The difference between viral influenza and the common cold.

Written by Zou Zhong Lan
Pulmonology
Updated on September 19, 2024
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The common cold is mostly caused by viruses and has milder symptoms, mainly including cough, nasal congestion, and runny nose. It tends to resolve on its own, and the whole-body symptoms are mild. Viral colds usually refer to colds where a specific pathogen can be identified, also known as influenza, such as H1N1, H3N2, type A influenza, and type B influenza prevalent in the winter and spring seasons. Its whole-body symptoms are more severe, mainly including fever, sore throat, headache, whole-body muscle soreness, poor spirits, fatigue, and other systemic symptoms.

Other Voices

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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How many days has the cold caused a runny nose?

If you have a cold with a runny nose, it will generally recover within about seven days. Since this is just a common cold and it is self-limiting, there is no need for excessive worry. However, if the symptoms are more severe and include coughing, phlegm, and fever, it is important to take some anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications along with symptomatic treatment to alleviate the symptoms. Recovery should also take about three to five days, and there is no need for excessive worry. Additionally, it is important to keep warm, avoid catching cold, eat a light diet, avoid spicy and greasy foods, cold and irritating foods, drink plenty of water to promote metabolism, and enhance your immunity. Do not stay up late and ensure sufficient sleep to help the illness recover faster. (Please follow the guidance of a professional physician when taking medication and avoid self-medication.)

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Written by Zhang Yin Xing
Obstetrics
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What should I do if I catch a cold during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, if a cold occurs, it should be analyzed based on the duration and type of the cold. Colds are generally categorized into common colds and influenza. Common colds are self-limiting, and typically heal on their own within 7 to 14 days without the need for medication. Influenza can be accompanied by high fever, and severe cases can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, thus requiring early detection and treatment. If the cold occurs within two weeks after ovulation and does not lead to miscarriage, the pregnancy can usually continue, and there will generally be no long-term impact on fetal development. However, if a cold occurs between the first to third month of pregnancy, during the period of fetal organ differentiation, it might lead to abnormal fetal development. Additional examinations would be necessary during the mid-term of the pregnancy. Colds that occur after the third month of pregnancy typically have a minor impact on the fetus, and usually do not require special treatment.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Is kidney qi deficiency prone to colds?

Patients with insufficient kidney qi are more likely to catch colds. This is because a deficiency in kidney qi can affect vitality, leading to slower bodily functions. Insufficient nurturing of vitality results in lethargy, lack of sleep, and reduced memory, thereby increasing the susceptibility to colds. This is especially true for male patients, where severe deficiency in kidney qi can lead to symptoms such as impotence and premature ejaculation. Additionally, it leads to lower bodily resistance and insufficient yang qi, as well as cold aversion, thus timely treatment is essential.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Cold with nasal congestion, fear of cold, and sweating is what kind of cold?

A cold, also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, often occurs due to decreased immune function, inadvertent exposure to cold, or infection by certain viruses, bacteria, or pathogens, leading to clinical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, sore throat, and chills. When a patient with a cold has a fever, it invariably causes a sensation of chilliness throughout the body, along with cold extremities. If such patients are given appropriate antiviral, heat-clearing, detoxifying, and fever-reducing medications for symptomatic treatment, usually after the fever subsides, a process of sweating occurs, which is very common in clinical practice, especially in cases of febrile colds. Therefore, in clinical practice, regardless of the type of cold causing the fever or symptoms like nasal congestion, it is essential to provide timely symptomatic treatment with medications to alleviate these uncomfortable clinical symptoms.

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Can I eat oranges when I have a cold and cough?

People with a cold and cough can eat oranges. This fruit is rich in vitamin C, which can promote the repair of tissue mucosa and is beneficial for recovery from illnesses. Additionally, it can also provide some cough relief. Therefore, it's fine to eat oranges when you have a cold and cough, as generally, there are no special contraindications with most fruits. Fruits like apples, bananas, tomatoes, tangerines, pineapples, and dragon fruits are also edible. It is mainly important to avoid overly greasy and spicy foods, refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water, ensure good indoor air circulation, and maintain suitable indoor temperature and humidity to help recover from a cold and cough.