COLD, FLU OR MALARIA SYMPTOMS...Know the difference!

It is important to know the difference between cold, flu (influenza) and malaria symptoms.

Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. This is followed by runny nose and congestion,cough develops by the fourth and fifth days. Children are more likely to have a fever, which is very uncommon in Adults.

With cold symptoms, there is watery nasal secretions for the first few days, which later becomes thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not usually mean you have developed a bacterial infection.

Several hundred different viruses may cause your cold symptoms.

Cold symptoms usually last for about a week. During the first three days that you have cold symptoms, you are contagious. This means you can pass the cold to others, so you should either stay home or go around with a lot of tissue or handkerchief and try to wash your hands frequently.

If cold symptoms do not seem to be improving after a week, you may have a bacterial infection, which means you may need antibiotics.

Flu is a super contagious virus that can make you feel miserable. It’s symptom is usually more severe than the sneezes and nasal congestion you get from common cold.

With flu,all symptoms come at once instead of over time. Symptoms includes that of common cold, fever, headache, muscle ache, tiredness and nausea or vomiting. Most symptoms last for 5days or sometimes a week. You can still feel drained for weeks even after the symptoms are gone.

Most people recover with no problem but some get problems like pneumonia, bronchitis, or sinus and ear infection. Asthma patients get sicker.

The symptoms of Malaria are often similar to those of flu(influenza). In Malaria the symptoms are persistent until the underlying parasite is eliminated. This can be for periods longer than a month.

It’s no fun for adults to deal with all these symptoms, it’s even tougher for children and babies and they are also more likely to get other health related issues.

Kindly talk to your healthcare provider about vaccines, prevention and treatment of these illnesses.

Happy Holidays!

Pharm G B. IDAMKUE

Reference:

1. link Accessed on the 17th of June, 2018

2. link Accessed on the 17th of June, 2018

3. link Accessed on the 16th of June, 2018