivir Tamiflu , peramivir Rapivab , zanamivir Relenza , or baloxavir Xofluza.
Also, antiviral drugs can cause side effects such as nausea , vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, call your doctor right away if you have any of the more serious flu symptoms, such as trouble breathing or dizziness.
Common colds are caused by many different viruses. These viruses spread through the air, just like influenza. Treat your cold by taking it easy.
Drink water and other non-caffeinated fluids and get as much rest as you can. You can also take an OTC cold remedy. Some of these drugs come in multi-symptom cold, cough, fever varieties. Decongestant nasal sprays relieve congestion. However, if you use a certain type for more than three days, it could give you a rebound stuffed nose. Some of these drugs can also cause an increase in blood pressure or a rapid heartbeat.
If you have high blood pressure , an irregular heart rhythm , or heart disease , talk to your doctor before you use a decongestant. Antihistamines can also help clear up a stuffy nose, but older ones such as diphenhydramine Benadryl can make you sleepy. Colds are usually mild, but they can sometimes lead to complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Shop for nasal decongestant sprays. Your sneezing, sniffling nose, and watery eyes might not be contagious at all. If they happen at certain times of the year like spring and they stick around for a few weeks or months, you could have allergies. Allergies can be triggered by irritants in your environment such as:. Shop for antihistamines. Like other viruses, flu viruses are constantly evolving and changing.
Therefore, the body rarely deals with the same flu virus twice. This can lead to some people contracting the flu almost every year. The most important factor in reducing the spread of viral infections is creating healthful habits during cold and flu season. Drinking plenty of water, eating a healthful diet, and getting plenty of rest are advised. These simple practices can help reduce symptoms and make any time with the illness as comfortable as possible.
When symptoms are showing, a few steps can help protect others from catching the illnesses, including:. If symptoms become difficult to manage, some people choose to stay home from work or school and opt out of social activities. This helps prevent the spread of illness while also taking care of personal well-being. Once they infect the body, viruses spread rapidly. The symptoms of the common cold develop as the immune system responds to eliminate the common cold virus.
While the effects of a common cold are usually mild and resolve without treatment, they can be irritating and disruptive. For a small number of people, the common cold also increases the risk of other illnesses entering the body. These illnesses include ear infections and more serious respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia.
The symptoms of flu are similar to those of the cold but are typically more intense in comparison. Symptoms of the influenza virus typically include:. Both cold and flu cause symptoms that can disrupt daily life. In most cases, viral infections run their course relatively quickly without any treatment. Many people find relief after treating the symptoms of these illnesses, however.
A wide range of drugs help treat the symptoms of cold and flu. These are available over the counter OTC. There is also a selection of cold and flu medication available for purchase online. These medications may be useful if severe symptoms make normal function difficult. Mumps causes your salivary glands to swell. These glands are just below and in front of your ears.
People with rubella should stay off school or work, and avoid contact with pregnant women where possible, for 6 days after the rash firsts develops. You can't spread shingles to others. But people who haven't had chickenpox before could catch chickenpox from you. Tonsillitis itself isn't contagious, but the viruses that cause it are. The length of time you're infectious will depend on the virus.
Page last reviewed: 13 November Next review due: 13 November Home Common health questions Infections Back to Infections. How long is someone infectious after a viral infection? Period of Contagiousness You may be able to pass on flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. People with flu are most contagious in the first days after their illness begins.
Some otherwise healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others with flu viruses for an even longer time.
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